GALAXY MOVES AHEAD JONES, CALIFF TEAM UP IN SUDDEN-DEATH WIN GALAXY 2, K.C. 1.

Byline: Gabe Lacques Staff Writer

PASADENA - The quick trip back from Sydney was well worth it for Danny Califf.

One of three Galaxy players sent abroad for the U.S. soccer team, Califf arrived back in the States in time to send the Galaxy to the brink of the MLS Cup.

Califf's header off a Cobi Jones corner kick in the second minute of sudden death propelled the Galaxy to a 2-1 victory over visiting Kansas City before 20,849 at the Rose Bowl on Tuesday night.

The teams will play a decisive third game at Kansas City on Friday night. All the Galaxy needs is a tie to move on to the league final against the Chicago-New York/New Jersey winner. If Kansas City wins, a 20-minute minigame, and then penalty kicks, will determine who advances.

After mustering just one shot in a 0-0 tie in the first game, the Galaxy made Kansas City goalkeeper Tony Meola work this time, particularly in a second half that saw then go scoreless despite numerous attacks on Kansas City's goal.

The best bid for a game-winner came in the 64th minute, when Ezra Hendrickson's blast from the right wing was denied by Meola; the rebound was then headed out of danger by Chris Klein.

In the 76th minute, Luis Hernandez's effective cross to Mauricio Cienfuegos produced a dangerous one-touch shot from Cienfuegos, but Meola got his right foot on it. The two five-minute overtimes passed without incident, setting up Friday's scenario.

After an exhibition of offensive indifference in the first game, the Galaxy got going quickly on Tuesday.

In the 16th minute, Jones and Hendrickson hooked up on a nice give- and-go, Jones getting the ball back about 12 yards from the mouth of the goal. Meola came over to defend the right post, and Jones blasted it easily by him into the left corner for the first goal of the series.

The Galaxy had the luxury of packing in its own penalty area and playing for a 1-0 win after that. But Kansas City ruined that strategy with a surprise attack. After a Cienfuegos foul on Kerry Zavagnin, the Wizards quickly restarted and Zavagnin tapped a pass to Matt McKeon.

McKeon turned and blasted a perfect shot from 35 yards into the upper right corner of the net. Galaxy goalkeeper Kevin Hartman looked startled by the shot, but he might have been helpless to stop it, anyway.

Hartman turned away the Wizards' only other first half scoring threat when he made a nice diving save on Mo Johnston's one-touch blast from Preki in the 19th minute.

The Galaxy's two shots on goal in the first half doubled its output from Game 1. Meola, who hardly had to sweat in that one, turned away Jones with a diving save in the 11th minute.

--Notes: It looks like the Galaxy's lineup will remain intact after all.

Coach Sigi Schmid said the team will be able to keep striker Luis Hernandez for Friday's third and decisive game against the Wizards.

Hernandez has been called up for Mexico's World Cup qualifier against Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday, and there was a concern new Mexican national coach Enrique Meza would want Hernandez with the team before then.

But Schmid said Hernandez will be allowed to join the Mexican team Saturday, and will likely rejoin the Galaxy on Monday should it win the series. The MLS Cup is Oct. 15 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C.

``It's all straightened out,'' Schmid said. ``He's got no problems.''

Hernandez was in a scoring funk for several games after joining the Galaxy on May 11, but he's been their top scoring threat in the postseason, tallying a goal and three assists, good for fourth in the league. He also managed the Galaxy's lone shot on goal in the 0-0 tie against Kansas City in the opening game of the series.

--Friday's decisive Game 3 will be the teams' third in eight days, an about-face from the regular season, when games are often a week apart. If neither team has a win and tie after three games, a 20-minute minigame, and then penalty kicks, would decide the series winner.

``I don't really like the format,'' Galaxy defender Greg Vanney said. ``It almost guarantees three games in a week. The league likes it, because it creates more games and more . . . whatever. But for the players, it's a short period of time for three games.''

-- Cobi Jones' first-half goal was his second of the postseason, tying him with Hernandez for the team lead. . . The Galaxy is 5-6-1 (including postseason) all-time at Arrowhead Stadium, site of Friday's third game. . . No wonder the series has been so low-scoring: Meola and Hartman rank 1-2 among goalies in MLS in goals-against average (0.92 to 1.00) and shutouts (16 to 7).