Schmid Looks for a Quick Knockout

By PAUL GUTIERREZ

Sept. 29, 2000 12 AM PT

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TIMES STAFF WRITER

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — It’s a simple objective. But that doesn’t mean it will be easy to accomplish.

There’s no question that Sigi Schmid wants to win the best-of-three Major League Soccer semifinal series against the Kansas City Wizards. The Galaxy coach just wants to get it over with in two games, beginning with Game 1 today at 5 p.m. at Arrowhead Stadium.

“The plan is the same as it was against Tampa,” Schmid said Thursday before a light workout at the Wizards’ new training facility in the Truman Sports Complex. “We’ve got to try and snag that first one and then hope to finish it up at home. We don’t want to go to Game 3 if we can avoid it and when you don’t have the home-field advantage, that’s what you have to do.

“I feel very confident that we’re never going to lose two in a row. I feel confident of that.”

The No. 1-seed Wizards (16-7-9, 57 points in the regular season) won the realigned MLS Western Division and earned home-field advantage after finishing in last place in 1999, when they were 8-24.

Kansas City was, however, stretched to three games in its quarterfinal series against the Colorado Rapids, winning games 1 and 3 at home, 1-0 and 3-2, and playing to a scoreless tie in Game 2.

The No. 5-seed Galaxy made short work of the Mutiny in its first-round series, 1-0 and 5-2.

“We’re playing a team that’s much, much better defensively, a team that doesn’t give you much,” Schmid said, comparing the Wizards to the Mutiny. “You have to work hard for the opportunities that you get against them. So it requires us to be a very patient team. It’s going to require us to be a very disciplined team. And it’s going to require us, as well, to be a team that does not get frustrated easily because they’re the kind of team that relies on frustrating the opponent and, through that, getting their opportunities to counterattack and score.”

The Galaxy and Wizards met four times this season and played to a 1-1-2 stalemate.

But while the Galaxy is considered an offensive force just getting its bearings, with playmaking midfielder Mauricio Cienfuegos feeding explosive forwards Luis Hernandez and Cobi Jones, the Wizards are seen as a defensive juggernaut, having given up a league-low 29 goals in 32 regular-season games.

Still, both the Galaxy and Wizards scored 47 goals this season.

How defensive-minded are the Wizards? They have more shutouts (a league-record 19) this year than wins (18), including the playoffs.

“It’s going to be a situation where it’s going to be more than just myself, Luis and Cien,” Jones said. “It’s going to be a team effort because if you have just three trying to break down a defensive eight when Kansas City drops back, it’s going to be extremely difficult.”

The Galaxy handed the Wizards, who went wire-to-wire in winning the West, their worst defeat of the year, a 5-1 thumping at Arrowhead Stadium on Aug. 5.

Kansas City goalkeeper Tony Meola, whose 0.92 goals-against average was a league low, remembers that loss well.

“We’re aware what guys like Cobi, Luis Hernandez and Cienfuegos can do if we don’t play well,” Meola said. “What we have tried to do all season . . . is to eliminate the source of the attack. You need to stop balls from getting to the guys up top, break up plays in the midfield before they get in our box.

“The fewer times Luis Hernandez touches the ball, the better off we’ll be. The fewer times Cobi Jones touches the ball, the better off we’ll be.”

Meola was also quick to point out the way the Wizards responded to that 5-1 loss, by getting a 1-1 draw a week later against the Galaxy at the Rose Bowl despite playing a man down the entire second half.

The Wizards went 10-1-1 with the lineup they figure to start today, the lone loss being the blowout administered by the Galaxy.

And while defense is Kansas City’s strength, the Wizards do boast a pair of dangerous scorers in midfielder Chris Henderson (27 points, nine goals and nine assists) and forward Miklos Molnar (25 points, 12 goals and one assist).

“We’re both comparable teams, very good defensive teams,” Schmid said. “Kansas City is dangerous with its counterattack and we’re dangerous with our speed.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

MLS PLAYOFFS

QUARTERFINALS

Galaxy vs. Tampa Bay

Galaxy 1, Tampa Bay 0

Galaxy 5, Tampa Bay 2

Colorado vs. Kansas City

Kansas City 1, Colorado 0

Kansas City 0, Colorado 0

Kansas City 3, Colorado 2

New England vs. Chicago

Chicago 2, New England 1