Lalas Goal Puts Galaxy in Final

At the far end of Titan Stadium on the Cal State Fullerton campus is a sloping bank of ivy, good for nothing but a little green variety in an otherwise cement-dominated structure.

On Wednesday night, Alexi Lalas found a new use for it.

A mere 3:36 into sudden-death overtime, Lalas headed the ball sharply past Chicago Fire goalkeeper Zach Thornton off a corner kick by Simon Elliott, lifting the Galaxy to a 1-0 victory in the semifinals of the U.S. Open Cup.

After scoring, Lalas took off on a run across the field, around the corner flag and up the bank of ivy, stopping halfway up to raise his arms to the sky before being engulfed by his pursuing teammates.

Lalas had come into the game only in the 77th minute. Seventeen minutes later, he was the hero.

“It’s euphoria, it’s a climax like no other,” Lalas said of his celebratory run. “You kind of lose your senses, and that was very evident by that run.

“I don’t really know what I did. I do know I got about halfway up the embankment over there and the gas gave out. I wanted to make it to the top.”

Lalas had not even expected to play.

“It’s not something that I was expecting, to say the least,” the former U.S. national team defender said. “I was doing what I usually do, warming up behind the bench and screwing around, making fun of people and having some popcorn.

“When he [Galaxy Coach Sigi Schmid] called me, I was like, ‘Oh, God, I probably should stretch right now.’ ”

Lalas’ winning goal climaxed a game that the Galaxy fought hard to win against a talented and stubborn Fire team that was missing half its starters.

But Los Angeles had something to prove.

Last year, the Fire knocked the Galaxy out of the Open Cup semifinals with a 2-1 victory, also at Cal State Fullerton, when Josh Wolff scored the deciding goal 22 minutes into overtime.

This time, Fire Coach Bob Bradley’s team found the tables turned.

Whatever real hope the Fire had of repeating as Open Cup champion disappeared about 13 minutes into the game.

That’s when Hristo Stoitchkov suddenly pulled up on the right sideline, grimaced and clutched at his right hamstring. Two minutes later he was taken out of the game, having aggravated an earlier injury.

Without the inspirational Stoitchkov--and with strikers Eric Wynalda and Ante Razov on the bench because of knee and groin injuries, respectively, and with Wolff out for the season--the 1998 and 2000 Open Cup winners had little chance.

The loss ended Chicago’s eight-game winning streak in Open Cup play.

“Were disappointed that we’re not able to continue our defense of the Open Cup title,” Bradley said, “but we are very proud of our players. They put out a terrific effort. We wish the Galaxy the best of luck.”

In the Oct. 27 final, the Galaxy will play the New England Revolution, which defeated D.C. United, 2-0, in Wednesday’s other semifinal.

Wynalda came off the bench to try to spark the Fire in the final 10 minutes of regulation, but Razov had no chance to do the same after being red-carded for running off the bench and confronting game officials at halftime.

Lalas, meanwhile, came off the bench and put the Galaxy into the Open Cup final for the first time in its history.

The title game might be played at Cal State Fullerton and the ivy-covered slope will still be there, ready for Lalas to try for the top.