Galaxy Is No Longer a Footnote
FOXBORO, Mass. -- What’s a mere 113 minutes after seven seasons of waiting, anyway?
Membership in the MLS champions club wasn’t going to come easily for the long-suffering Galaxy, which previously fell short three times at the final hurdle. It took a one-timed, left-footed goal from Guatemalan striker Carlos Ruiz in overtime, in the 113th minute, to complete the Galaxy’s journey, giving it a 1-0 victory over the New England Revolution in the MLS Cup at Gillette Stadium on Sunday.
And so, the circle was completed before a record MLS Cup crowd of 61,316. As Galaxy defender Alexi Lalas said the other day, some circles are a lot bigger than others. Two of the Galaxy’s three losses in finals were in this city, the first being Oct. 20, 1996, in the old Patriots’ stadium. Galaxy midfielders Cobi Jones and Mauricio Cienfuegos were there, and maybe that’s why the two were visibly moved in the post-match celebration after the most important victory in franchise history. Jones clutched the trophy and looked as if he was never going to let it slip from his hands. Of the MLS’ seven finals, he has played in four. “Seven [seasons] of waiting for it,” he said, beaming. Cienfuegos stood in the dressing room with his 8-year-old son and said: “I was trying to get that Cup for seven years.”
Validation had Galaxy Coach Sigi Schmid spinning into motion. Just after Ruiz’s goal from the penalty area beat sprawling Revolution goalkeeper Adin Brown on the far side, just inside the right post, Schmid raced onto the field, arms thrust in the air, and joined the pile of players.
“I don’t think I’ve sprinted so fast in my life,” Schmid said. “I said, ‘Should I stop or should I keep going?’ I said, ‘I’ll keep going.’ For me, the emotional moment, when I finally got to Carlos, at the bottom of the pile. We finally got the chance to embrace. He just started crying and I started crying.”
In the interview room, Schmid paid tribute to Revolution General Manager Todd Smith, who has cancer and has decided to step down. Schmid mentioned his mother, who died from the disease, and started to cry in talking about his 72-year-old aunt, Annaliese Kavoian of Huntington Beach, a big supporter of Galaxy midfielder Ezra Hendrickson.
“She used to say to me, ‘Why do you play this crazy sport? This sport is stupid.’ She used to get [upset] because I’d be late for family functions because I’d be playing in a soccer game or coaching,” Schmid said. “At the age of 70, she started following the L.A. Galaxy and soccer. She hasn’t missed a home game in two years, and she flew out here to watch this one.
“It shows this sport can catch anybody at any age.... Her being here today, for me, was very special. It’s as close as it could be to my mom being here.”
The Galaxy nearly went home without the title for the fourth time. It was a taut defensive struggle that appeared to be headed to penalty kicks. About a minute before Ruiz’s game-winner, New England’s Winston Griffiths hit the crossbar.
The Galaxy countered quickly for the game-winner. Galaxy forward Chris Albright said he intended to play the ball to Ruiz but heard defender Tyrone Marshall, who was pushing up on the right flank, calling out.
“I heard this guy screaming my name,” said Albright, who came into the game in the 67th minute to replace Alejandro Moreno. “I just laid a nice ball into space. I thought [Marshall] was going to shoot it, and he played a great first-time ball over to Fish [Ruiz]. It was definitely a better decision because Carlos was in a better spot.”
Said Marshall, who was stellar in the back with Danny Califf and Lalas: “I knew it was open for Fish. I let him do the thing. I’ve been taking shots in the first half, the second half, and they’ve been going wide and high. I’m a defender. Let him finish. He’s the man. He’s MVP.”
Said Hendrickson: “This one was a difficult one, more difficult than some of the ones he missed earlier. It was coming waist, chest high and he hit it one-time. He’s a finisher. That’s what he does. No better time to score a golden goal and give us a championship. That’s what great finishers do. You give him an inch, a yard, and they make you look silly.”
Ruiz, who scored a league-high 24 goals during the regular season, had two other chances to win it in overtime, including a bicycle kick in the 12th minute of overtime. The shot bounced on the ground in front of Brown and deflected off the keeper’s face.
The confident Ruiz, the league’s most valuable player, seemed to have a sense it would come down to him, having predicted victory a couple of days ago.
“Being champion outside my country is a great feeling,” said Ruiz, who scored eight goals in the playoffs and was the game’s MVP. “This is very important to me and Guatemalan soccer. It’s proof all the talents are there.”
The defensive effort from both sides could not be underestimated on a tricky windy day. Galaxy players said the condition of the pitch was lousy, which said even more about Califf’s job on star striker Taylor Twellman, who was held to two shots.
“This was a wonderful game, and the crowd was great,” Lalas said. “The field was [bad]. The wind was whipping around. This is not going to be packaged up as the beautiful game. But there’s a lot of people in Los Angeles that could care less, and a lot of people in this locker room too.”
