Tampa Bay ends D.C. United win streak.

(Saturday, August 29, 1998) -- (Washington) D.C. United needed a victory and for Columbus to lose tonight to clinch Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference.

So much for plans. United saw its nine-match MLS winning streak end to the host Tampa Bay Mutiny 1-0 in a shootout following a 2-2 tie. Columbus routed the Los Angeles Galaxy 3-0. Ravelli saves give Mutiny shootout decision.

TAMPA, Fla. -- Goalkeeper Thomas Ravelli made four saves in a shootout as the Tampa Bay Mutiny triumphed 1-0 in the tiebreaker following a 2-2 victory Saturday night at Houlihan's Stadium.

After 11 missed attempts, Tampa Bay's Evans Wise scored the only goal of the shootout in the sixth round, and Ravelli saved attempts by A.J. Wood, Geoff Aunger, Mario Gori and Carey Talley. Marco Etcheverry and Jeff Agoos also misfired for United (22-6, 54 points).

"I think it was good to lose a game anyway, given the fact that it’s been a long time. Might as well get that past us," said D.C. coach Bruce Arena, whose team had taken 12 straight, including three straight victories to capture the CONCACAF Champions Cup. "I don’t think either team played particularly well, but I thought they certainly looked like a team that really needed to win. They played very hard. Give them a lot of credit."

D.C. took a 2-1 lead in the 85th minute with Eddie Pope's header on an Etcheverry corner kick, but Tampa Bay matched the feat less than two minutes later. Dominic Kinnear netted a header on a corner kick by Mauricio Ramos to send the game into the shootout.

"With us going up 2-1, we should be able to hold a lead," said D.C. keeper Mark Simpson, playing his first match in 14 months after complications following knee surgery. "I think that’s what we’re most disappointed with, not not getting one point in the shootout, but not getting three points for the win."

The Mutiny (8-19, 22 points) opened the scoring in the 18th minute on a goal by Alan Prampin. Ramos and Paul Young earned assists on the play that was started with a long pass out of the back from Project-40 defender Chad McCarty, who made his first start of the season for Tampa Bay.

Former Mutiny striker Roy Lassiter tied the score for United in the 39th minute with his 17th goal of the season, assisted by Agoos and Ben Olsen.

Tampa Bay Mutiny 2, D.C. United 2 (Tampa Bay wins in shootout 1-0)

Referee: Kevin Terry. Referee's assistants: Glenn Prechac, Mario Martinez. Attendance: 12,670 at Houlihan’s Stadium in Tampa, Fla. Weather: Clear, 89 degrees, hot.

John scores twice as Columbus drops L.A.

Brian McBride opened the scoring in the 31st minute by chipping a shot over Galaxy goalkeeper Kevin Hartman. Williams played a through ball to McBride to earn an assist in his sixth consecutive game, breaking teammate Brian Maisonneuve's MLS record assist streak of five games set earlier this season.

"The guys were very patient and stuck to the game plan," said Columbus coach Ton Fitzgerald A lot of teams try and go at LA, we stuck to the plan, played low-pressure and countered when we had the chance. Of course, the early goal helped. I can't think of a better place to do it (break our six-game road losing streak)."

John, who now holds Crew team records in goals (19) and points (41), scored in the 44th and the 79th minutes. John netted his first goal by chest-trapping a pass from Williams and ripping a shot into the upper right corner from the top of the penalty area. He scored his second goal by springing Robert Warzycha on a breakaway and sending the return pass into an empty net.

Crew goalkeeper Juergen Sommer made four saves to shut out the highest-scoring offense in MLS history. Los Angeles (20-7, 58 points) entered the game with a record 76 goals scored this season.

Columbus (13-12, 39 points) won its third straight and moved into second place in the East, one point ahead of (New Jersey’s) MetroStars.

Columbus Crew 3, Los Angeles Galaxy 0

Referee: Reggie Rutty. Referee's assistants: Roberto Van de Wyngard, Kari Seitz. Attendance: 19,633 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. Weather: Hot, 93 degrees, humid.