MLS roundup

Kotschau's tally propels Tampa Bay to top of Central Division with 2-1 decision over Earthquakes.

SAN JOSE, Calif. (Saturday, August 12, 2000) -- The Tampa Bay Mutiny managed just three shots on frame, but two of them went in, including defender Ritchie Kotschau’s winner with 12 minutes remaining to defeat the San Jose Earthquakes 2-1 before 9,156 at Spartan Stadium.

Tampa Bay (14-10-2, 44 points) moved to the top of the Central Division with the victory, and is tied with the MetroStars, one point behind first-place Kansas City in the overall standings.

Tampa Bay goalkeeper Scott Garlick turned away 10 shots in the game to preserve the narrow victory, recorded on Kotschau’s mishit tally.

In the 78th minute, Kotschau was attempting to cross when he mis-struck the ball. San Jose keeper Joe Cannon was cheating off his goal-line, trying to get a step up on the expected centering pass when the inadvertent shot curled behind him, off the far post and into the net

Tampa Bay forward Mamadou Diallo extended his MLS scoring lead with his 19th goal in the eighth minute. Taking a pinpoint cross from Eric Quill in the far corner, "Big Mama" nodded the ball past goalkeeper Joe Cannon to put the Mutiny up 1-0.

After dominating the course of play throughout most of the game, San Jose (5-13-8, 23 points) managed to convert in the 52nd minute. Forward Giovanni Savarese, making his debut with the Earthquakes as a temporary replacement for Ronald Cerritos, attempted to volley a shot through a crowd in the penalty area. The ball was deflected back to San Jose forward Khodadad Azizi, however, and the Iranian was able to beat Garlick from the top of the box to even things at 1-1.

Savarese and the Quakes were able to generate the majority of the scoring opportunities in the match, including several shots that struck the goal frame. In the seventh minute, Savarese's dynamic bicycle kick attempt went wide of the goal, while Azizi's tricky chip shot in the 89th minute hit the far post before bouncing out of play.

Tampa Bay Mutiny 2, San Jose Earthquakes 0

Referee: Paul Tamberino. Referee's assistants: George Vergara, Alex Del Angel Attendance: 9,156 at Spartan Stadium in San Jose, Calif. Weather: Sunny, hot.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- The Miami Fusion received goals by Jim Rooney and Andy Williams in the late in the first half and went on to defeat the Colorado Rapids 4-1 before 6,838 at Lockhart Stadium.

Miami (9-11-5, 32 points), still 10th overall, moved to within three points of the eighth and final playoff spot. Colorado (11-12-3, 36 points) remained winless (0-4) at Lockhart Stadium.

Miami controlled the game for most of the first half, but lacked effective finishing. Within little over three minutes, however, the Fusion found two goals. In the 37th minute, Rooney scored his sixth goal of the season in spectacular fashion. Williams created space for himself on the right and sent a cross into the box. Rooney met the ball in a crowd of players with a side volley, directing his shot into the top right corner of the net past a helpless David Kramer in goal.

Three minutes later, Diego Serna's high cross from the right side led to the second goal. Williams caught up with it at the top of the box, controlled it, spun and fired a shot into the lower right corner for a 2-0 advantage at the break.

Colorado narrowed its deficit to 2-1 in the 53rd minute, Paul Bravo launched a pass that led second-half substitute Junior Agogo on a run toward goal. Miami defender Tyrone Marshall brought Agogo down from behind just outside the box, receiving a red card as the last defender. On the ensuing free kick, Marcelo Balboa fired a low hard drive that was slightly deflected past goalkeeper Nick Rimando.

In the 83rd minute, a Roy Lassiter shot on goal was saved by Kramer and the rebound fell right to Welton who curled a low shot inside the right post from just outside the box to make it 3-0. One minute later, Lassiter took a through ball from Williams rounded the keeper to his right and dumped the ball into the open net for a 4-1 lead.

Miami has won three straight games against Colorado this season. The Rapids once again failed to go over .500 for the ninth time this season (0-8-1).

Miami Fusion 4, Colorado Rapids 1

Referee: Kevin Stott. Referee's assistants: Sharon Wheeler, Greg Watson. Attendance: 6,838 at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Weather: Humid, 84 degrees.

PASADENA, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Galaxy took a one-goal lead in the third minute and had a one-man advantage for 49 minutes of regulation and 10 minutes of overtime, but had to settle for a 1-1 draw with its Western Division rival, the Kansas City Wizards before 33,112 at the Rose Bowl.

"It was a game we started out well," Los Angeles coach Sigi Schmid said. "We make a mistake on (the K.C.) goal. It gave them a goal. Outside of that, I don't think they had much of anything. They played a man out and obviously we have to play that smarter and better than we did."

Sebastian Vorbe scored an early goal for the Galaxy, while Kansas City found their offense in Chris Klein.

Los Angeles (11-7-8, 41 points) wasted no time in mounting the attack. Taking a pass from Paul Caligiuri, forward Cobi Jones made a run along the left flank, carrying the ball deep into the corner. Jones' cross found an unmarked Vorbe in front of the net at the far post. Uncontested, the Haitian forward nodded the ball past goalkeeper Tony Meola to make it 1-0 in the third minute.

Klein's persistence resulted in a Wizards’ goal. He made an initial run into L.A. territory, but Galaxy goalkeeper Matt Reis managed to strip the ball away just outside of the box. Klein recovered, managed to turn, and chipped the ball into the net while Reis could only look on.

In the 41st minute, midfielder Matt McKeon was given the Wizards' first red card of the season, following an ill-timed tackle on Galaxy playmaker Mauricio Cienfuegos. Playing a man down, the Wizards played a tight, defensive game that frustrated the Galaxy attack for the remainder of regulation play.

Kansas City (13-6-6, 45 points) packed as many as nine players inside the penalty area in its effort to preserve the tie.

Los Angeles Galaxy 1, Kansas City Wizards 1 (2OT)

Referee: Tim Weyland. Referee's assistants: Roger Itaya, Emiliano Monje. Attendance: 33,112 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. Weather: Sunny, 78 degrees, fair.

DALLAS -- Rookie Antonio Martinez’s first MLS goal came with three minutes left and gave the Dallas Burn a 1-0 victory over D.C. United before 10,204 at the Cotton Bowl.

With the victory, the Burn (11-12-4, 37 points) jumped two spots to sixth place among the eight playoff positions in the overall standings. United (6-15-6, 24 points), despite displaying a strong effort despite five missing starters, stands 11 points from the eighth and final postseason spot with just five games left.

Martinez, a 23-year old rookie from California State-Fullerton, provided a spark when he entered the game in the 67th minute for Bobby Rhine. From the right side of the box, Martinez unleashed a powerful shot that forced a diving save from goalkeeper Tom Presthus. Martinez then pounced on his own rebound, drilling the ball into the upper left corner in the 87th minute.

Just five minutes before the goal, Martinez drilled another shot from the right side which Presthus smothered, leaving Martinez with two of the Burn's four shots on goal.

The scoring opportunities were few and far between in the first half. In the 16th minute, a hard shot by Rhine from the left side of the box hit the outside netting on a rare fluid maneuver by the Burn. In the 37th minute, Jason Kreis came close to scoring on a 35-yard free kick that finished just high over the bar.

D.C. United forward "Sneaky" Pete Marino blasted a shot of his own in the 31st minute which forced goalkeeper Matt Jordan into a difficult save. From the left side of the box, Marino cut toward the center and fired a right-footed shot that was headed for the top right corner of the goal if not for Jordan's save.

United, who played the game without key starters Marco Etcheverry, Ben Olsen and Bobby Convey in the midfield, and Eddie Pope and Jeff Agoos on defense, came close on one occasion in the second half, a long-distance shot by Antonio Otero in the 76th minute which was controlled by Jordan.

Dallas Burn 1, D.C. United 0

Referee: Noel Kenny. Referee's assistants: Roger Sill, Robbie Mann. Attendance: 10,204 at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. Weather: Extreme heat, 100 degrees, 31 percent humidity.