Galaxy Can’t Change Script in Loss to Crew

Eleven games into the Galaxy’s fourth Major League Soccer season, no one is quite sure what sort of story the team is writing.

It could easily become a tragedy, given that Los Angeles is well on its way toward obliterating the MLS record for fewest goals scored in a season. Seven goals in 11 games means, with luck, 20 to 25 for the year.

But nothing in sports is tragic when all that is being discussed is wins and losses or goals scored and goals missed. So scratch tragedy.

Perhaps it’s a comedy the Galaxy is working on, a story line made more plausible by the laughable lack of fire power again displayed Saturday night, this time in a 2-1 shootout loss to the Crew in Columbus, Ohio.

The 16,596 on hand at Crew Stadium certainly got a chuckle out of seeing Coach Sigi Schmid’s team turn a 1-0 lead with 2:38 to play into a defeat.

Schmid, naturally, was less amused. Grim, in fact. Expect a player or players to be traded within the next week.

All in all, it must be a mystery that’s being written, one in which the questions are numerous but the clues are few.

Why, for example, did Clint Mathis waste not one but three clear scoring opportunities in front of the net before being yanked by Schmid midway through the second half?

How could Cobi Jones have given the Galaxy its lead with such a well-taken goal in the 57th minute, only to miss so woefully with a couple of other shots?

Is Welton going to be around for the next game, next Sunday against the Kansas City Wizards at the Rose Bowl?

Has Mauricio Cienfuegos’ fat new contract weighed him down and taken a step off his game?

Can goalkeeper Kevin Hartman and the still stingy Galaxy defense carry the team much longer before the pressure takes its toll?

Will the fans return to watch a team that is 5-6 and mired in fourth place?

One-third of the way into the season, it’s too early to answer most of those questions, but the Galaxy is making a mistake by heaping all its expectations on the imminent return of Carlos Hermosillo.

If the Mexican striker had watched Saturday’s game, he might easily have decided to delay his second MLS season by a few weeks.

The first half was dull enough to put even Ohio fans to sleep. Suffice to say that the Galaxy did not force Crew goalkeeper Mark Dougherty to make a single save. Not one.

In the 57th minute, Jones’ shot at goal was headed away by Mike Clark, but not very well. The ball went straight back to Jones, who made no mistake with the second chance, lashing a shot into the upper left corner.

It was only his second goal of the season and the first goal scored against the Crew in its new stadium.

With less than three minutes to play, a pass from Matt Kmosko found Jeff Cunningham, who cut inside Galaxy defender Robin Fraser and fired a low shot past Hartman before defender Steve Jolley could close the former University of South Florida striker down.

Just like that, it was 1-1.

The shootout, the Galaxy’s seventh of the season, went the predictable way. Jones, Welton and Cienfuegos saw their attempts blocked by Dougherty. Billy Thompson, Stern John and Cunningham scored for the Crew, which improved to 7-3.

“This was the hardest loss since I took over as coach,” Schmid said. “It was hard because we came all the way to Columbus, outplayed them and are going back to Los Angeles without a point. It’s a travesty.”