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Late Villegas Goal Clinches Exciting 3-2 Comeback Victory

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ (MAY 5, 2001) - The MetroStars scored three goals in the final 11 minutes for an exciting 3-2 comeback victory at Giants Stadium before a crowd of 20,877.

The MetroStars, who now move into a first place tie with Miami in the Eastern Division, improve to 4-1-1-- their best start ever through the first six games in a season. Clint Mathis also takes his MLS point streak to five games, notching a goal and an assist, and improves his overall point streak (including U.S. National Team games) to eight straight games.

DC United led through the first 78 minutes, 2-0, behind two goals from United striker Jaime Moreno. The Bolivian scored the first goal in the 33rd minute on a penalty kick after a handball call on Steve Jolley. He later increased the lead and quieted the crowd in the 52nd minute, after Marco Etcheverry took a quick restart finding rookie Mark Lisi on the right side of the penalty area. Lisi's cross into the box found Moreno, who slammed it past Tim Howard for the 2-0 lead.

The MetroStars would then begin one of the most exciting comebacks in team history in the 79th minute. Tab Ramos sent a free kick into a crowded six-yard box that found Jolley, who managed to head the ball in front of the goal to an open Mathis for the first Metro goal of the evening.

Rodrigo Faria, who entered the game as a 36th minute substitute for Pedro Alvarez, tied the game in the 88th minute. Mathis sent a pass to Alex Comas near the top of the penalty box, and the Colombian one-timed a pass to Faria, who fired a left-footed shot from 18-yards to beat former Metro goalkeeper Mike Ammann for the tie.  The goal was the first of Faria's MLS career.

Petter Villegas clinched the wild comeback in the 90th minute, tucking the winning goal through Ammann's legs into the far lower corner to bring the crowd to its feet.

It was the second time in his MetroStars career that Villegas has scored the game-winning goal in a two-goal comeback. He scored the winning goal in a comeback victory against the Tampa Bay Mutiny on May 20, 2000 in a 3-2 victory at Giants Stadium.

Scoring Summary:

DC --Moreno (PK) 33

DC --Moreno (Lisi, Etcheverry) 52

MET--Mathis (Jolley, Faria) 79

MET--Faria (Comas, Mathis) 88

MET--Villegas (unassisted) 90

D.C. UNITED--Mike Ammann, Carey Talley, Eddie Pope, Craig Ziadie, Eric Denton, Ryan Nelsen, Mark Lisi (Mark Watson 86), Marco Etcheverry, Bobby Convey, Jaime Moreno (Chris Albright 63), Abdul Thompson Conteh (Brian Kamler 73). TOTAL SHOTS: 8 (Moreno 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 7 (Moreno 3); FOULS: 20 (Ziadie 6); OFFSIDE: 4; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: Ammann 7; CAUTIONS: Talley 38, Ziadie 40, Nelsen 45, Etcheverry 78; EJECTIONS: none;

METROSTARS--Tim Howard, Mike Petke, Steve Jolley, Orlando Perez, Richie

Williams, Pedro Alvarez (Rodrigo Faria 36), Petter Villegas, Mark Chung (Adolfo Valencia 79), Tab Ramos, Clint Mathis, Alex Comas (Steve Shak 93+). TOTAL SHOTS: 22 (Faria 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 10 (Faria 3); FOULS: 16 (Williams 5); OFFSIDE: 2; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: Howard 4; CAUTIONS: Perez 56; EJECTIONS:none.

Referee: Tim Weyland; Referee's Assistants: George Vergara, John Konstantinidis; Attendance: 20,877; Weather: Clear, 70 Clear.

www.MetroStars.com