Califf’s Overtime Goal Helps Make Amends
Redemption may be too strong a word to describe Danny Califf’s game-winning goal Saturday night at the Rose Bowl. But the Galaxy defender did redeem himself, to a degree, with his score in the 96th minute, providing the difference in a 2-1 overtime victory over the defending MLS Cup champion Kansas City Wizards.
It was Califf, remember, who had two match-costing gaffes in the Galaxy’s season-ending playoff loss to the Wizards last October.
“Beating Kansas City is always great,” said Califf, who attempted three shots, all on goal. “Over the past year we’ve developed a pretty good rivalry with them.
“But considering how we thoroughly dominated them tonight, I thought we deserved the game.”
Califf’s winner in front of 13,471 came after a left-footed free kick by Simon Elliot from the top right-hand side of the penalty box. Elliot found a streaking Califf in the left side of the box and Califf’s shot blew past the Wizards’ stunned goalkeeper, Tony Meola.
“When you look at the run of play, I think our win was justified,” Galaxy Coach Sigi Schmid said. “I think we outplayed them.”
The Galaxy outshot the Wizards, 19-2, overall and 10-1 in shots on goal, and had 16 corner kicks to the Wizards’ one.
Plus, the Galaxy had to crack Kansas City’s mind-numbing, sit-back-and-play-for-the-tie defense. For most of the second half, the Wizards had eight players drop into two lines of defense.
“It’s frustrating but a lot of teams that come into the Rose Bowl do it [sit back],” said Elliot, who attempted a game-high five shots, two on goal. “So it’s just up to us to break them down.
“The good thing is we created chances . . . goals will eventually come.”
With the victory, the second-place Galaxy (3-2-0, nine points) moved within a point of the first-place Wizards (3-3-1, 10 points). The Galaxy has won three consecutive games against the Wizards and extended its regular-season unbeaten streak against Kansas City at the Rose Bowl to eight games, going 6-0-2 since Sept. 28, 1997.
The Galaxy defense did not allow a Kansas City shot after the 18th minute, outshooting the Wizards, 17-0, from that point.
The Wizards scored first, courtesy of a controversial foul call.
In the 17th minute, Galaxy defender Ezra Hendrickson was called for knocking down Wizard midfielder Chris Brown from behind in the penalty box, though television replays showed otherwise. Referee Kevin Terry then issued Hendrickson a yellow card for dissent.
Kansas City midfielder Matt McKeon sent the penalty shot past a diving Matt Ries, who was making his third consecutive start in goal, into the left side of the net. It was Kansas City’s first regular-season penalty-kick conversion since July 31, 1999.
The Galaxy tied the score in the 32nd minute with a converted penalty kick of its own.
After juking a trio of Kansas City defenders in the left side of the box, Galaxy midfielder Mauricio Cienfuegos found Elliot coming to the middle. Elliot was fouled by Wizard defender Nick Garcia, setting up the penalty kick by Galaxy defender Greg Vanney.
Vanney’s conversion faked out Meola, who went to his left as the ball went to his right.
Notes
With Club America’s 4-1 victory over Leon in Mexico City on Saturday night, Luis Hernandez’s 2001 Galaxy debut has been pushed back at least another week as America advances to the Mexican First Division semifinals, which begin Wednesday. Hernandez’s agent, Jose Manuel Sanz, has said recently that his client will report to the Galaxy immediately after America’s playoff run. . . . The Galaxy’s next game is Wednesday at Tampa Bay.
