Once Again, Columbus Isn’t Kind to the Galaxy

The Galaxy still can’t seem to win in Columbus, Ohio.

Reserve Jeff Cunningham scored the decisive goal in the 78th minute as the Columbus Crew beat the Galaxy, 3-2, before 17,860 Wednesday night. Columbus has not lost to the Galaxy at home since May 17, 1998, going 2-0-2 since.

The Galaxy, 10-8-3 overall and only 3-6-1 on the road, remained tied for third in the Western Conference.

Cunningham thinks the victory earned the Crew more than a share of first place in Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference. He thinks the victory also earned the team some respect in the West.

“Hopefully this will be a confidence boost for us and we can carry it into the next game against Kansas City,” said Cunningham.

Columbus (9-10-4) shares first place in the East with Chicago.

Cunningham headed a ball inside the near post off a corner kick by Robert Warzycha after entering the game eight minutes earlier.

It was a rare victory for an Eastern Conference team against a Western Conference opponent.

Each of the five Western Conference teams has a better record than their counterparts in the East.

“It’s a game that we lost, but we felt we were in the game the whole way,” said Galaxy Coach Sigi Schmid. “It was not a game where we felt we were dominated.”

Crew Coach Greg Andrulis thought the victory was special.

“I think at times we played our best soccer,” he said. “For the team, it’s a psychological boost. Everybody knows they are one of the best in the league.”

Simon Elliot made it 2-2 for the Galaxy in the 66th minute. Cobi Jones passed to Gavin Glinton, whose shot was blocked by defender Mike Clark. Elliott scored off the rebound.

The Crew went up, 2-1, in the first half on goals by Kyle Martino and Edson Buddle.

Jones put the Galaxy ahead, 1-0, in the sixth minute. Tyrone Marshall slotted a pass toward Jones, who one-timed a shot from 13 yards out past a diving Jon Busch. Sasha Victorine also assisted.

Jones has three goals and six assists since returning from the World Cup.

Also, the Galaxy named forward McKinley Tennyson as a developmental replacement player. Tennyson, who plays with the Portland Timbers of the A-League, will join the Galaxy after the end of that season.

Chicago 5, Kansas City 1--DaMarcus Beasley, Hristo Stoitchkov, Josh Wolff and Ante Razov each had a goal and an assist to lead the Fire before 15,919 at Naperville, Ill.

The Fire (9-9-4) moved into a tie with the Crew for first place in the Eastern Conference. Kansas City (8-7-8) remains last in the West.