Ruiz Heads Galaxy Attack
Back again.
For the third time in the last four years and the fourth time in the seven-year history of Major League Soccer, the Galaxy will play in the MLS Cup match.
Its 1-0 victory over the Colorado Rapids in Game 2 of the semifinals at Invesco Field on Wednesday night solidified the Galaxy’s spot in the final, which will be held Oct. 20 at Gillette Stadium at Foxboro, Mass., against the New England Revolution or the Columbus Crew.
In completing the two-game sweep of Colorado in front of 12,367, the Galaxy did it with its staples--defense, Cobi Jones and Carlos Ruiz.
The defense pulled off its second consecutive shutout of the Rapids without sweeper and spiritual leader Alexi Lalas, who sat out the match because he feared picking up a third yellow card in as many games, which would have forced Lalas to sit out the next game.
The Cobi and Carlos Show, meanwhile, played to rave reviews, as the top two playoff scorers in the league combined for the game-winner in the 64th minute.
On a play that started on a ball from Peter Vagenas, who had entered one minute earlier, Jones launched a cross pass from the top left corner of the box into the middle of the box toward a drifting Ruiz.
The Guatemalan striker outjumped Mark Chung, a 5-foot-7 midfielder who somehow got caught in the back marking Ruiz, and Ruiz put just enough head on the ball to redirect it into the left corner of the net, past a prone David Kramer.
Ruiz’s seventh goal of the playoffs, which gave him 16 points, established MLS records for goals and points in a postseason. Jones has 10 points.
“I know that Cobi’s a good passer into the box,” Ruiz said. “So once I saw him get the ball, I just made my move. It was a good ball by Cobi.
“But it’s not over. We all want to be No. 1 when it’s all said and done. We’re not satisfied until we win the championship.”
Jones said he spied Ruiz from the get-go.
“It was just a matter of me getting the ball to him and him jumping over the man who was marking him,” said Jones, who began the playoffs with 13 points in six previous postseasons. “I knew he’d be dangerous with the ball in the air.”
After employing four defenders with a 4-4-2 lineup in Game 1, the Rapids switched to more of a man-marking 3-5-2 alignment with three defenders.
Ultimately, it made no difference.
Coach Sigi Schmid moved Tyrone Marshall into Lalas’ sweeper role and started Craig Waibel at defender.
The Rapids were breaking down the Galaxy defense early and getting good looks at the goal. They just couldn’t finish.
Colorado nearly scored in the 41st minute, but Chris Henderson’s shot from 20 yards hit the right post and Mark Chung’s left-footed follow off the carom from five yards was wide left, though he had a practically empty net.
The Rapids outshot the Galaxy, 14-11, but only had one shot on goal, compared to the five shots on goal taken by the Galaxy, which has outscored the Rapids, 10-0, in four playoff matches and 12-1 in the last four meetings between the teams.
Perhaps most striking was how subdued the Galaxy’s postgame celebration was. Absent was the unbridled joy the team exhibited after beating San Jose in the regular-season finale to win the Western Conference title and the top seeding. Missing was the sheer relief the Galaxy displayed in beating Kansas City in the first round after being extended to three games.
“They’re very focused,” Schmid said. “That’s why they’re not celebrating, not jumping up and down. We’ve been there before.”
