Kirovski Puts In Bid to Stay With Galaxy
In only a few weeks, Galaxy Coach Steve Sampson must identify the 12 players he will protect in Major League Soccer’s expansion draft, when the league’s two new clubs, Chivas USA and Real Salt Lake City, will begin stocking their rosters for 2005.
On Saturday night, forward Jovan Kirovski might have assured himself a place among Sampson’s select 12.
Without a goal since June 27, Kirovski scored twice within 17 minutes in the second half and the Galaxy defeated the Dallas Burn, 2-0, in front of 27,000 in the Home Depot Center.
The victory, combined with Kansas City’s 0-0 tie with the Earthquakes at San Jose, means the Galaxy (11-8-10) can win the Western Conference title by beating the conference-leading Wizards by two goals at Kansas City in the Oct. 16 regular-season finale.
Can the Galaxy do it?
“Absolutely,” Sampson said. “I think we have the offensive ability to get the job done.”
That offense had been noticeably absent in recent weeks, with the Galaxy scoring one goal in 353 minutes before Kirovski struck in the 68th minute Saturday.
The goal came seven minutes after Sampson had sent Austrian midfielder Andres Herzog into the match, and it was Herzog’s corner kick from the right that broke the ice. Jason Kreis tried to head the ball away, but instead it skipped off his head and Kirovski, well positioned at the far post, headed it in.
His second goal was even better.
Joseph Ngwenya -- easily the most exciting player on the field during his 17 minutes as a late substitute -- was fouled by defender Milton Reyes in the 84th minute and Herzog and Kirovski each stepped up to take the resulting free kick, from about 20 yards.
Herzog deferred to Kirovski, who curled the ball around the defensive wall and just inside the right post for his eighth goal.
“The wall wasn’t set up that good,” Kirovski said. “I spoke to Andy about it. I said, ‘I’m going to shoot it because I see the wall sort of aligned wrong.’ I hit it and fortunately it went in.”
The victory was only Sampson’s second since taking charge of the team in mid-August and he was understandably pleased.
“Well, finally we got some goals,” he said. “That’s been the missing ingredient for the last three or four games.”
The Galaxy’s top scorer, Guatemalan striker Carlos Ruiz, failed a pregame fitness test and did not play. Nevertheless, Sampson allowed Ruiz to travel to Guatemala late Saturday night to join his national team for a crucial World Cup qualifying match against Honduras on Wednesday.
Sampson described Ruiz’s injury as torn fibers in his left hamstring, and said Guatemala Coach Ramon Maradiaga, whose team was thrashed, 5-0, Saturday night by Costa Rica in a World Cup qualifier, had “promised” him Ruiz would not play unless he was sound.
In Ruiz’s absence, Sampson gave newcomer Alan Gordon his first MLS start, and while Gordon held his own up front against the Burn (10-14-5), it was Ngwenya’s dribbling at speed and sudden changes of direction that had the crowd oooohing and aaaahing.
“Joseph showed the kind of flair that I think is going to excite the L.A. crowd, hopefully for many years to come,” Sampson said. “He’s an exciting player.”
