Glinton Makes Quick Impact
Talk about a brilliant debut.
No, not Carlos Ruiz. Gavin Glinton.
Glinton, a 23-year-old rookie from Bradley playing his first Major League Soccer game, took a mere 39 seconds to earn the Galaxy an improbable 2-1 overtime victory over D.C. United on Saturday night in front of 20,602 at the Rose Bowl.
Sent into the game when overtime began, Glinton dodged into the penalty area and was cut down by Milton Reyes, D.C. United’s newly acquired Honduran national team defender.
Referee Noel Kenney pointed to the penalty spot and Ruiz stepped up to blast the ball past Nick Rimando from 12 yards for his second goal in six minutes.
“I’m very happy with that,” Glinton said. “You dream your whole life about getting into a professional game, and to be able to get in and contribute like that, I’m very happy.”
So was Galaxy Coach Sigi Schmid, who almost saw the 2002 season opener slip away from Los Angeles against its longtime nemesis. The Galaxy outshot D.C. United, 14-2, but was trailing by a goal with less than six minutes remaining.
“That was the best minute anybody’s ever played in this league,” Schmid said of Glinton’s contribution.
“It was just something where we felt we could go with another offensive player [in overtime]. We told Gavin to just go at them. I think he showed what he can bring with his quickness and his speed.”
It was Ruiz, however, who turned the game the Galaxy’s way. The Guatemalan national team striker also was making his MLS debut, and he was harshly treated by D.C. United, which showed its respect for his ability by fouling him hard and often.
But Ruiz took everything aimed his way and paid it back the best possible way, with the goals that first tied and then defeated D.C. United.
“He’s committed to scoring goals,” Schmid said. “That’s what he wants to do. I really like him as a person because he’s going to fight and scratch [to create scoring chances].
“It’s not just the goals he scored tonight. Whenever there was a melee in the box, he was in the middle of it.
“He showed that he can take a hit, as well, because he got nailed a couple of times. But he gets up and he keeps battling, and that’s what our team respects about him.”
D.C. United, which played the last 50 minutes with only 10 men after the expulsion of Bobby Convey five minutes before halftime for a very late tackle that clipped Ruiz’s ankle, took the lead in the 76th minute.
Santino Quaranta’s pass left Ali Curtis in a one-on-one battle with Galaxy defender Danny Califf. Curtis’ speed won the day and he was free to fire a low shot that ended Galaxy goalkeeper Matt Reis’ hopes of a shutout.
It looked as if D.C. United would be able to escape the Rose Bowl with the victory when Ruiz took charge.
The 22-year-old youngster from Guatemala City, who glories in the nickname “Pescadito” (Little Fish), took a pass from Ezra Hendrickson in the 86th minute, held off U.S. national team defender Eddie Pope, then turned and fired a low shot from about 17 yards that flashed past Rimando.
After scoring, the 5-foot-9, 170-pound striker ripped of his Galaxy jersey, sprinted to the sideline and delighted in the cheers of the much-relieved Galaxy fans.
“He’s a cracking player, a cracking player,” D.C. United Coach Ray Hudson acknowledged. “I saw a young Jaime Moreno [D.C. United’s brilliant but injured Bolivian forward] there, I think. He’s a wonderful acquisition for the league. He’s an exciting, volatile, brave player.
“I thought we handled him pretty well. I don’t think many teams will handle that kid as well as we did.”
But D.C. United gave the Guatemalan genie one chance to escape and he took it.
“Obviously, we’re very pleased Carlos got two goals,” Schmid said. “The last two forwards we brought in [Mexico’s Carlos Hermosillo and Luis Hernandez], it took them a long time to get two goals.”
