Tie Will Draw It Out
While the Galaxy can clinch a spot in Major League Soccer’s semifinals with a win over Tampa Bay tonight at the Rose Bowl, there are some who think the Mutiny holds a certain advantage.
After all, the Mutiny does not need to beat the Galaxy in Game 2 to extend the best-of-three quarterfinal series. Even a tie would send the teams back to Florida for a deciding Game 3 on Saturday.
But Tampa Bay Coach Tim Hankinson said the Mutiny, the third-ranked scoring squad in MLS this season with 62 goals, would play to its strengths rather than sit back and play for a draw.
“Put it this way,” Hankinson said Tuesday after his team worked out at Jackie Robinson Field near the Rose Bowl, “a tie or a win gets us back home. And if we were a team that could sit back and feel like we could shut teams out, very much as they did to us, or Kansas City can do, then we might have a tendency to resort to that. But I don’t feel that’s the place of the qualities of our team.”
Galaxy Coach Sigi Schmid expects a different, albeit more aggressive Mutiny team tonight than the one that was shut out, 1-0, at Raymond James Stadium in the series opener last week.
“Obviously, they’re not happy with the way the game went, they weren’t happy with the result,” Schmid said. “So I think you’re going to see a team that’s going to be maybe a little feistier, maybe a team that’s a little nastier on their tackles, maybe a team that’s going to really come out those first 20 minutes and really try to put a stamp on the game.
“So, for us, what’s important is that we have to make sure that we give every bit the same effort that we gave last Thursday in Tampa and play good with the ball like we did in the second half. And then I think things will be OK.”
The Galaxy’s game plan was to disrupt the service and passing lanes between Mutiny midfielder Carlos Valderrama, who set a league record with 26 assists, and high-scoring forward Mamadou “Big Mama” Diallo, who had league highs in points, 56, and goals, 26.
Galaxy defenders Greg Vanney and Paul Caligiuri marked Valderrama and Diallo superbly in the win.
“I think we frustrated them fairly quickly,” said Galaxy goalkeeper Kevin Hartman, who is ready to play after suffering a concussion in Game 1. “I think that after the first 20, 30 minutes you could tell that [Diallo] wasn’t really there to play anymore. So that’s something that we have to continue to do.
“I thought that Cal and the rest of the boys really stepped up. They were able to put a ton of pressure on Valderrama so he wasn’t able to pick and choose.”
Diallo said the Galaxy defense didn’t really disrupt his game; rather, the Mutiny merely folded under playoff pressure. Remember, this is a team that has not scored a playoff goal in 414 minutes, dating to Oct. 5, 1997, and is riding a seven-game postseason losing streak, which began Oct. 10, 1996.
Still, “Big Mama” says he is ready for Game 2, be it as a scorer or a passer.
“I know that everybody is looking for me, all the defense sets their eyes on me,” Diallo said. “My team has to be smart and look out for that. If two or three other players are around me, then I can give them the pass to score the goals.”
That should work in the Galaxy’s favor, even if the Mutiny does have other offensive weapons such as midfielders Steve Ralston (27 points on five goals and 17 assists) and Manny Lagos (23 points on eight goals and seven assists).
Said Schmid: “I still think their bread and butter and the key is basically Valderrama and Diallo.
“Any time you can force a team out of their comfort zone, it’s not that the others can’t play, but until they establish their new rhythm in that period of time, a lot of times you gain an advantage,” Schmid added. “And if you can use that advantage and press them and score goals, then you’re OK.”
GALAXY vs. TAMPA BAY
MLS quarterfinal playoff round:
GAME 1
* Galaxy 1
* Tampa Bay 0
GAME 2
Tonight at
Galaxy, 7:30
GAME 3*
Saturday at
Tampa Bay, TBA
*--if necessary
