FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) Pablo Mastroeni scored his first
Major League Soccer goal and helped the Miami Fusion beat the Tampa
Bay Mutiny 3-1 Saturday night.
Mastroeni, a defender, beat Tampa Bay goalkeeper Scott Garlick
with a shot from a tight angle on the left wing in the 38th minute,
giving Miami a 2-1 lead.
Diego Serna scored his first goal of the season on a header in
the 75th minute to complete the scoring for the Fusion (5-1-1).
Carlos Valderrama scored on a penalty kick in the 26th minute to
give Tampa Bay (2-5-1) a 1-0 lead. Mutiny midfielder Eric Quill was
tripped by Fusion goalkeeper Nick Rimando while chasing a loose
ball inside the penalty box area, resulting in a foul.
Quill injured his right ankle on the play and did not return.
The Mutiny tied the game eight minutes later as Preki converted
on a penalty kick after Tampa Bay defender Steve Ralston was called
for a deliberate handball while trying to stop Jim Rooney's header.
Ralston's foul also cost him a red card ejection from referee
Paul Tamberino. Tampa Bay was forced to play the rest of the match
at a one-man disadvantage.
Tampa Bay was without top scorer Mamadou Diallo, who is serving
a four-game suspension for being involved in an altercation with a
fan following Tampa Bay's 2-1 loss at Colorado on May 12.