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Faria (2G, 1A) Leads MetroStars To 3-1 Win in KC

Kansas City, MO (July 24, 2002) – Rodrigo Faria notched two goals and an assist to lead the visiting MetroStars to an impressive 3-1 victory over the Kansas City Wizards in a Major League Soccer match played Wednesday night in Arrowhead Stadium.

The win keeps the MetroStars (9-8-2) in first place in the East, while improving to 8-2-0 when scoring two or more goals in a league game. They also hold a winning record for the first time since early May.

“Tonight’s win was a great effort from both the defense and offense,” said Faria, whose two goals gave him eight to tie his rookie total from last season. ”Winning on the road also makes the win taste even sweeter when you beat a strong opponent such as Kansas City in their own house.”

Faria scored his first goal in the 22nd minute after defender Ted Chronopoulos sent a pass up ahead on the left flank to Joe Addo, who received his first start in defensive midfield. The Ghanaian international defender fired a cross through the box that took one bounce to find Faria, who one-timed a left-footed shot for the opening goal against Wizards goalkeeper Bo Oshoniyi.

The MetroStars quickly increased their lead to two goals four minutes later thanks to Mamadou Diallo’s 11th goal of the season and his 10th in eight games with the MetroStars since the May 24 trade with New England. The scoring play began on a counterattack with Andy Williams sending a long through ball up the midfield to Faria, who headed the ball up ahead further to an open Diallo for the open scoring opportunity for a 2-0 lead.

The Wizards, who controlled the momentum throughout parts of the second half and out shot the MetroStars, 17-10, scored their lone goal in the 61st minute off a penalty kick rebound. Defender Mike Petke’s challenge to Igor Simutenkov on the end line near the goal was ruled a penalty kick, despite the protest from players and the bench that it was a clean play.

Howard guessed correctly to his right to make the save off the hard shot, but Simutenkov kicked home the rebound before Howard could smother the ball in the box.

The MetroStars defense held the rest of the way until Faria put the final nail on the win in the final minute thanks to Williams again finding an open player up field in Lisi, who eventually sent a cross calmly through the box to find a trailing Faria for the third goal of the evening in the 3-1 win.

The MetroStars return to action this upcoming Saturday at 4:00 p.m. ET when they face Eastern Conference foe Chicago Fire at Cardinal Stadium in Naperville, Illinois before a nationally televised audience on ESPN2.

METROSTARS--Tim Howard, Mike Petke, Joe Addo (Brian Piesner 93+), Craig Ziadie, Steve Jolley, Ted Chronopoulos, Ross Paule (Mark Lisi 83), Jeff Moore, Andy

Williams, Mamadou Diallo (Sam Forko 88), Rodrigo Faria. TOTAL SHOTS: 10 (Diallo 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Faria 2, Diallo 2); FOULS: 20

(Moore 4, Williams 4); OFFSIDE: 7; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: Howard 6; CAUTIONS: Ziadie 25, Moore 54, Addo 57, Faria 61, Williams 67, Paule 79; EJECTIONS: none; POSSESSION PERCENTAGE: 45%

KANSAS CITY WIZARDS--Bo Oshoniyi, Mike Burns, Carey Talley, Nick Garcia, Stephen Armstrong, Chris Klein, Kerry Zavagnin, Eric Quill (Francisco Gomez

46), Preki, Chris Brown (Matt McKeon 72), Igor Simutenkov TOTAL SHOTS: 17 (Preki 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 7 (Quill 2, Simutenkov 2); FOULS: 18

(Armstrong 4, Zavagnin 4); OFFSIDE: 3; CORNER KICKS: 11; SAVES: Oshoniyi 2; CAUTIONS: Garcia 38, Preki 54, McKeon 77; EJECTIONS: none; POSSESSION

PERCENTAGE: 55%

www.MetroStars.com

John Neves - Director of Communications