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| Monday, October 22, 2001 19:00 EST |
Quakes complete worst-to-first season
[Associated Press]
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Coach Frank Yallop knew the San Jose
Earthquakes could be champions by adding some new players and
getting the rest of the team to forget about the past.
It worked as the Earthquakes completed a worst-to-first
turnaround with Sunday's 2-1 overtime victory over the Los Angeles
Galaxy in the MLS Cup.
"From Day One we talked about this being our year," Yallop
said. "We just had to get guys to believe it."
Happy man: The Quakes' Dwayne DeRosario holds the MVP trophy and his baby after the match. |
Dwayne DeRosario believed -- in part because Yallop believed in
him.
"Coming from the A-League I would like to thank Frank for
giving me the opportunity," said DeRosario, who scored six minutes
into overtime to give San Jose its first MLS title.
DeRosario, a substitute who came in with five minutes left in
regulation, dribbled around Danny Califf and sent a hard shot from 16
yards out which goalkeeper Kevin Hartman got a hand on but couldn't
push past the far post. Ronnie Ekelund and Zak Ibsen assisted on
the goal.
"In a cup final you have to be mentally ready above
everything," said DeRosario, a Canadian national team member who
was allocated to San Jose at the start of the season. "He thought
I was going near post so I pulled it back over and saw an opening
and decided to take it."
Last season, the Earthquakes were 7-17-8, the poorest record in
the league. This season, they went 13-7-6, finishing second to Los
Angeles in the Western Division.
Yallop credits acquiring U.S. national team star Jeff Agoos and
teen sensation Landon Donovan for his team's success.
"He is probably the most consistent American player," Yallop
said of Agoos, the league's defender of the year. "I felt our
defense has been dominant all year and we didn't get challenged
that much today."
The Galaxy, who have never won the championship, also lost in
the MLS Cup in 1996 and 1999.
"Everybody loves to beat Los Angeles. It's the national pastime
in every sport," Galaxy coach Sigi Schmid said. "This one hurts
more than 1999 because we've had a lot of obstacles that we went
through behind the scenes that nobody knows about.
"We've worked to be a team that wins big games, obviously today
it just didn't go that way," Schmid said.
After an evenly played first half, San Jose dominated the second
half, outshooting Los Angeles 12-3.
The Earthquakes had four chances to score in the first 10
minutes of the second half, including a bending shot by Agoos from
just outside the penalty area in the 49th minute which hit the
post.
The Galaxy's Luis Hernandez opened the scoring in the 21st
minute by outracing Agoos to a long pass from Greg Vanney.
Hernandez put a shot from 10 yards out past the onrushing Joe
Cannon.
San Jose tied the game two minutes before halftime. Ian Russell
sent a pass from the corner to Donovan, who volleyed a shot past
Hartman. Richard Mulrooney also assisted.
"It took a glorious bounce and when I hit it, I just knew it
was going in," Donovan said.
Simon Elliott had a chance to win the game with 19 minutes left
in regulation, but his shot went over the crossbar.
"I thought it was a well-played game from both sides but San
Jose has had our number all year beating us twice in the regular
season," said Paul Caligiuri, who retired from the league after
the game.
The Earthquakes were without Manny Lagos (right hamstring), who
scored three goals and had two assists in five playoff games.
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