The Metros jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the fourth minute of play, when midfielder Mark Chung blasted home his first goal of the season. The play, which originated at the foot of forward Clint Mathis on the near side, ended with Chung tallying the club’s earliest goal to date this season. Roy Myers sent a cross through the box that Chung ran onto at the back post and buried high and to the left of Fire ‘keeper Zach Thornton. Defender Mark Semioli preserved the Metros one goal lead in the 16th minute when he prevented a Chris Armas blast from finding the back of the Metros net. Metros ‘keeper Mike Ammann, who had left his line, was unable to gather in the loose ball leaving Armas with an open net. Semioli moved in behind Ammann and stopped the booming shot at the Metros goal line out with his feet.
The Metros stretched their lead to 2-0 in the 34th minute on Steve Jolley’s first goal of the season. Jolley, who had stationed himself at the back post, one-timed Mark Chung’s cornering feed. Jolley’s shot deflected off Thornton and bounded into the side of the Fire’s net. The Metros struck once again only one minute later, when Clint Mathis scored his first goal as a MetroStar in the 35th minute. Roy Myers, who was sent down the near side by Adolfo Valencia, moved into Fire box and sent a feed to the foot of Mathis at the near post. Mathis one-timed the feed and beat a stunned Thornton to the near side pushing the Metros lead to 3-0.
The Fire got on the board in the 70th minute when the Ante Razov, the league’s leading scorer, converted a penalty kick for his 11th goal of the season. The Fire were awarded the kick after Metros defender Daniel Hernandez pulled down the Fire’s Chris Armas just inside the Metros box. Razov beat Metros ‘keeper Mike Ammann to his lower left side. The Metros responded only five minutes later when they converted a penalty kick goal of their own. Adolfo “El Tren” Valencia who drew the kick with a determined effort inside the Fire box, blasted home his team leading sixth goal of the season to the lower right side of Thornton.
Play was marred by a melee in the closing moments of the game. Metros defender Mike Petke was fouled hard by the Fire’s Ante Razov. That foul escalated to numerous bouts of pushing and shoving leading way to several ejections. The Fire’s Ante Razov and MetroStars Head Coach Octavio Zambrano were shown red cards for their part in separate altercations.
Scoring Summary:
MET—Chung (1) (Myers, Mathis) 4’; Jolley (1) (Chung) 34’;
Mathis (4) (Myers, Valencia) 35’; Valencia (6) (PK) 76’.
CHI –Ante Razov (11) (PK) 71’;
CHICAGO FIRE—Zach Thorton, Tom Soehn, C.J. Brown, Carlos Bocanegra; Chris Armas, Jesse Marsch, Diego Gutierrez (Hristo Stoitchkov 46’), Mike Sorber (Josh Wolf 46’), Peter Nowak (CAPT) (Sam George 81’); Dema Kovalenko Ante Razov. TOTAL SHOTS: 29 (Razov, 8); SHOTS ON GOAL: 15 (Nowak, 4); FOULS: 13 (Four, tied at two); OFFSIDE: 4; CORNER KICKS: 14; SAVES: 3; CAUTIONS: Josh Wolff, 90’; EJECTIONS: Razov, 90’; POSSESSION PERCENTAGE: 67%
METROSTARS--Mike Ammann, Mark Semioli, Steve Jolley, Daniel Hernandez; Billy Walsh, Roy Myers (Shak 45’), Mark Chung, Petter Villegas (Ramiro Corrales 27’), Tab Ramos (CAPT) (Mike Petke 58’); Clint Mathis, Adolfo Valencia. TOTAL SHOTS: 9 (Three, tied at two); SHOTS ON GOAL: 8( Chung, Valencia, 2); FOULS: 18 (Valencia, 4); OFFSIDE: 3; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 10; CAUTIONS: Hernandez, 90’; EJECTIONS: Zambrano (Head Coach), 90’; POSSESSION PERCENTAGE: 33%
Referee: Kevin Terry; Referee's Assistants: Craig Lowry, Jorge de la Bandera, Richardo Renderos
Courtesy
MetroStars
