Moreno Steps Forward When Galaxy Needs It

Think Alejandro Moreno is coming into tonight’s Major League Soccer semifinal series opener against the Colorado Rapids wide-eyed and filled with wonderment?

Think again.

The 23-year-old Galaxy rookie forward, who will be making his second consecutive postseason start at the Rose Bowl after starting only seven games in the regular season, is taking it all in stride.

“Exciting? Sure it is, but it’s also a huge responsibility,” Moreno said. “But it’s good to have the confidence and the trust of the coaching staff and I know my teammates are behind me so all I have to do is go out there and do the things that they ask me to do. My role is pretty well defined so I just have to do the best that I can.”

And that role is?

“I’m out there basically to take some heat off of Carlos [Ruiz].... I try to create as much opportunities as I can, not only for him but also for Cobi Jones so they can run into spaces and hopefully get behind defenders.”

It seemed to work the last time out, with Ruiz and Jones each getting two goals and an assist in the Galaxy’s 5-2 first-round series-clinching victory over the Kansas City Wizards on Wednesday.

With defensive midfielder Peter Vagenas out because of a strained right hamstring and playmaking midfielder Mauricio Cienfuegos benched, Galaxy Coach Sigi Schmid moved Jones and Chris Albright to the midfield, leaving an opening at forward alongside Ruiz.

Moreno was the surprise starter and played 71 minutes.

Schmid expects a more technical series against the Rapids than the one the Galaxy just survived against the Wizards and thus, Cienfuegos is back in his starting role of playmaker.

Cienfuegos entered this year’s postseason as the league’s third-leading all-time scorer in the playoffs with 27 points on seven goals and 13 assists. In fact, until being relegated to cheerleading duty in Game 3 against Kansas City, Cienfuegos had started 31 of the Galaxy’s 32 playoff games.