Mutiny wins on late goals

By RODNEY PAGE

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 23, 2000

TAMPA -- On paper, Saturday night's game between the Mutiny and Los Angeles looked lopsided. The Galaxy was without six starters because of various national team duties, and two others were out with injuries.

[Times photo: Toni L. Sandys] Mutiny midfielder Manuel Bucuane battles Sasha Victorine for a loose ball.

On grass, the game was what Mutiny coach Tim Hankinson said last week week it would be; a milk carton with whiskey in it.

Tampa Bay played without one starter, defender Chad McCarty (yellow card suspension), but struggled against the short-handed Galaxy before pulling out a 2-0 win in front of 9,342 at Raymond James Stadium.

Steve Trittschuh scored his third goal in the 81st minute, and Mamadou Diallo scored his MLS-leading 18th in the 87th.

Mutiny forward Carlos Valderrama was credited with an assist on Diallo's goal, setting a league record of 20 in a season. Goalkeeper Scott Garlick set a team record with his sixth shutout.

The Mutiny (12-9-2) is three points ahead of second-place Chicago in the Central Division with 38. The teams play Aug. 2 in Tampa, the Mutiny's next MLS game after a weeklong break for the All-Star Game.

Tampa Bay will be without Diallo, who received a yellow card in the first half for a hand ball in the penalty box. Diallo exceeded 21 yellow card points, which calls for a mandatory one-game suspension.

"These kind of games become a little dangerous," Hankinson said. "You're not familiar with the talent they use. You can assume that it might be easier than expected."

Los Angeles' Cobi Jones, Robin Fraser and Greg Vanney are with the U.S. national team; Luis Hernandez is with Mexico; Mauricio Cienfuegos is with El Salvador; Ezra Hendrickson is with St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Goalkeeper Kevin Hartman was a late scratch after spraining his left knee in practice Thursday. And midfielder Danny Pena is out with a knee injury. They have 17 of the Galaxy's 34 goals and 19 of its 27 assists.

Also, midfielder Simon Elliott (flu) and defender Zak Ibsen (hamstring) left in the first half. Predictably, Los Angeles struggled. It had only one shot on goal.

Tampa Bay is second in MLS scoring, but took nearly the entire game before finding the net. It's the worst team on penalty kicks, and that didn't change.

Diallo was awarded a penalty kick in the 74th minute when he was tackled in the box by Galaxy keeper Matt Ries. Steve Ralston took the kick, the first in his five-year career, but Reis made the save. The Mutiny is 2-for-7 this season.

"I think we need to get one of the Gramaticas to take PKs for us," said Hankinson, referring to Bucs placekicker Martin and South Florida placekicker Bill. "Maybe they can put it through the pipes."

Trittschuh saved the game for the Mutiny thanks to a deft cross by midfielder Josh Keller. Keller lofted a pass into the 18-yard box and Trittschuh headed the ball from 15 yards out past a diving Reis.

"I'm just glad it went in," Trittschuh said. "I'm not sure if Josh saw me, but I was really wide open."

On the second goal, substitute Kevin Anderson pushed the ball to Diallo on the right side of the box. Diallo drilled a right-footer past Reis from 10 yards.

"We underachieved for most of the match, but we still managed to get a very important three points," Hankinson said. "Coaches talk about getting three points anyway they can, even if it's an ugly three points. That's the way I feel."

N.Y./N.J. 4, MIAMI 2: Alex Comas scored twice and Adolfo Valencia had a goal and assist, leading the host MetroStars to a team-record fifth straight victory.

NEW ENGLAND 2, SAN JOSE 1: Wolde Harris scored the game-winning goal in the 63rd minute.

KANSAS CITY 3, COLUMBUS 1: Chris Henderson had two goals and an assist as host Kansas City snapped a three-game losing streak.

- Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.

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