for us it's important," said Thomas. "We need three points to basically put some pressure on Chicago and Colorado, so you know the win was good for us, good for the team. We've had a lot of ties, where we go down last minute, so this right here was a very positive note."
TEAM NEWS
• The win in Toronto snapped the Crew's seven-game winless drought, and was also a boost after the club's demoralizing loss in Kansas City, when the Black-and-Gold allowed two goals in injury time to lose 3-2.
• "We think we've been unlucky in our last couple of games," said coach Sigi Schmid. "We've played all right and not gotten a result and we really mismanaged some games in the end."
• It was the first goal of the season for Garey. He tied for the team lead with five goals as a rookie in 2006 for the Black-and-Gold, but has played in just nine games in 2007. Garey has had to battle a groin injury, and the additions of Schelotto and Alejandro Moreno has made playing time scarce up front.
• "I've had a tough year with injuries and stuff like that," Garey said. "I finally got in the lineup last week and then I thought I played well last week. Now to get a goal, it's great."
• In addition, Jacob Thomas has been a bright addition over the last few weeks. Hampered by a left calf injury virtually all season, he finally made his 2007 debut on Sept. 2 against Colorado. Thomas started the Crew's last two games, and came on as a substitute for Andy Herron in the 58th minute in Toronto.
• "I've had a pretty hard season," Thomas said. "I've had a lot of injuries and stuff. I'm just trying to get back in shape now and it was a boost mentally for me as I'm getting back into shape to have something like that happen. It motivates a person when you get a goal."
• Now, the question is whether Schelotto will be able to return to the lineup. He has missed essentially the entirety of the last three games with a hamstring injury, as is listed as questionable for Sunday.
• "Guillermo has played great, he changes the way we play a lot," Garey said. "If he comes back as well that's really going to give us lots of options. We can play with him up top, I come in off the paint, whatever, but you've got to be ready to play whenever the opportunity presents itself."
• For the first time in its 12-year history, the Crew won a road game after trailing at halftime. "We can talk about being a better team, but to be able to do something that the very good Crew teams of the past were never able to do shows where we're heading and what we're trying to do. This went a long way toward taking that next step," Schmid said.
• The only downside for the Crew is that they now hold the dubious distinction of being the club that finally allowed a goal to Toronto FC.
• "We had talked about maybe giving Toronto a goal so maybe that monkey's off their back and we sort of did that really, really early," joked Schmid. "I told [the players] they could do that after we were up 3- or 4-nothing, but they did it the other way around. But obviously I'm really proud of our team today."
LOS ANGELES GALAXY
The Los Angeles Galaxy kept pushing toward an improbable place in the MLS Cup Playoffs, getting the only goal of the game against a nine-man Kansas City Wizards for the victory on MLS Primetime Thursday at Arrowhead Stadium. The Galaxy now have 24 points with five matches still to play, now in 11th place in the MLS overall table, eight points in arrears of the Chicago Fire for the final postseason berth.
LAST MATCH
• The Galaxy were coming into the match off just their second victory since the early part of July, a 2-1 win against FC Dallas, while the Wizards had just one win in their last five matches following a late 2-1 loss to Chivas USA at The Home Depot Center.
• The opening 45 minutes were controlled by the Wizards. Eddie Johnson was particularly dangerous, finding himself in great positions on three occasions, and while he hit the post once, he was not able to find the back of the net. Galaxy defender Troy Roberts also twice caused some anxious moments, one clearance hitting the post while Cannon saved a second with a terrific back-pedaling tip over the bar.
• Eloy Colombano provided another let-off for the Galaxy early in the second half when he rounded Cannon, but couldn't put his shot into a wide open goal. Then the game turned around in the 57th minute when Jimmy Conrad was shown a straight red card by referee Baldomero Toledo after a harsh tackle on Peter Vagenas in midfield.
• The Galaxy broke through in the 80th minute. Mike Randolph held the ball up outside the left corner of the area before picking out Gavin Glinton running across the face of goal, and he sent a glancing header inside the back post for the game-winner. The Wizards finished the game two men down when Davy Arnaud was sent off in the 82nd minute after he clattered into Vagenas in midfield.
• Galaxy head coach Frank Yallop made two changes to the team that defeated FC Dallas 2-1 at home the previous Sunday. Kyle Martino came in on the right of midfield for Quavas Kirk, and Peter Vagenas replaced the suspended Kevin Harmse in the center of midfield.
• Here's Yallop's team (4-4-1-1): Joe Cannon - Chris Klein, Ty Harden, Troy Roberts, Mike Randolph - Kyle Martino (Ante Jazic 62), Josh Tudela, Peter Vagenas, Cobi Jones (Gavin Glinton 71) - Landon Donovan - Alan Gordon (Carlos Pavon 77). Substitutes Not Used: Edson Buddle, Steve Cronin, Quavas Kirk, Kyle Veris
• "Our backs were really up against the wall tonight. For me, that was a team that is trying to get to the top of the division and make the playoffs, and we beat them," Yallop said. "I thought that everyone played really well tonight. Obviously the two sending-offs didn't help Kansas City, but I think we were playing well regardless."
TEAM NEWS
• The victory gave the Galaxy back-to-back wins for the first time all season, and started a three-game stretch of road games off on the right foot. It also gave the Galaxy's playoff hopes a huge boost, getting three points from one of their games in hand.
• "I felt comfortable tonight for some reason, I just felt like we got that little bit of lady luck when we needed it, which we haven't had all year," said Yallop.
• It was also the Galaxy's first win on the road all season. They hadn't won a road match since Aug. 26, 2006 against D.C. United. "Home wins are important, but definitely on the road it showed the character of this team," said Galaxy goalkeeper Joe Cannon.
• After a rocky opening 45 minutes, the Galaxy defense stiffened and recorded its first clean sheet since Aug. 5, a stretch of 11 games where they had allowed 25 goals.
• "Give the guys credit, especially the guys on the back line," Cannon said. "They're still improving; they're getting better every game."
• The win left the Galaxy with 24 points, in 11th place overall, with five games remaining. Next up is a huge match against the Columbus Crew on Sunday, for both teams' postseason aspirations. The Crew head into the weekend just a point behind the Chicago Fire for the final playoff spot; the Galaxy are eight points back.
• "We put ourselves in this position, Cannon said. "We've given up too many points in the past."
• Glinton scored for the second time in three games, his third goal on the season. His first goal came June 23 of this year against Toronto FC. That had been his first in MLS since the 2003 season. He did not play professional soccer for two years while coaching at his alma mater, Bradley University, making one appearance in his return a year ago. All three of his goals have come as a substitute (he has started two of his 14 appearances).
• "It was one of the most important goals I have scored. This win keeps us in it. We need to take care of business on Sunday, but at least we took care of it tonight," Glinton said. "We know that no one wants us to win, but we know that we are a good team. I think tonight's win really proves that."
