Branco’s Free Kick Makes Galaxy Pay in MetroStars’ Win

The last time Carlos Alberto Parreira and Branco were together at the Rose Bowl was July 17, 1994, the day Brazil won the World Cup for the fourth time.

They were there again Thursday night, and although the occasion was far less auspicious--a Major League Soccer regular-season game--coach and player again emerged victorious.

Thanks in part to a 30-yard free-kick goal by Branco, the New York/New Jersey MetroStars came from behind to defeat the Galaxy, 3-1, in front of 7,232 disgruntled fans on a hot, sticky evening in Pasadena.

The attendance was an all-time low for the team, caused in equal parts by the weather, the fact that the game was televised live on ESPN2 and Los Angeles’ recent poor form.

The loss was the slumping Galaxy’s fifth in its last six games and the team is seemingly unable to do what is needed to clinch the fourth and final playoff berth in its division.

Los Angeles (10-15) is only two points ahead of the San Jose Clash (10-17) in the Western Conference and has six games remaining to San Jose’s five. The teams meet Sept. 21 at San Jose.

The MetroStars (10-15) are not a good team, but they took advantage of their chances Thursday night while the Galaxy did not.

Galaxy striker Eduardo Hurtado had a spectacularly bad evening, time and again unable to convert the simplest of scoring opportunities.

Goalkeeper Jorge Campos made a couple of very good saves, but he should have done far better on the MetroStars’ first two goals.

Los Angeles took the lead in ninth minute when the New York/New Jersey defense was apparently asleep. Hurtado slipped a pass through to Welton and the Galaxy’s leading scorer timed his pass to Martin Machon perfectly.

Machon’s shot from inside the penalty area gave MetroStar goalkeeper Tony Meola no chance, and it appeared that the Galaxy was on its way to its fifth victory in seven games against New York/New Jersey.

But instead of pressing its advantage, the Galaxy relaxed enough to allow the MetroStars back into the game and soon paid the price.

In the 28th minute, Miles Joseph fired a shot at the Los Angeles net that Campos got a hand on and pushed onto the left post. The ball rebounded back into play and Anthony De Avila poked it into the net before defender Dan Calichman could clear it.

It was the diminutive Colombian forward’s eighth goal of the season.

Ten minutes later, the MetroStars were awarded a free kick to the right of the net but far enough out not to pose a real problem.

Except that Branco stepped up to take it. It was his spectacular free kick against the Netherlands in World Cup ’94 that earned Brazil a 3-2 quarterfinal victory.

Branco might be 33 now, but he has not lost anything off his free kick.

The shot rocketed toward the net, Campos got his hands on it but could not hold on. Just like that, it was 2-1 in favor of the visitors.

The second half was more of the same, with Los Angeles wasting chances and the MetroStars capitalizing on their only opportunity. South African national team (and World Cup ‘98-bound) striker Shaun Bartlett made it 3-1 in the 68th minute, scoring his first goal for New York/New Jersey off a pass from former Galaxy defender Mark Semioli.

The Galaxy was playing without Cobi Jones and Robin Fraser, but the MetroStars were without Tab Ramos and Mike Sorber, so that excuse won’t wash. All four players are with the United States national team that plays a crucial World Cup qualifying game against Costa Rica in Portland, Ore., on Sunday.

That same afternoon, the Galaxy takes on the Tampa Bay Mutiny at the Rose Bowl, and it will need a far more inspired effort then if it is not to see its playoff fortunes erode even further.

But the MetroStars can help. They play at San Jose on Saturday.