By Ridge Mahoney, Senior Editor
Soccer America Magazine

SQUANDERED POINTS: Give San Jose the early lead in points blown and a perfect record in frittering away leads.

In its opener San Jose led the Revs 2-0 and ended up tied, 2-2. The following weekend, a 3-2 lead evaporated in the final minute of a 3-3 deadlock with Chivas USA, the only point garnered by the Goats del Norte this year.

And last weekend, drawn 1-1 with Chicago in stoppage time, the Quakes end up 2-1 losers. That's five points thrown away in just three games.

Still, sources say that Coach Dominic Kinnear isn't interested in former French international Frank LeBoeuf, who is one of several Europeans being shopped around MLS. LeBoeuf, urged to try his hand at MLS by Metros midfielder Youri Djorkaeff, is out of contract after playing for Al-Sadd in Qatar last year.

Kinnear may be right. What are the odds that two 37-year-old veterans of France's 1998 World Cup-winning team can make it in MLS in the same season?

France Football reported that LeBoeuf plans on residing in California with his family whether or not he lands an MLS deal.

GOAT IN GOAL: Keeper Martin Zuniga's recovery from injury can't come soon enough for CD Chivas USA coach Thomas Rongen, whose team has been plagued by preventable goals.

Rookie goalie Brad Guzan, while possessing good size and sharp reflexes, has shown a remarkable aversion to leaving his feet. In conceding six goals in his last two games, not once did he hit the ground.

All three of San Jose's goals got past an upright Guzan, and for all the kudos due Ronnie O'Brien for squeezing his bender from 30-plus yards into the absolute nether regions of the top near corner, Guzan should have done more than hop across his line and wave futilely. As FC Dallas celebrated, Guzan put his arms on his head with an agonized look on his face. For good reason.

On Carlos Ruiz's penalty kick, he went the wrong way, no big deal, it happens. In the final moments Guzan charged out mindlessly to contest a diagonal ball played behind the back line and had no recourse when Eddie Johnson merely nodded the ball past him.

When Guzan does dive, he can come up with the good save, as he did in the second half to turn away a rasping shot from Ruiz. Sometimes keepers who know they're beaten dive anyway, to make it look good, but Guzan not diving when he must looks pretty bad.

SITTERS: Former Rapid John Spencer, who retired last year, has contacted MLS to inquire about the possibility of returning. The Rapids would retain his rights although their request for an allocation as compensation has been denied. . Alejandro Moreno's goal in the Quakes' 2-1 loss to Chicago was his first goal since June 5 while playing for the Galaxy. Moreno had six goals at that point but was blanked for the rest of the season.