Galaxy Ambush Sends United Front Crashing

WASHINGTON — To understand just how thorough the Galaxy’s 4-0 trouncing of Major League Soccer’s defending champion was Saturday afternoon, consider Marco Etcheverry’s ignominious exit from the game.

The Bolivian playmaker who has led D.C. United to three MLS titles in the league’s four seasons, was tossed out by referee Paul Tamberino, but refused to leave.

First, he went to the bench and slowly removed his boots. He then just as slowly peeled off his jersey, turned it inside out and put it back on.

Why?

Because when he finally made the long walk to the tunnel, the 24,147 fans at RFK Stadium and the intrusive eyes of ABC’s television cameras no longer could not read the ETCHEVERRY name on the back of his jersey.

A humiliating four-goal loss can do strange things to proud players.

D.C. United was outcoached, outplayed and outworked in every facet on an afternoon when Cobi Jones scored two goals, Clint Mathis scored his first of the season and former UCLA midfielder Sasha Victorine scored one goal and assisted on two others in his professional debut.

Best of all, goalkeeper Kevin Hartman and the Galaxy defense shut out Washington, becoming the first team to blank the champions on their home field in a league game.

But don’t call it revenge, warned Galaxy Coach Sigi Schmid.

“This doesn’t make up for MLS Cup,” he said, referring to D.C. United’s 2-0 victory over the Galaxy in the 1999 championship game in November. “The only way to make up for that is to hold the trophy at the end of the year.

“It’s still a long season, D.C.’s an excellent team and I’m sure we’re going to meet again.”

Three times, at least, but none of those games are likely to be as lopsided as this one.

Galaxy defender Greg Vanney started the rout, passing the ball to Victorine on the left flank in the 11th minute. Victorine, showing no sign of nerves, cut past defender Carlos Llamosa and let fly a shot that D.C. goalkeeper Tom Presthus could only parry.

The ball rebounded to Mathis, who drilled it into the back of the net beyond Presthus’ reach and a lunging Jeff Agoos.

Washington fought back, but without Etcheverry, who was held out of the starting lineup because of a calf injury, it could not create any dangerous scoring opportunities.

After Victorine hit the right post with a shot one minute into the second half--Mathis having done the same thing in the last minute of the first half--the Galaxy doubled its lead in the 59th minute.

This time it was Victorine who started the move with a pass to Mathis. Presthus only could block Mathis’ shot and Jones was positioned to slam home the rebound.

Etcheverry had come into the game two minutes earlier to an enthusiastic welcome from the fans, but the goal annoyed him and a few minutes later he took out his anger by tackling Mauricio Cienfuegos from behind.

The resultant red card spelled the end for D.C. United.

Jones got his second goal of the game and third of the season in the 89th minute off a pass from Zak Ibsen and Victorine netted his first in injury time off a Cienfuegos pass.

“I thought he played an excellent game,” Schmid said of Victorine. “He’s a very smart player. I knew he wouldn’t be awed by the occasion, he wouldn’t panic.”

D.C. United didn’t panic either, it merely flopped.

“If we needed a wake-up call, then certainly this was one,” Coach Thomas Rongen said.

“It could have been worse. I’m sure the players in the locker room are embarrassed about their performance on national television. We’ve got to iron out a few things.

“They [the Galaxy] had something to prove . . . that last year’s [MLS Cup] defeat was bitter. They came in here and took some revenge. Good teams do that.”

For the unbeaten Galaxy, meanwhile, the season is off to a promising start. Victorine, for one, has shown he can fit in and contribute.

“It was amazing,” he said. “After the game I was just sitting there in awe. I never thought it would ever be this way in my first game. I’m definitely excited.”

Said Hartman: “It was good to come in here and do what we did.”

But it was left to Robin Fraser to put the victory in perspective.

“It was a great win for our club,” the Galaxy captain said. “Let’s face it, since the first year, D.C. has been the team to beat in this league. They’ve been the top team, the team everyone has been gunning for, including us.

“They’ve gotten the better of us in the last four years, for sure. We’ve just been chasing them forever, and certainly we’re not over the hump just because of one game, but it makes us feel like we’re closer to being on top of the hill.”

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