Galaxy Has a Backup Plan in 4-2 Victory over Mutiny
No athlete likes to be on the sideline, certainly not Clint Mathis.
But for every minute the Galaxy reserve waited to get into the game, he knew the heat and humidity of a Florida summer day were taking their toll on the opposition.
“I just wanted to bring some energy into the game,” he said. “Some fresh legs.”
And when he finally got in the game midway through the second half, Mathis brought enough energy to score two quick goals as the Galaxy had its best offensive showing of the season, a 4-2 comeback victory over the Tampa Bay Mutiny at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday.
The win was the fourth in a row for the resurgent Galaxy (9-6) and nudged the team into a third-place tie with the Chicago Fire in the Western Conference. It also revived memories of a squad that led Major League Soccer in scoring last season.
“It feels good to be able to take two goals and not have to worry,” said Coach Sigi Schmid, whose team has struggled offensively. “We needed a game like this.”
The Galaxy also needed some time to get started.
After a scoreless first half, Tampa Bay struck first as Steve Ralston wriggled past the defense and lofted a cross to Musa Shannon. The Mutiny forward, who was breaking free all day long, headed the ball home for a 1-0 lead.
Soon after, in the 65th minute, Schmid turned to his reserves and the Mutiny got an uneasy feeling. Said Tampa Bay Coach Tim Hankinson: “We knew that Clint Mathis was going to be a factor.”
Mathis wasted little time proving him right. Seconds after stepping onto the field, he worked himself into an open spot at the top of the box, took a pass from Steve Jolley and scored in the upper right-hand corner.
From there, Tampa Bay (6-8) seemed to wilt in the 88-degree temperature and thick air of its hometown. How else to explain the actions of goalkeeper Scott Garlick? One of the best keepers in the league, Garlick drew a red card in the 69th minute after colliding with Galaxy forward Cobi Jones.
“I landed on top of him so he got upset and kicked me in the side,” Jones said. “A foolish act on his part.”
When Garlick was sent off in a similar incident earlier this season, his replacement, Andy Kirk, surrendered three quick goals to D.C. United. Some of the Galaxy players took note.
“Personally, I don’t know [Kirk],” forward Carlos Hermosillo said. “But my teammates told me to shoot a lot, so they must have known something.”
And like D.C. United, the Galaxy took advantage.
Mauricio Cienfuegos scored one minute later, knocking home the rebound from a Danny Pena shot that bounced off the crossbar. Mathis followed with his second goal in the 76th minute, taking a through pass from Cienfuegos and beating Kirk to the far post. Hermosillo finished the outburst by converting a crossing pass from Jones in the 85th minute.
Tampa Bay gave the crowd of 10,091 something to cheer about with a late goal from Ralston but that didn’t matter to the Galaxy orMathis. He was just glad to be part of a surge.
“The way we used to attack,” he said. “We’d have one, two, three passes and it’s a goal. We still have that in us.”
