Who's Tough Enough?

NEW YORK (Tuesday, April 2, 2002) - Convincing victories Saturday by the Colorado Rapids and D.C. United against preseason MLS Cup favorites San Jose and Chicago served notice that wins won't come easy for any team during the 2002 MLS campaign.

Using a patient but determined possession game, D.C. United neutralized U.S. World Cup team hopefuls Josh Wolff and Ante Razov to blank the Fire 2-0 at RFK Stadium. Sparked by MLS Player of the Week Marco Etcheverry and defenders Eddie Pope and Milton Reyes, the Black-and-Red's successful home debut gave every indication that the club plans on making a return to the postseason under new head coach Ray Hudson.

"The diamond glinted. It glinted," Hudson said today in the Northern Virginia Journal. "But for me, when it's under the real light, we're still not good enough. We can go on from here."

It was Etcheverry's picture perfect free kick in the 39th minute that put the Fire on its heels and confirmed that "El Diablo" hasn't quite retired the form that helped D.C. capture three of the first four MLS titles. Making United's win more surprising was that it came despite the absence of forward Jaime Moreno (knee surgery) and midfielders Bobby Convey (red card suspension) and Ben Olsen (recovering from ankle surgery). With Moreno and Olsen set to return in the coming months, if not weeks, Hudson's squad should have a say in the Eastern Conference race.

In Denver, Tim Hankinson's Colorado Rapids used their retooled midfield to keep the San Jose Earthquakes off balance, as they knocked off the defending MLS Cup champions 1-0 at Invesco Field. Most had expected the Rapids to improve on last season's dismal 5-13-8 (23pts.) record, but in knocking off Landon Donovan and company Saturday night, Colorado looked the part of a club that could challenge for the Western Conference crown along with preseason favorites San Jose and Los Angeles.

Even though the Rapids sputtered slightly in their season-opening 1-1 draw in Kansas City, their 1-0-1 (4pts) record through two games is already the best start in the team's seven-year history. Already it seems Hankinson has the Rapids focused on one goal: making the MLS Cup Playoffs.

"This is big for us," Rapids goalkeeper Scott Garlick told the Denver Post. "Any team in our conference that we can take three points from will make the difference in the end of the year between home-field advantage and not making the playoffs."

In a year predicted to be the League's most competitive season ever, the numbers tell much the same story as Week Three of the season prepares to unfold Wednesday. Of the six teams that have played two games thus far in 2002, only the Rapids have emerged without a loss. Despite the fact that only eight matches have been played, only New England and Dallas begin play this Saturday without having earned at least one point.

Following a disappointing loss to the MetroStars on Opening Day, New England will travel to Spartan Stadium to face the Earthquakes, who will receive their MLS Cup 2002 Championship Rings prior to the 3:00 p.m. ET live broadcast on ESPN2. For New England, which dropped nine of its 14 road matches last season, an impressive showing Saturday would quiet the critics who expected the team's truckload of top offseason acquisitions to pay dividends immediately.

The Dallas Burn, who struggled in their opener without playmakers Oscar Pareja (red card suspension) and Joselito Vaca (ankle sprain) host what could be a weary D.C. United squad that must recover from their midweek clash with the Rapids (7:30 p.m. ET) in the altitude of Denver. For United, the match at the Cotton Bowl will be the team's third in a seven-day span.

Other action this weekend will see the MetroStars travel to Columbus (7:30 p.m. ET) seeking revenge from last Wednesday's 1-0 loss to the Crew at the Meadowlands, while Chicago travels to Pasadena for an encounter with the Los Angeles Galaxy (10:00 p.m. ET). The Galaxy will be led by MLS newcomer Carlos Ruiz, who looks to top his stellar two-goal debut against United on March 23.

U.S. vs. MEXICO - LAST CHANCE TO BREAK THE BUBBLE:

The U.S. National Team travels to Denver, Colorado this Wednesday, April 3 (10 p.m. ET on Telemundo) to host CONCACAF arch-rival Mexico at Invesco Field in a World Cup tuneup match. The game will almost certainly hand down final verdicts on the final 23-man roster for this summer's tournament in Korea/Japan. In fact, of the 18 players called up by Bruce Arena for the match, 16 are based with MLS clubs, a clear sign that this may be the last chance for many of those who have been "on the bubble" to prove themselves worthy of a spot. The game against Mexico will be the second game of a doubleheader that also features the new-look Colorado Rapids taking on the revitalized D.C. United.

There are just 29 days remaining until the U.S. kicks off its final preparations for the 17th edition of the FIFA World Cup which will come in the form of a 10-day training camp at the State Capital Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina beginning on May 1. Following that camp, the U.S. World Cup squad will play three international exhibitions on home soil on May 12 (vs. Uruguay at RFK Stadium), May 16 (vs. Jamaica at Giants Stadium) and May 19 (vs. Holland at CMGI Field).

However, before that May 1 camp in North Carolina there are only two international matches remaining, including the game against Mexico on Wednesday. The other is a road trip to Dublin, Ireland at Landsdowne Road for an exhibition against fellow World Cup participant, Ireland. A breakdown of the MLS players looking to leave a defining mark on Wednesday's match follows:

GOALKEEPERS: Tim Howard, Tony Meola - This duo has seemingly upended Chicago Fire goalkeeper Zach Thornton in the race for the third goalkeeper slot. Howard recently started the March 10 match against Ecuador and was the reserve 'keeper for the game in Seattle vs. Honduras. For his part, Meola has been the reserve goalkeeper for six of the Americans' nine internationals in 2002. His World Cup experience makes him the apparent frontrunner to join mainstays Kasey Keller and Brad Friedel.

DEFENDERS: Carlos Llamosa, Pablo Mastroeni, Carlos Bocanegra - The stock of Mastroeni and Bocanegra has risen considerably in recent months. The Fire's Bocanegra made all five starts in the 2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup and has been lauded by Head Coach Bruce Arena for his outstanding athletic ability. Unlike Bocanegra, Mastroeni's run with the U.S. squad has lasted beyond the Gold Cup as he made the final gameday roster for the matches against Italy and Ecuador while starting in Seattle vs. Honduras. Llamosa, a key figure on the back line during World Cup Qualifying, has registered just one appearance in 2002, a start against Ecuador, and will need a strong performance Wednesday to get himself back in the mix.

MIDFIELDERS: DaMarcus Beasley, Brian Maisonneuve, Richard Mulrooney, Brian West - West (four appearances) and Beasley (five appearances) have seen more regular action than either Mulrooney or Maisonneuve. However, Mulrooney has played the full 90 minutes in the last two games the U.S. has hosted on home soil (vs. Ecuador, vs. Honduras). The versatility of the San Jose Earthquakes midfielder (he has played at right back and at midfield for Bruce Arena) arguably makes him valuable in a World Cup effort should the team encounter injuries. Maisonneuve, a veteran of the 1998 U.S. World Cup Team who has just recently put a long stretch of ankle injuries behind him, has made two appearances on the calendar year, including a start against Honduras.

FORWARDS: Josh Wolff, Ante Razov - The forward department of the U.S. National Team has become more crowded than any other sector with the emergence of world-class strikers in MLS. With Clint Mathis, Landon Donovan and Brian McBride having practically locked up spots on the roster at this point. The Chicago Fire attacking partnership of Razov and Wolff may be competing for one more MLS slot. These two players, who contributed significantly to the World Cup Qualifying effort, have dropped off the national team radar screen in recent weeks due to injury. Razov last played with the Red, White & Blue against El Salvador on Jan. 27, a game in which he suffered an ankle injury that forced him out of the rest of the Gold Cup tournament. Wolff's last showing came as a member of the team that traveled to Italy (Feb. 13). In 2002 Razov has made two appearances (both starts, one assist) while Wolff has made five appearances (three starts, one goal).

By the time the U.S. makes the trip to South Korea for the World Cup, it will have competed against eight World Cup-bound international sides (a quarter of the 32-team field). Thus far it has compiled a record of 3-2-0 against the likes of South Korea (2-1 win on Jan. 19), Costa Rica (2-0 win on Feb. 2), Italy (1-0 loss on Feb. 13), Ecuador (1-0 win March 10), Germany (4-2 loss on March 27) with the matches against Uruguay, Mexico and Ireland still to follow.

A large turnout is expected on Wednesday at Invesco Field. The last time the U.S. Men's National Team played a full international in Denver was May 17, 1992 (a 1-0 loss to Scotland). Tickets for the doubleheader can be purchased at the Invesco Field Box Office and all TicketMaster locations, or by calling 303-830-TIXS. For more information on tickets, fans can call the Rapids at 303-299-1599 (or 303-299-1511 in Spanish).

MID-WEEK ATTENDANCE RECORD COULD FALL AT MILE HIGH ON WEDNESDAY:

What can top last week's record-breaking midweek attendance for the doubleheader featuring the MetroStars and Columbus Crew along with the Men's National Team of Ecuador and Bulgaria? The answer could possibly be Wednesday night's doubleheader at Invesco Field, when a matchup of upstart Colorado vs. D.C. United will be followed by the U.S. Men's National Team clash with Mexico in Denver.

The Crew's 1-0 victory over the host Metros was played in front of a record breaking crowd of 45,511 this past Wednesday at Giants Stadium, snapping the previous non-holiday mid-week record of 31,211. Set at Foxboro Stadium on June 20th of last year, the mark was set when the Rapids and New England Revolution played to a 3-3 tie following a World Cup Qualifying match between the United States and Trinidad and Tobago.

As of Tuesday, more than 35,000 tickets for the match had been sold and early projections predict the crowd may could reach upwards of 40,000.

GREAT EXPECTATIONS - CARLOS RUIZ HAS BEEN UP TO THE TASK FOR LOS ANGELES:

Carlos Ruiz generated high expectations when he signed with the Los Angeles Galaxy to replace departed Mexican striker Luis Hernández. Thus far, he has been up to the task, scoring two goals in his MLS debut to catapult the Galaxy to a come-from-behind 2-1 win over archrival D.C. United in their season opener. Ruiz's heroics earned him the distinction of being the first "Player of the Week" of the 2002 season.

His quick start has broken a string of poor starts by high-profile international Galaxy forwards in the club's history. Except for Eduardo Hurtado, who scored 21 goals for the Galaxy in 1996, and Welton, who tallied 17 goals in 1998, Galaxy international forwards have had a tough time breaking through. But the 22 year-old Guatemalan striker, popularly referred to by his nickname "Pescadito" (Little Fish), appears to be on track to become the consistently dominating forward the Galaxy has lacked in recent seasons.

His success can be attributed to several factors which have combined to make Ruiz an instant hit. For starters, unlike Mexican stars Hernández and Carlos Hermosillo, Ruiz trained with the Galaxy throughout most of the pre-season and is expected to miss relatively few games during the campaign due to national team commitments. The time with his new teammates has undoubtedly helped him blend into the Galaxy schemes faster. Equally important, he is mentally focused and determined to succeed in MLS.

"I aim to make my mark by scoring goals," Ruiz said. "I come into this League with the mentality that soccer in MLS is tough. Any player that joins the Galaxy must prove his worth and display professionalism inside and outside the field of play."

His mental toughness and relentless fighting spirit impressed fans, teammates and Head Coach Sigi Schmid. "He is committed to scoring goals and that's what he did," said Schmid following Ruiz's debut. "It's not just the goals he scored, but he showed that he can take a hit, get up and keep battling."

Ruiz's easy-going, extroverted, happy-go-lucky personality off the field instantly put his teammates at ease and helped him connect at a personal level with all the Galaxy staff. Cobi Jones, Peter Vagenas and Ezra Hendrickson like to call him: "Fish, fish!."

Ruiz's English is still a work in progress, but challenged by teammate Pete Vagenas, Ruiz vowed to master the language well enough to conduct media interviews in English after three months of practice. Often, during Spanish media interviews, Vagenas and other teammates flash three fingers at Ruiz reminding him of his vow.

Ruiz's arrival at the Galaxy caused quite a stir in Guatemala. Nearly a dozen Guatemalan media outlets have been credentialed by the Galaxy to chronicle Ruiz's path in MLS. Ruiz is currently in Guatemala making arrangements to bring his wife, Laura, and his 18-month-old daughter, Andrea, with him to his new apartment in Pasadena.

Ruiz knows what it's like to play on high profile teams having played with Guatemala's most popular team, Municipal. The Galaxy announced a friendly exhibition match against Municipal set for May 8 at the Rose Bowl. Ruiz even dedicated his first goal of the season to a deceased former teammate from CSD Municipal.

"I made a promise that my first MLS goal would be in honor of my friend and former teammate Johnny Aldana, who died in a very unfortunate accident on the soccer field, while training with Municipal," he said.

"To me it's like a dream to be able to play for a team such as the Galaxy," Ruiz said. He is also well aware of the added pressure and media scrutiny that playing for a team like the Galaxy entails. But judging by his quick start Ruiz appears poised to enjoy a great rookie year that could climax with the club's first ever MLS Championship.

STATISTICAL MILESTONES ON THE HORIZON:

As with the kickoff of each MLS season, the 2002 campaign has presented a new list of League records that are about to be eclipsed. The following are some records to watch for in the coming weeks. Leading the charge are several seventh-year MLS players:

• Kansas City Wizards forward Roy Lassiter needs just two goals to reach 90 for his career. Raul Diaz Arce (82) is the only other forward in MLS history to join Lassiter with more than 80 tallies.
• Dallas Burn forward Jason Kreis needs 11 points to join Lassiter (211) and Preki (200) as the only players in the 200-point club.
• Colorado Rapids midfielder Carlos Valderrama needs two assists to reach 100 helpers for his career, the most in League history.
• Kansas City's Preki is 12 shots away from reaching 600 for his career. He currently has 588 while the nearest player on the list (Jason Kreis) has 523.
• Four players could surpass 200 games played in MLS this season. They would be the first in League history: Steve Ralston (New England - 178GP), Mark Chung (Colorado - 178GP), Chris Henderson (Colorado - 175GP) and Kreis (Dallas - 178GP)
• Kreis needs to play two more full games to join Peter Vermes (Kansas City), Ralston and Chung in the 15,000-minutes played club.
• Four goalkeepers are inching closer to becoming the first to 70 career wins: Zach Thornton (Chicago - 67 wins), Scott Garlick (Colorado - 65 wins), Tony Meola (Kansas City - 63 wins) and Kevin Hartman (Los Angeles - 62 wins).
• Chicago Fire Head Coach Bob Bradley needs eight wins to join Thomas Rongen and Dave Dir in the 80-win club while Octavio Zambrano needs 10 wins.
• The Dallas Burn need nine wins and the Columbus Crew 11 to join Los Angeles and D.C. United with 100 all-time wins.
• The Los Angeles Galaxy could surpass the two million-fan mark in regular-season home attendance this Saturday. The club has drawn 1,996,356 fans in 94 all-time regular season home matches.

MLS vs. MEXICO MATCHUPS DOMINATE CHAMPIONS CUP QUARTERFINALS:

With two more Mexican clubs making it through to the Football Confederation (CONCACAF) Champions Cup quarterfinal round last week, the next stage is set to feature three MLS vs. Mexico matchups. In a showdown of the powerhouse clubs of the region, three of the last four MLS Cup champions will do battle against the last three Mexican champions.

Last Wednesday, the final two quarterfinalists were determined as Santos swept by Tauro F.C. of Panama 4-2 (5-3 on aggregate) and Pachuca dominated Defence Force of Trinidad & Tobago 4-0 (4-1 on aggregate) in their second leg of the series. Therefore, in addition the Chicago Fire vs. Monarcas Morelia (6-3-4, 4th overall in Mexican league) quarterfinal pairing, the San Jose Earthquakes will face Pachuca (5-3-5, 13th place among 19 in Mexico) while the Kansas City Wizards lock horns with Santos Laguna (6-3-4, 6th overall).

The Wizards vs. Santos matchup is arguably the most intriguing of the round based on their history in two Copa Mercornorte meetings last year. The two clubs engaged in a controversial affair on August 8, 2001 in Mexico where the scheduled crew of Trinidadian referees did not appear for the match. In their place, Mexican officials were called upon despite the Wizards' protests. Kansas City would drop a 4-2 result to Santos which was marred by the sending-off of Nick Garcia (Wizards) and two penalty kicks against the MLS team. Ironically, an MLS referee - Kevin Terry - was the man in the middle for Santos' second leg match against Tauro in Torreon, Mexico last Wednesday.

Pachuca overcame a surprise 1-0 defeat at the hands of Defence Force in the first game of their 'Round of 16' series. The defending Mexican champions will face an MLS team (the San Jose Earthquakes) in the Champions Cup for the second consecutive year. In last year's Champions Cup consolation match played at the Los Angeles Coliseum in January 2001, Pachuca defeated D.C. United 2-1.

The 2002 Champions Cup quarterfinal match-ups are listed below. The winner of the first two matches will meet in the semifinals and the winners of quarterfinals No. 3 and No. 4 will cross paths in the other semifinal.

F.C. Champions Cup Quarterfinals:
(1) CSD Communicaciones (GUA) vs. LD Alajuelense (CRC)
(2) San Jose Earthquakes (USA - MLS Cup 2001 winners) vs. Pachuca (MEX - Invierno 2001 champions)
(3) Chicago Fire (USA - MLS Cup 1998 winners, 2000 runners-up) vs. Morelia (MEX - Invierno 2000 champions)
(4) Kansas City Wizards (USA - MLS Cup 2000 winners) vs. Santos Laguna (MEX - Verano 2001 champions)