Galaxy Ends Run by Roma FC
At least the members of Dallas Roma FC can fall back on their day jobs.
For Roma, a scrappy amateur soccer team whose players practice at 7 a.m. before heading to their professional jobs, its Cinderella run in the U.S. Open Cup ended at the hands of the Galaxy on Tuesday in a 2-0 loss at the Home Depot Center track stadium.
In its four-round jaunt, Roma became the first amateur squad to beat an MLS team in the tournament when it outlasted Chivas USA on penalty kicks three weeks ago.
The Galaxy, the defending cup champion, advances to play in the quarterfinals on Aug. 23 against either Real Salt Lake or the Colorado Rapids.
“Roma did well tonight, but we should have scored more goals,” Galaxy Coach Frank Yallop said. “You can’t ever shy away from teams you are expected to beat.”
His team muffed several opportunities in the first half.
But rookie midfielder Quavas Kirk finally broke through in the 34th minute. Kirk dribbled to the top of the penalty box and chipped his shot inside the right post and past 46-year-old Roma goalie Nestor Merlo.
Alan Gordon, who had a shot ricochet off the post earlier, scored in the 69th minute when he caught Merlo off guard.
The goalie hesitated before passing the ball and Gordon took it off his foot and easily scored.
“I thought he was going to kick it away,” Gordon said. “Maybe his legs aren’t as quick as they used to be.”
Galaxy forward Landon Donovan, who sat out Tuesday’s game, said he would not play in Saturday’s MLS All-Star game because of a pulled left hamstring suffered last week before an exhibition against Cruz Azul.
