Caligiuri Has Big Role in Galaxy Win

Paul Caligiuri didn’t need to stare at and meditate on the writing that adorned the grease board in the Galaxy’s locker room to get the point.

Scribbled on it was one of those pump-you-up-type of slogans that coaches utilize, well, just in case: Team Defense Wins Championships.

Caligiuri knew that.

He also knew that he was in for a long day when he saw the defensive assignment he drew for Sunday’s game at the Rose Bowl.

For most of the Galaxy’s opening match in the Western Conference finals, Caligiuri would be facing the league’s scoring champ in Dallas Burn forward Jason Kreis.

“He’s the type of player that’s not only a good forward, he also complements his teammates with his work ethic. He challenges second balls and he never gives up,” Caligiuri said. “He’s so dangerous when the ball’s at his feet. You don’t want to allow him to turn and face the goal. That was my goal today--not allowing him to turn and face the goal because any chance he gets, he’s going to be very dangerous.”

Not only was Caligiuri’s defense, a shutout of Kreis, a major reason the Galaxy took Game 1 of the best-of-three series, 2-1, it also continued a scoring drought for Kreis that has lasted since the regular season ended three weeks ago.

Kreis, who led the MLS with 51 points, has not scored a goal since the Burn’s 2-1 win in the regular season finale Oct. 10 at Tampa Bay.

He hasn’t had an assist since the Burn beat the Galaxy, 4-3, in Dallas on Oct. 3.

Against the Chicago Fire in the first round of the playoffs, Kreis played 90 minutes in all three games of the Burn’s 2-1 series win and was held scoreless, despite tying for the team lead in shots taken in the series with six.

Against the Galaxy on Sunday, Kreis took three shots, two at goal, and came up empty for the fourth straight game.

“You just have to stay close and don’t dive in too much at him to where he’s going to be able to turn you,” Caligiuri said. “I kind of gave up a little bit to make sure that he couldn’t turn and face our goal. I think I did my duty there. But he makes a lot of runs.”

It was a far cry from the regular season for Kreis, when he established Dallas records with 18 goals and 15 assists.

In his breakout season, he became the first player in MLS history to finish with at least 15 goals and 15 assists in the same season.

He also became the fourth player to get at least 50 points in a single season, joining Roy Lassiter, who had 58 points for the Tampa Bay Mutiny in 1996; Stern John, who had 57 points for the Columbus Crew in 1998; and the Galaxy’s Cobi Jones, who had 51 points last season.

Instead of a breakout postseason, Caligiuri and his Galaxy defender teammates made Kreis look simply broken down.

Still, Galaxy Coach Sigi Schmid was careful not to key only on Kreis, what with the Burn having another capable forward in Ariel Graziani.

“Kreis, Graziani and [midfielder Oscar] Pareja, that triangle, is dangerous,” Schmid said. “And I thought, overall, we did a good job on that triangle. I thought for the most part they didn’t get that much.”

Well, there was Graziani’s somewhat controversial score-tying goal in the 75th minute that some seemed to think should have been called offsides. But other than that, the Galaxy’s defense more than held its own against the Burn.

“Where we had trouble is when we got possession of the ball, we turned over the ball,” Schmid added. “Normally we don’t turn over the ball.

“Our decision-making wasn’t as sharp as normal.”

Unless you count the decision to put Caligiuri on Kreis.

“You’ve just got to compliment our whole back line,” Caligiuri said.