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Will Hesmer was happy to do his part Saturday for his coach, but Hesmer has bigger plans this summer.
Hesmer, a former Wizard, got the shutout in the Columbus Crew’s 1-0 win over Houston on Saturday. That gave Sigi Schmid his 100th career regular-season victory as a coach.
“It was nice to set it for him, but if you look at what he said after the game,” Hesmer said, “he’s happy with the 100 wins, but he’s most proud of his playoff wins.”
Schmid has 16 postseason wins on his resume, including the 2002 MLS Cup victory over New England when he was the Galaxy coach. He also guided the Galaxy to the 2001 U.S. Open Cup title.
But since taking over as Columbus coach at the start of the 2006 season, he has failed to guide the Crew to the playoffs. Columbus last made the playoffs in 2004.
“I think it’s a pride issue for this team that we haven’t made the playoffs the last three years,” Hesmer said. “A big chunk of (this year’s) team played last year when we just missed out.”
A year ago, Columbus finished with a 9-11-10 record and 37 points. The Wizards claimed the last playoff spot by finishing with an 11-12-7 record for 40 points.
Hesmer said one game made all the difference: the Wizards’ 3-2 win at home over the Crew on Sept. 15.
The Wizards rallied for a 3-2 win at home on Sept. 15 by scoring two stoppage-time goals in the second half. The first came after Kerry Zavagnin was fouled in the penalty area and Eddie Johnson converted (it was Johnson’s final goal as a Wizard). Hesmer called it a phantom foul.
“That one really hurt,” Hesmer said. “If you look back at that game, Kansas City got in (the playoffs) with that win and we were out.”
But Hesmer, who was with the Wizards from 2004-06, isn’t fixated on that game. In fact, he’s still good friends with Jack Jewsbury and Davy Arnaud, guys he speaks with once a week or so.
They’ll all get a chance to meet this Saturday when the Wizards travel to Columbus. It’s a showdown for first place in the Eastern Conference. Columbus has the most points in MLS with 12 thanks to a 4-1-0 record. The Wizards are tied for second with 10 points.
It’s a complete turnaround for Columbus, which last year opened with one win in its first 11 games (1-4-6).
“We’ve played pretty well,” Hesmer said, “but we can get better.
“It’s nice (to be in first), because if there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s hard to play catch-up in the summer with the heat … so to get off to a good start is important.”
Preki mad at Donovan
While most of LA is caught up with the Lakers or Dodgers, there was another chapter of the “SuperClasico” in nearby Carson, Calif.
The Galaxy scored three goals in the final 15 minutes of Saturday’s game and knocked off Chivas USA 5-2.
Landon Donovan scored three times for the Galaxy, which undoubtedly irked Chivas coach Preki. But he was more upset with Donovan’s goal-scoring celebrations, which were done right in front of the Chivas bench.
“That shows a lot of disrespect,” Preki told the Los Angeles Times. “That’s the second time it’s happened in two weeks with Landon. … I do not appreciate that. We do not appreciate that as a club.”
His specialty
Jaime Moreno scored twice in D.C. United’s 4-1 win over Real Salt Lake, and both goals came from the same area of the field — the penalty spot.
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