Other Soccer News...

WORLD CUP STARS DEFEAT METROSTARS, 3-2, IN OVERTIME

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – The visiting Chicago Fire posted consecutive wins for the first time this season with a 3-2 win over the MetroStars Saturday at Giants Stadium. Forward Josh Wolff, in his third MLS appearance of the season since returning from United States World Cup duty in Korea/Japan, tallied two Fire goals and assisted on DaMarcus Beasley's 96th-minute golden goal in the second overtime period to lead the Fire.

In a game which saw two ties and three lead changes, it was Chicago's MLS Strike Force tandem of Wolff and Beasley that sent the Fire to its second consecutive overtime win and put the team back into a first place tie with the MetroStars in Major League Soccer's Eastern Conference.

Just one minute into the second sudden-death overtime period, the Fire's Jim Curtain played a ball from the back to Fire midfielder Dema Kovalenko, who sent a looping ball into the corner for Wolff. The U.S. World Cup star centered a cross to the onrushing Beasley, who one-timed the pass into the back of the net to give the Fire its fourth win in six all-time games at Giants Stadium.

Early in the second half, Wolff gave the Fire a 2-1 lead with his 30th and 31st career MLS goals, all with Chicago. In the game's 53rd minute, MetroStars defender Ted Chronopoulos fouled Chicago's Jesse Marsch 30 yards away from the goal. Wolff stepped up to pinpoint a picture-perfect free kick past MetroStars goalkeeper Tim Howard, who helplessly watched Wolff's offering nail the upper corner of the goal.

Three minutes later, Beasley picked up a loose ball near midfield and blazed down the left side of the field. Bursting past the MetroStars' Mike Petke, Beasley carried the ball into the corner and sent a floating cross into the box. An onrushing Wolff beat two MetroStars to the ball to slot the ball past Howard from six yards out, giving the Fire a lead in what was a virtual preview of the game-winning play.

In the game's 67th minute, Howard thwarted Wolff's bid for the Fire's second hat trick of the season. After Wolff was taken down just inside the box by Chronopoulos, the fifth-year forward stepped to the penalty spot. Howard guessed correctly to the right side, denying Wolff's third goal of the day and keeping the MetroStars within striking distance. The penalty-kick save was the fourth by MLS 'keepers in 23 attempts during the 2002 season.

Twenty minutes later, the MetroStars equalized with a Mamadou Diallo penalty kick after referee Gus St. Silva ruled that Fire defender David Vaudreuil had grabbed the shirt of MetroStars forward Rodrigo Faria in the box in the 87th minute. Diallo has seven goals and two assists in six games with the MetroStars.

MetroStars midfielder Andy Williams pressured Chicago early, taking over the playmaking role for the MetroStars in the absence of Clint Mathis and Tab Ramos, both of whom will be on the Metro sideline for the next 4-6 weeks. Williams nearly put the MetroStars on the board in the game's 10th minute with a 25-yard blast from the right corner of the penalty area, only to see his curving blast tipped over the bar by Fire goalkeeper Zach Thornton. On the resulting corner kick, Williams' header from 10 yards out was high.

Four minutes later, however, Williams tallied his first goal of the season following some exquisite passing in tight space by the MetroStars. Developmental player Jeff Moore won a ball deep in Chicago territory on the right side and played to Mamadou Diallo at the top of the box. Diallo had time 18 yards out and found Williams alone at the top of the goal box, allowing Williams to send a point-blank shot past Thornton to give the MetroStars a 1-0 lead, one which they would carry to halftime.

Scoring Summary:

MET--Williams (Diallo, Moore) 14

CHI--Wolff (unassisted) 53

CHI--Wolff (D. Beasley) 56

MET--Diallo (PK) 87

CHI--D. Beasley (Wolff, Kovalenko) 96

CHICAGO--Zach Thornton, C.J. Brown, Jim Curtin, Carlos Bocanegra, Kelly Gray, DaMarcus Beasley, Jesse Marsch, Dema Kovalenko, David Vaudreuil, Billy Walsh (Jason Moore 69), Josh Wolff. TOTAL SHOTS: 16 (Wolff 7); SHOTS ON GOAL: 6 (Wolff 3); FOULS: 15 (Marsch 3, Vaudreuil 3); OFFSIDE: 3; CORNER KICKS: 4; SAVES: Thornton 7; CAUTIONS: Bocanegra 74, Marsch 91+; EJECTIONS: none; POSSESSION PERCENTAGE: 52%

METROSTARS--Tim Howard, Steve Jolley, Ted Chronopoulos, Craig Ziadie (Byron Alvarez 82), Mike Petke, Ross Paule (Joe Addo 94), Jeff Moore (Mark Lisi 77), Brad Davis, Andy Williams, Rodrigo Faria, Mamadou Diallo. TOTAL SHOTS: 18 (Williams 7); SHOTS ON GOAL: 11 (Diallo 4); FOULS: 25 (Moore 7); OFFSIDE: 2; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: Howard 1; CAUTIONS: Moore 60; EJECTIONS: none; POSSESSION PERCENTAGE: 48%

Referee: Gus St. Silva; Assistant Referees: Craig Lowry, Thomas Supple

Attendance: 22,070; Weather: Partly Cloudy, 81 degrees, Cloudy

www.MetroStars.com