Colorado Rapids defender Marcelo Balboa is more concerned with his team’s horrible scoring slump than frenzied Los Angeles fans angry after the U.S. national veteran was involved in another controversial incident with a Galaxy player.
Homecomings should be heartfelt, not hostile, yet Marcelo Balboa had much more on his mind than the boos and whistles that greeted his every touch at the Rose Bowl Oct. 17.
Galaxy fans, not without reason, vented their wrath on Balboa after a collision between him and L.A. midfielder Simon Elliott resulted in a second yellow card and ejection for Elliott in the 18th minute.
Thereafter, Balboa heard the abuse every time he picked off a pass or got in a tackle as the Galaxy rolled to a 3-0 win in Game 1 of the semifinal series, which matches up the Western Conference winner with a team that fell off the top in August after looking unbeatable at the All-Star break.
Against Los Angeles, the Rapids hit a dozen shots from close range over the goal, wide of the goal, into various body parts of Kevin Hartman ù everywhere but in the net ù and thus extended their scoring drought to an unbelievable span of 589 minutes.
“With any bit of luck, we could have been out [ahead] 2-1 in the first half, and we should have put three away in the second half,” said Balboa. “But Hartman made some incredible saves.”
Colorado fell behind on a soft goal by Ezra Hendrickson in the eighth minute and conjured up numerous scoring chances after Elliott’s ejection. But through a confounding blend of fine goalkeeping and abysmal finishing, the net survived unscathed.
Hartman pulled off a spectacular kick save on Paul Bravo and denied Jorge Dely Valdes on a point-blank shot to keep Los Angeles in the lead at halftime, 1-0.
The second half started badly for the Rapids. A backheel from Clint Mathis found Mauricio Cienfuegos surrounded by Rapids in the box, but he spun past Chris Martinez, and the young defender grabbed his shirt and pulled him down despite Balboa being in the perfect position to intervene.
Greg Vanney’s penalty made it 2-0, and the Rapids misfired several more times in the second half to make a mockery of their lengthy man advantage.
A late goal by Cobi Jones, who had been held in check by Jason Bent for most of the game, made it 3-0 in the 78th minute. Substitute Wolde Harris played his role in this futile saga by squandering two chances with Hartman at his mercy. From less than 10 yards directly in front of goal, Harris skied one shot over the bar and hit another right into Hartman.
So it goes.
Rapids’ defense not to blame
“This is the way it’s gone the last part of the season,” said Balboa. “We’ve come so close. Today, he gets a hand on it, he gets a toe on it, he saved four or five that should have been goals. You have to give him all the credit in the world.”
Although the Rapids’ attack has gone south since August, their defense has been tough, and Myernick allocates much of the credit to Balboa.
Colorado leaked a league-record 69 goals last year with Balboa usually playing in midfield. He moved back into defense this season, and with him anchoring a back line of, normally, Bent, Balboa, Peter Vermes and David Vaudreuil, Colorado allowed just 39 goals.
“We were so porous last year in defending that he’s committed himself to ensuring that we always have safety in the middle and in the back,” said Myernick. “He’s good with the ball coming out of the back, he’s a good long passer of the ball, and you saw today his ability to read the game and cover guys in front of him.”
The games and years are adding up for Balboa, who first represented his country at the 1987 Under-20 World Cup. He is the all-time U.S. leader in caps among male players with 125. He’s recovered from two major knee surgeries and the lengthy rehabilitations. He started for the United States in two World Cups and was relegated to the bench for a third.
In his MLS career, he’s bounced between cellar and penthouse. In his four seasons, the ledger reads: Last place; fourth place, yet reached the final; third place, knocked out in the first round by the eventual champion; and in 1999, fourth place again.
“They wanted me to be the defensive midfielder and the playmaker, and that’s not me,” said Balboa of the 1998 team that finished 16-16. “I run around, I got some decent skill, I can get the ball, I can kick people, I can win balls back. But I’m not a playmaker.”
It’s the part about kicking people that Galaxy fans remember.
Another Galaxy collision
Last season, former Galaxy defender Dan Calichman suffered a broken leg in a collision with Balboa at the Rose Bowl, and ever since, Balboa has been treated rather roughly considering he grew up in the nearby city of Cerritos and is one of the best Spanish-speaking players the United States has ever produced.
The Calichman clash came on a ball Balboa had let run away from him. He lunged to retrieve it at the same time Calichman dived into a tackle, and the popular, red-haired defender missed more than five months of play. Calichman claimed Balboa deliberately went over the ball, an allegation Balboa has steadfastly denied.
Elliott ran into Balboa trying to dribble past the Rapids defender. Pursued by midfielder Anders Limpar, he swerved just as Balboa stepped into his path. Elliott’s foot hit Balboa’s shin, and from that point of fact, opinions varied widely.
Galaxy head coach Sigi Schmid: “There were other fouls on the field that were very comparable to the foul he committed, and maybe we don’t act as well.”
Myernick: “[Elliott] whacked him pretty good. If it’s a foul on its own, it stands as a yellow card, but unfortunately, he had already nailed somebody [David Vaudreuil] from behind.”
Elliott derided Balboa’s acting ability, Balboa reiterated Myernick’s view that he’d been whacked.
The Galaxy faithful were without doubt of Balboa’s complicity, and even as the score mounted, they continually renewed their cacophony of protest.
“It keeps you in the game, and the fans here are great even though they boo you,” said Balboa. “They’re very intelligent and know the game. They support the team, and you can’t blame them for that.”
Balboa played just eight minutes for the United States at France ’98 and knows his chances of a long-term recall from national team head coach Bruce Arena are slim.
“I’m here playing with the Rapids and I’m having a good time,” he said. “I’m 32 years old, I know I can still play. Can I play at that level for Bruce? That’s for Bruce to decide.
“I’m just going to play and help my team. Hopefully, all of us would like to win a championship. The older you get, the less chances you have. That’s my main concern right now.”
by Soccer America senior editor Ridge Mahoney