ESPN Network:
ESPN.com
ESPN Deportes
Fantasy Games
|
|
|
| Thursday, September 26, 2002 01:49 EST |
Galaxy rally to stun Wizards in OT
[Associated Press]
PASADENA, Calif. -- Carlos Ruiz headed in Simon Elliott's
free kick nine minutes into overtime as the Los Angeles Galaxy
defeated the Kansas City Wizards 3-2 Wednesday night in the playoff
opener.
"That's a set piece,'' Ruiz said through an interpreter. "We
work on that in practice every day in practice. I knew Simon likes
to send the ball to the far post. I was lucky I touched it with my
head.''
The Galaxy forced overtime on Cobi Jones' goal in the 85th
minute off an assist by Tyrone Marshall.
Los Angeles earned three points with the victory. The first team
to accumulate five points wins the series.
Game 2 of the potential three-game set is Saturday night in
Kansas City. The third game, if necessary, would be next Wednesday
back at the Rose Bowl. "Game 1,'' Wizards coach Bob Gansler said.
"There will be a Game 3.''
If neither team has five points at the conclusion of Game 3, a
20-minute sudden-death tiebreaker will be played.
Chris Brown headed in Chris Klein's corner kick in the 70th
minute to give the Wizards took a 2-1 lead.
Preki opened the scoring in the 25th minute, taking a pass from
Brown and launching a shot from just inside the penalty area past
Los Angeles goalkeeper Kevin Hartman.
The Galaxy tied it on Ruiz's penalty-kick goal in the 61st
minute. Los Angeles was awarded the penalty kick after referee
Richard Heron ruled that Nick Garcia pushed Ruiz down in the
penalty area, a call vehemently protested by the Wizards. Ruiz was
dribbling the ball on the line separating the penalty area from the
rest of the field.
"I think it would behoove all of us to see whose hands were on
who first,'' Kansas City coach Gansler said.
The Galaxy led 19-13 in shots and 10-4 in shots on goal. Kansas
City goalkeeper Tony Meola made seven saves, and Hartman stopped
two.
|
|
|
|
|
|
