Another Shot for Galaxy
This being futbol, not football, it certainly didn’t make much sense to bring up the Buffalo Bills to El Salvador-born and bred Mauricio Cienfuegos of the Galaxy, a man who has suffered enough in three losing visits to the final of the MLS Cup.
If 1996 and 1999 were emotionally wrenching, then last year, it literally ended in tears for the classy midfielder, an original member of the Galaxy. He sobbed after the 2-1 overtime loss to San Jose, thinking he may never get another shot at the title.
But the talented Galaxy returned again, facing turnaround artists, the New England Revolution, today in the MLS Cup, which is the fourth trip to the final for Los Angeles. But this, naturally, has brought forth some dire potential comparisons to the Bills -- 0-4 in the Super Bowl -- even in the usually upbeat weekly U.S. Soccer release:
“Will Los Angeles fall yet again as the favored team in the MLS Cup, cementing their place in history as the Buffalo Bills of soccer?”
Galaxy Coach Sigi Schmid and his players are staying in the present tense, and speaking of the past only when asked about it. Cienfuegos was one exception on Saturday after the team went through a brisk workout on a windy day at Gillette Stadium. He was asked what a victory would represent for him.
“We lose three finals,” he said. “This is the fourth time to come to the final and we need to get it this time. Not for me, but for everybody. This would mean a lot. We need to win this time.”
The angst level appears minimal, however. Cienfuegos and Cobi Jones are the only remaining members from the first Galaxy team, and Cienfuegos said there is a significant change between this team and others in Los Angeles.
“It’s different. The difference is we play for each other,” he said. “It’s like a team now, it’s much better. Everybody knows we can win the Cup when we play for each other.”
There are no cheap motivational gimmicks -- real or imagined -- in motion.
“It’s nothing we can change,” Schmid said. “It’s history. The only motivation is that we were able to put ourselves into the final again this year, and we’re good enough to make our history on Sunday.”
Defender Alexi Lalas concurred.
“We knew all the questions,” he said. “It’s all the same. Fourth time back and this and that, and not winning. This core of players that’s been together is completely different than any other team that’s been there. The only history that we bring into this game started in February of this year, in preseason.
“There’s only a couple of players that have been around for the other ones. You think it would creep in and people would think about it. I don’t think anybody thinks about it at all.”
The Revolution’s home-field advantage is another matter. Ticket sales hit 55,000, officials said, and there was a steady stream of walk-up business at Gillette Stadium even late in the afternoon.
The 1997 final between D.C. United and Colorado at RFK Stadium drew 57,431, which is the MLS Cup record.
“I don’t see it as a disadvantage for us,” Schmid said. “I don’t think it’s going to make us play any worse. I don’t think it’s going to make us all of a sudden forget how to pass the ball. Certainly there’s a point in every game where maybe you get down a bit and it’s nice to have that boost from the crowd. It’s something New England is going to have and we’re not gonna have.”
He paused and smiled, saying: “We just have to have a loud bench.”
The Revolution is expected to receive a significant boost with the return of striker Taylor Twellman, who finished second to Galaxy forward Carlos Ruiz in voting for the league’s most valuable player award.
“It’s not Carlos against Taylor,” Twellman said of today’s final.
Twellman has been ailing because of a sprained right knee but has resumed training, saying Saturday that he is ready to play.
“My knee is something you have to deal with and you move on,” Twellman said. “It’s the final. I’m not going to sit out this game. I’m going to give it my best shot.”
The Galaxy does not have any novel way of containing him.
“We’re gonna play him the same way as basically we did the last time,” Schmid said. “We have two markers -- Tyrone Marshall and Danny Califf -- and one of those two will be on him at all times and the other one will be on Wolde Harris.
“We’re not going to be super strict with it.”
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Best XI
The MLS all-league team, as voted on by coaches, general managers, players and media:
*--* Pos Player, Team Season Highlights F Carlos Ruiz, Galaxy MVP and leading goal scorer (24) F Taylor Twellman, New England Led league in scoring with 52 points MF Jeff Cunningham, Columbus Had career highs with 16 goals, 37 points MF Steve Ralston, New England Third-time Best XI choice, led league in assists (19) MF Mark Chung, Colorado Double figures in goals (11) and assists (10) MF Ronnie Ekelund, San Jose Second on team with 20 points MF Oscar Pareja, Dallas Led Burn to seventh consecutive playoff berth D Wade Barrett, San Jose Led Earthquake defense that allowed only 35 goals D Carlos Bocanegra, Chicago Former UCLA star was chosen defender of the year D Alexi Lalas, Galaxy First-time pick at 32, anchored league’s top defense GK Tim Howard, Metrostars Led league in saves (140) for second year in a row
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