FC Dallas striker Carlos Ruiz has three goals still alive in the voting for Sierra Mist Goal of the Decade, the field for which was narrowed to 10 Monday for the start of the third round of voting.
Voting starts over for the third round, which will conclude with five more goals being eliminated on Feb. 27. Voting ends on March 6, with the winner set to be announced the following day.
At the close of the second round of voting on MLSnet.com, Major League Soccer's official website, two of Ruiz's goals from his tenure with the Los Angeles Galaxy are still alive, as is one from his 2005 campaign with FCD.
In 2002, Ruiz fired home a side volley across the face of goal against the Columbus Crew, and in 2003 - again playing the Crew - Ruiz blasted home a bicycle kick. Ruiz repeated the bicycle kick feat last season for the Hoops against D.C. United.
The Crew, curiously, were involved in six of the 10 remaining candidates. The top vote-getter of the second round was Crew forward John Wolyniec, who in 2003 fired in a close-range volley from a long ball played over 80 yards while playing for the MetroStars against the Crew. The Crew were also witness to Colorado Rapids defender Marcelo Balboa's bicycle kick in 2000. Brian McBride's flick and volley from 1996 and Jorge Salcedo's long blast from 1997 are the two remaining goals scored by a player who was wearing a Crew jersey at the time.
In addition to the Crew, two other teams have multiple goals still on the board: the Galaxy, thanks to Ruiz, and the MetroStars, whose Wolyniec goal is joined by Clint Mathis' 70-yard run against the Dallas Burn in 2001. The Chicago Fire have one goal remaining, Ante Razov's 1999 effort, while Houston 1836 midfielder Dwayne De Rosario's 2005 Goal of the Year winner, scored for the San Jose Earthquakes, is also still alive.
Six teams - Chivas USA, D.C. United, Houston 1836, the Kansas City Wizards, the New England Revolution and Real Salt Lake - have no remaining goals scored for their team, and with the exceptions of Chivas USA and Houston 1836, none have any current players in the running for goals scored with other teams. Also, two of the league's 10 seasons are no longer represented, as all of the goals from 1998 and 2004 have been eliminated.
Voting continues on MLSnet.com. Fans may vote up to 10 times a day, but may vote for only one goal per ballot.
Jason Halpin is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
