MLS: News and Notes (March 24)

Depleted Mutiny ties in El Salvador

The Tampa Bay Mutiny had been scheduled to play a friendly against Aguila of El Salvador’s First Division on Sunday, but the MLS squad ended up playing against the members of the Salvadoran national team instead. Tampa, down 2-0 at halftime and missing several players due to illness, were forced to move goalie Mark Dougherty up front, and the keeper responded by scoring in the second half. Marco Ferruzzi also tallied and the match ended in a 2-2 tie.

Caligiuri to join Los Angeles this week

Paul Caligiuri, who won his arbitration hearing against the league last week, will be released by the Columbus Crew early this week and begin training with the Los Angeles Galaxy shortly thereafter.

MLS commissioner Doug Logan stated in an interview for XTRA-AM in Los Angeles that Caligiuri’s salary will not count against the salary cap, and that the Galaxy will not have to release any players as compensation.

“I can’t express in words what this means for me and my family,” said Caligiuri. “Now I can showcase my skills right here at home.”

The Galaxy closed out their preseason with a pair of wins. Los Angeles beat the Central Coast All-Stars 3-1 on March 20 in Santa Barbara, and then edged FAS of the Salvadoran First Division 3-2 on March 23 in a benefit match for St. Jude Hospital. Salvadoran midfielder Mauricio Cienfuegos assisted on the Galaxy’s second goal.

March 20 in Santa Barbara

Central Coast All-Stars 1 Los Angeles 3. Goals: Hernandez 58; Jara 15, Pena 23, Machon n/a.

Att.: 1,500.

March 22 in Santa Ana

Los Angeles (MLS) 3 FAS (El Salvador) 2. Goals: Armas (Karapetyan) 18, Hurtado (Cienfuegos) time n/a, Wilson 85; Romano (Castillo) 46, Ulloa (pen.) 90.

Att.: 3,000.

Crew wins without Caligiuri

Columbus, meanwhile, picked up a 3-2 shootout victory over Kansas City in St. Louis, Mo. in a final tuneup for the season opener this weekend. Paul Wright opened the scoring for Kansas City, but Robert Warzycha equalized for Columbus when he blasted the ball home after taking a 15-yard header from Marcelo Carrera. Ike Udeh and Pete Marino had second half goals before Columbus prevailed in a nine-round shootout.

March 22 in St. Louis

Kansas City 2 Columbus 3 (Columbus wins shootout 4-3). Goals: Wright 10, Udeh (Johnston) 56; Warzycha (Carrera) 26, Marino (pen.) 74.

Kansas City — Snitko, Tinsley, Okafor (Sebwe, 64), Greenwood (Saunders, 79), Klopas, Silvera (Dancer, 74), Preki, McKeon, Chung, Wright (Udeh, 46), Johnston.

Columbus — Winner, Clark, Yeagley, Elcock, Miguez (Deneault, 66), Butler (Miller, 46), Warzycha, Salcedo, Michallik (Khumalo, 46), McBride, Carrera (Marino, 61).

Shootout: Columbus — Marino (G), McBride (NG — too much time), Salcedo (NG — wide left), Warzycha (G), Clark (NG — saved), Yeagley (NG —
saved), Deneault (NG — wide left), Khumalo (G), Elcock (G); Kansas City —
Chung (G), Preki (NG — too much time), Tinsley (NG — saved), McKeon (NG —
saved), Klopas (G), Dancer (NG — saved), Udeh (NG — saved), Saunders (G), Sebwe (NG — too much time).

Att.: 4,000.

Rapids win in Yakima

The Colorado Rapids also picked up a victory in their final preseason match, downing the USISL’s Yakima Reds 3-2 on March 23.

Tahj Jakins and Steve Trittschuh both scored on headers from corner kicks off the foot of Uruguayan Adrian Paz, and Wolde Harris headed home a Scott Benedetti cross for the Rapids’ final goal.

March 23 in Yakima, Wash.

Yakima (USISL) 2 Colorado (MLS) 3. Goals: Alvarez 63, Hildebrand 83; Jakins (Paz) 41, Trittschuh (Paz) 47, Harris (Benedetti) 50.

Colorado lineup — Hahnemann, Kmosko, Jakins, Trittschuh (Bates), S. Henderson, Paz, Amaya, Paule, C. Henderson, Benedetti, Harris (Wegerle).

Att.: 2,000.

D.C. United beats Jacksonville 2-0

Jesse Marsch and Marco Etcheverry scored to lead the defending MLS champions to a victory over the A-League Cyclones.

The match was a reunion for Etcheverry and Jacksonville captain Dion Valle —
the two were teammates at Chilean club Colo Colo.

March 21 in Jacksonville

Jacksonville (A-League) 0 D.C. United (MLS) 2. Goals: Marsch 18, Etcheverry 87.

Att.: 5,872.

This Weekend’s MLS Games

Saturday, March 29

Note: all times eastern.