Galaxy, Crew Sleepwalk to Tie
With the recent trend of name-changing in Major League Soccer -- the Dallas Burn will be known as FC Dallas beginning next season, and the Southland’s nascent Chivas USA entry will unveil its new moniker by the end of the month -- perhaps the Galaxy and Columbus Crew should look into such activities to better reflect their respective identities.
Especially after Saturday night’s mind-numbing 0-0 draw at the Home Depot Center.
Ladies and gentlemen, the Columbus Novocain and the Los Angeles Valium.
Just ask the announced crowd of 21,285, which booed the end result after sitting through the Galaxy’s second scoreless draw of the season.
“This is very frustrating,” said Galaxy forward Carlos Ruiz, who has one goal since July 10. “We missed out on two very important points that can help us later.”
Still, the Galaxy (9-6-7) picked up a point with the tie, and with Kansas City losing to San Jose, the Galaxy, which has not won a game since July 10, added a point to its first-place lead in the Western Conference.
The Crew, meanwhile, fell to 6-5-8 by getting a tie in its fourth consecutive road game. Three of the games have been 0-0 ties.
“It wasn’t our best game,” Galaxy Coach Sigi Schmid said. “We were a little too direct, too anxious to push forward in the first half.
“I don’t think it was a lack of effort, per se, they sat back ... they thought zoning was the way to go.”
Columbus outshot the Galaxy, 12-7, and led in shots on goal, 7-3.
The Galaxy was also without two defenders, Chris Albright (red card) and Ryan Suarez (caution points). Schmid started Hong Myung-Bo and Sasha Victorine in the four-man back line, which alternated to a three-man back when the Crew was on the attack. Victorine, a midfielder, made the transition and Ned Grabavoy started in the midfield.
Galaxy defender Tyrone Marshall saw a silver lining in the scoreless cloud.
“The positive is that we didn’t give up a goal after giving up three last week [in a 3-0 loss at the MetroStars],” Marshall said. “Our attitude going in is to keep the zero because only something positive can come out of that -- either we win or get the point.”
Having tested the crowd’s attention span with 80 minutes of lackluster play, the teams turned it on in the last 10-plus minutes.
The Galaxy’s best opportunity came after Schmid made three substitutions, though forward Jovan Kirovski did not appreciate being replaced by Alejandro Moreno in the 64th minute. Kirovski ran past Schmid, and after reaching the sideline, bolted toward the tunnel and to the locker room.
Said Schmid: “We’ll talk.”
The Galaxy would have been talking about Ruiz had his back heel kick from 15 yards hit the back of the net in the 80th minute. Instead, the ball flew over the crossbar.
“Almost,” Ruiz said. “But it doesn’t matter now.”
Columbus nearly scored two minutes later when Duncan Oughton’s blast from the top of the box hit the crossbar.
“We need to go on our streak right now and continue to improve,” Schmid said. “Hit our stride, hit our streak.”
Or provide plenty of caffeine for their fans if they don’t.
