MLS Major League Soccer

MLS Weekend Recap

Published on October 11, 2003 under Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release


Three saved penalty kicks in one game, two golden goal match-winners - and two teams still battling for the one final place in the MLS Cup Playoffs - the countdown toward the end of the 2003 MLS regular season reached critical on Saturday with just two weekends remaining.

Dallas Burn goalkeeper D.J. Countess saved two penalties - and MetroStars 'keeper Jonny Walker stopped one of his own - as the two teams played to a historic scoreless draw at Giants Stadium. Earlier on Saturday, Steve Ralston's penalty kick two minutes into extra time gave New England Revolution their place in the MLS Cup Playoffs with a dramatic 1-0 victory against D.C. United, then Igor Simutenkov's controversial goal deep in extra time gave Kansas City Wizards a 2-1 victory against Los Angeles Galaxy to set the Western Conference pairings for the conference semifinals.

The night before, Chicago Fire had guaranteed home-field advantage throughout the MLS Cup Playoffs - and put the hopes of the Columbus Crew into real peril - with a 2-0 victory in the first match at renovated Soldier Field. Also Friday, the top two teams in the West - San Jose Earthquakes and Colorado Rapids - played to a scoreless draw in Denver.

At the Meadowlands, Countess saved a penalty from Amado Guevara in the first two minutes of the match, then stoned Clint Mathis in the final five minutes - just seconds before Walker turned aside Eddie Johnson's effort at the other end to secure the draw. But Countess also made a terrific stop on a Tim Regan header in between - and was fortunate to see an Andrzej Juskowiak header crack off the face of the crossbar.

MetroStars were left just three points ahead of New England in the race for second place in the East after the Revolution converted a penalty kick in the opening seconds of extra time for a 1-0 victory in Foxborough.

Local player Chris Bagley - signed just the night before from A-League Charleston Battery as cover for injured Chris Brown - was taken down by Brandon Prideaux in the first 15 seconds of overtime, and Steve Ralston finished off the spot kick with authority to guarantee the Revolution's postseason place.

The Revolution victory means the final Eastern Conference playoff spot will come down a battle between Columbus Crew and D.C. United, with the Crew needing to win both remaining matches while United loses both of theirs. The two face off against each other next weekend at RFK Stadium in Washington.

Columbus were pushed to the edge of playoff survival in the loss at Soldier Field that thrilled a crowd of 30,845, in Chicago's first match on the lakefront in nearly two years while it was being renovated.

Nate Jaqua finished off a fine 1-2 with Ante Razov - the return pass slipped through a defender's legs - to give the home side an 11th-minute lead, then Razov flashed in on a corner to send a glancing header home on a corner kick four minutes after the break to give the regular-season East title.

At Arrowhead Stadium, Igor Simutenkov's goal on nearly the midway point of the overtime period gave Kansas City Wizards a 2-1 victory against Los Angeles Galaxy, and guaranteed that they will face Colorado Rapids in the conference semifinals, while the Galaxy will face San Jose Earthquakes on four successive weekends, the final two regular-season matches before the other Western pairing.

Kerry Zavagnin's deflected shot after robbing Peter Vagenas of possession deep in the Galaxy half gave the Wizards a 13th-minute lead, but the visitors drew level on a Carlos Ruiz penalty on 67 minutes after he was pulled down by Diego Gutierrez. For Ruiz, it was his 15th goal of the season, pulling him level with injured Revolution striker Taylor Twellman for the MLS Golden Boot.

In the extra-time period, a free kick from Chris Klein rattled off the base of the post, behind Galaxy 'keeper Kevin Hartman, and back out the other side. Klein was first to the rebound and sent a square pass to Simutenkov standing all alone in the center of the six, and the Russian striker tapped home. Though the goal was originally ruled out for offside, referee Kevin Stott then consulted his assistant and allowed it to stand.

The Wizards can still catch Colorado for second place in the West and home-field advantage in the conference semifinals after the Rapids and Earthquakes played to a scoreless draw in Denver. Colorado is still two points ahead with two matches to play, and both teams have games against the last-place Burn to come, though Colorado faces a difficult trip to Chicago next weekend, while the Wizards play away to D.C. United on the final weekend.

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Major League Soccer Stories from October 11, 2003


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