MLS roundup

Tampa Bay claims Central first; Lagos nets pair in 2-1 decision over Dallas.

TAMPA BAY, Fla. (Saturday, August 5, 2000) -- Manny Lagos helped compensate for the absence of suspended striker Mamadou Diallo with a pair of goals for the Tampa Bay Mutiny which dropped the Dallas Burn 2-1 tonight in a match of Major League Soccer Central Division foes before 10,327 at Raymond James Stadium.

The Mutiny (13-10-2, 41 points), 3-1-2 in its last six outings, moved into first place at least for a day. The Chicago Fire (11-8-5, 38 points) can rejoin Tampa Bay above the division with a Sunday victory over the MetroStars. Dallas (10-12-4, 34 points), missed an opportunity to pull within one point of the division lead.

The Mutiny, clad in uniforms of the old Tampa Bay Rowdies of the North American Soccer League, was without Diallo, the league’s leading scorer with 18 goals, despite being sidelined for the last two matches. He was fined $1,000 and suspended one game for entering the referee "secure" area following Wednesday's 1-0 loss to Chicago. Diallo was in street clothes, having sat out that game because of yellow-card accumulation.

Tampa Bay midfielders Steve Ralston and Carlos Valderrama set up Lagos who put the Mutiny ahead for good 1-0 in the 20th minute. Ralston sent a square pass to Valderrama at the top of the box, and MLS assist leader spun a pass to a streaking Lagos down the left wing. Lagos dribbled into space, then stopped and calmly slotted his shot past Dallas goalkeeper Matt Jordan.

The Burn (10-12-4) had several good chances to draw even in the first half, but had sure goal-scoring bids cleared aside as Mutiny defender Steve Trittschuh and midfielder Josh Keller each registered blocks.

Lagos made it 2-0 two minutes after intermission. Ralston stole the ball deep on the left side of the Burn defense and dribbled toward the end line. Ralston cut a pass back for Valderrama, who spun and fed an open Lagos for an easy tap-in goal, his seventh of the season.

Dallas pulled to within 2-1 in the 90th minute when rookie Aleksey Korol earned his third goal of the season. Midfielder Lazo Alavanja, Korol’s collegiate teammate at Indiana, floated a 30-yard pass down the left wing. Korol outran the defense to get free in the box and he blasted a shot past Mutiny keeper Scott Garlick, just inside the right post.

Garlick made nine saves to earn his 13th victory of the season, tying him with Kansas City's Tony Meola for the league lead.

Tampa Bay Mutiny 2, Dallas Burn 1

Referee: Marcel Yonan. Referee's assistants: John Konstantinidis, Roger Sill, Attendance: 10,327 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. Weather: Sunny, clear.

DENVER -- Paul Bravo scored five minutes into the contest and goalkeeper David Kramer made it stand up with his third shutout for the Colorado Rapids who greatly enhanced their playoff standing with a 2-0 triumph over the San Jose Earthquakes before 14,510 at Mile High Stadium.

Colorado (11-11-3, 36 points), 4-2-2 in its last eight outings, moved up to sixth place in the playoff standings. San Jose (5-12-8, 23 points), losing its fourth straight, has the worst record in MLS.

"'when you play a last-place team at home, you have to put them away, especially considering the fight we are involved in for playoff seeding," said Colorado coach Glenn Myernick."Credit to Joe Cannon for San Jose, he was terrific. But as good as he was, our finishing was not good enough at all. If our forwards do their jobs and put their chances away, we are up by four goals at half time, no doubt about it."

Bravo was setup nicely by the creative midfield combination of Anders Limpar and Matt Okoh. Limpar sent a corner from the right side toward the back post, where Okoh headed it down on frame. Bravo slid in and the veteran forward tapped his fifth tally of the season under keeper Joe Cannon to make it 1-0.

San Jose's cause was dealt a severe blow in the seventh minute when rookie midfielder Travis Mulraine was sent off with a red card after a dangerous tackle on Rapids first-year defender Lance Key.

The Rapids quickly made it 2-0 in the 13th minute, again off an impressive passing sequence. Key sent a ball down the left wing for midfielder Jason Moore. Moore picked out Okoh at the top of the six-yard box. Okoh's drive banked off San Jose defender John Doyle for an own goal.

"Getting the early goal was a great start," Bravo said. "Going up a man really helped, and then getting the second goal killed them. We know every single game is crucial right now, so we came out from the absolute start to put them away, and nothing does that better than two goals that early."

Not all was good for Colorado which was Limpar limp off in the 28th minute with a strained left calf. He was replaced by Ross Paule.

"It's really a shame, it's really the same old story," Limpar said. "I start playing very well and making big contributions, then I get hurt again. I miss too many games for this team."

Colorado Rapids 2, San Jose Earthquakes 0

Referee: Reggie Rutty. Referee’s assistants: Jorge Reyes, John Paul Spicer. Attendance: 14,510 at Mile High Stadium in Denver. Weather: Overcast.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- A goal by Diego Serna two minutes into the second half broke a 1-1 halftime deadlock and the Miami Fusion went on to defeat D.C. United 3-1 before 5,877 at Lockhart Stadium.

The Fusion (8-11-5, 29 points), moved to within five points of the eighth and final playoff spot while United (6-13-6, 24 points) moved within a heartbeat of seeing its playoff hopes expire.

D.C. United controlled play handily in the opening stages and in the 18th minute, a left-footed free kick by Marco Etcheverry just missed the top left corner of the Fusion goal.

Two minutes later, Miami captain Jim Rooney gave the home team a 1-0 lead against the run of play. Jay Heaps sent a low, hard cross from the right side which bypassed Diego Serna in the middle of the box but Rooney was right behind him, running onto it and knocked it home from 10 yards.

In the 33rd minute, United’s leading scorer, striker Jaime Moreno brought D.C. United even at 1-1. Defender Carey Talley sent in a cross from the right flank toward the far post. Moreno jumped high above Jay Heaps and headed the ball down toward the right post and past Fusion goalkeeper Nick Rimando.

United outshot Miami 9-2 in the first half, continued the pressure with no results. In the 36th minute Etcheverry sent a long diagonal pass to a streaking Ben Olsen down the right side. The midfielder volleyed the ball into the middle of the box toward United forward Raul Diaz Arce, who deflected the ball wide at the edge of the six-yard box.

In the opening moments of the second half, a Fusion corner kick was cleared outside the United box. Midfielder Martin Machon headed the ball high back into the box. A wide-open Serna ran onto it, sending a header over onrushing goalkeeper Mark Simpson.

Midfielder Bobby Convey forced Rimando to making a diving save at the left post, the closest United came to tying. D.C. was unable to establish the rhythm it maintained in the first half and, in the 90th minute, reserve forward Roy Lassiter ice the result. Rimando’s goal kick went over the United defense, which was victimized by its mis-timed offside trap. Midfielder Jay Heaps caught up with the ball and, with three players in all alone, centered to Lassiter who easily found net.

Miami Fusion 3, D.C. United 1

Referee: Alex Prus. Referee's assistants: Greg Barkey, Glenn Prechac. Attendance: 5,877 at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Weather: Overcast, humid, 88 degrees, partly cloudy.