Galaxy Coming Into Its Own
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — In the lobby of the team hotel Saturday evening, Galaxy forward Harut Karapetyan was asking about buses to Atlantic City.
Whether or not he actually got to the gaming tables is unknown, but the way the team is playing at the moment, the Galaxy is a good bet to make Major League Soccer’s playoffs.
On Sunday, the Galaxy got goals in the first 15 minutes from Karapetyan and Welton en route to a 4-0 victory over the New York/New Jersey MetroStars in front of a Giants Stadium crowd of 19,624 that booed the home team mercilessly. And with good reason.
Karapetyan scored his second goal of the game and fourth of the season in the 50th minute, this one off an assist by Welton, and Cobi Jones completed the rout with a goal in the 85th minute.
It was the third victory in a row for the Galaxy, which improved to 4-2 under interim Coach Octavio Zambrano and to 7-11 overall. It also moved the team out of the Western Conference cellar and into fourth place, ahead of the San Jose Clash, which lost, 3-1, to the Mutiny in Tampa Bay Sunday.
“You have to be happy with the way we played today,” Zambrano said. “We won our first road game and we looked very good at times the way we passed the ball and pushed forward.”
Zambrano started Kevin Hartman in goal in place of Jorge Campos, because Campos allegedly was still feeling the effects of a cortisone injection in his left knee. There also were rumors that he and certain Galaxy teammates are feuding and that Campos is becoming disenchanted with MLS.
Campos did not dress for Sunday’s game and was unavailable for comment. Hartman played well enough in goal so that Mexico’s national team keeper was not missed.
On defense, Zambrano started Dan Calichman, Robin Fraser, Greg Vanney and Paul Caligiuri, who combined to thwart the MetroStars’ feeble attack. In the midfield, Chris Armas, Mauricio Cienfuegos and Martin Machon were the playmakers, while Jones, Karapetyan and Welton provided the strike force.
It was an effective and attack-minded lineup, one that took charge of the game from the outset, Karapetyan scoring in the fourth minute.
Cienfuegos created the goal, sending a perfect pass up the left flank to Karapetyan, who eluded defenders Matt Knowles and Rhett Harty, before shooting past goalkeeper Tony Meola from close range.
In the 15th minute, the Galaxy doubled its lead. Some excellent footwork by Jones in the right corner, where he twice beat defender Brian Bliss, ended with a cross to the opposite side, the ball finding Vanney unguarded.
Vanney sent a low pass back into the goal area, where Welton, standing at a 90-degree angle to the net, sliced the ball in with the outside of his right foot.
By this time, the MetroStars’ newest addition, Brazilian World Cup winner Branco, 33, who will make his MLS debut next week, might have been having second thoughts about signing with New York/New Jersey.
Sunday’s loss was the team’s sixth in the last seven games and dropped Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira’s squad to 6-12, the worst record in the league.
The second half saw the Galaxy continue it domination. Karapetyan put the game out of reach with his second goal and Jones finally was rewarded for 90 minutes of hard work with a goal late in the game.
“It’s hard to say how much the coaching change has effected this team,” Jones said. “But the fact is we’re playing a lot better now. We’re playing with freedom and confidence.”
Soccer Notes
Robert Warzycha scored from just inside the 18-yard box in the 55th minute to give the Columbus Crew (8-10) a 1-0 victory over the New England Revolution (12-8) in front of 14,246 at Columbus, Ohio. . . . Gilmar scored the winning goal in the 66th minute as the Tampa Bay Mutiny (11-10) earned a 3-1 victory over the San Jose Clash (7-14) to improve its MLS-best home record to 9-1 in front of 8,781 at Tampa Bay. . . . Damian had two goals as the Dallas Burn (12-9) rallied for a 4-2 victory over the Colorado Rapids (9-11) at Denver.
