Other Soccer News...

LATE CHUNG GOAL CLINCHES 2-1 VICTORY

East Rutherford, NJ - The MetroStars continued to dominate on their home field, improving to an MLS-best 8-1-1 at home as they topped the Miami Fusion 2-1 on a 78th minute game-winner by midfielder Mark Chung at Giants Stadium on Saturday night.

It was a heated game between the two top teams in the Eastern Division, with 40 combined fouls, six yellow cards and two red cards, the latter of which forced Miami to play a least one man down for more than half the match. In the second of four meetings between these clubs the MetroStars kept Miami within striking distance while improving to 10-7-3 (33 pts). Miami still holds an eight point lead at 12-4-5 (41pts).

The MetroStars took the lead in the third minute when forward Adolfo Valencia slotted a ball through a pair of Fusion defenders. Forward Rodrigo Faria took the ball at his feet at the top of the 18-yard box, maneuvered to his left and drilled a left-footed shot past Fusion goalkeeper Nick Rimando.

For the remainder of the first half both teams shared play until the 36th minute when the Fusion's Ivan McKinley was sent off for his second yellow card of the match, issued for grabbing the jersey of Faria. Fusion Head Coach Ray Hudson then brought in defender Brian Dunseth for Lazo Alavanja to bolster the Fusion back line.

The teams shared chances late in the half as tempers flared on the field. The MetroStars had the best chances to build a 2-0 lead, the first coming in the 41st minute when a wide open Chung headed the ball wide left off a Metros corner kick. Then in first-half stoppage time Villegas dribbled around Dunseth on the right wing and sent the ball into a crowd of players in the six-yard box. Valencia finally got his foot on the ball, but shot the ball over the crossbar from the middle of the fray.

The MetroStars held the best offensive team in the league in check in the first half, not allowing a shot on goal.

Miami drew even on its first shot of the contest in the 48th minute on a fancy touch by forward Preki. Forward Alex Pineda Chacon's attempt to slot a through ball to Serna was poked away by MetroStars defender Orlando Perez. The ball bounced right to Preki who caught MetroStars goalkeeper Tim Howard off his line with a 22-yard chip that hit the back of the net on the fly.

Two minutes later, with the match deadlocked at 1-1, the MetroStars mounted a counterattack but Faria sent a right-footed shot into the arms of Rimando. In an attempt to add more attacking power, MetroStars midfielder Tab Ramos entered the match in the 56th minute, seeing his first action since a June 30 match against Chicago.

One minute after bringing in midfielder Tyrone Marshall as a defensive substitute for Pineda Chacon, the Fusion narrowly missed a chance to get their second goal. Forward Diego Serna found space deep on the right wing and dribbled to the end line before sending a cross through the six-yard box that was just out of the reach of Miami midfielder Chris Henderson.

The MetroStars recorded the game-winner in the 78th minute off the powerful left-foot of Chung. Midfielder Daniel Hernandez, wearing the captain's armband, picked up his team-leading fifth assist of the season as he served the ball to Chung on the left side. Chung then drilled an 18-yard shot through the legs of Miami defender Carlos Llamosa, beating Rimando to the far post.

The Metros came within inches of tallying an insurance goal three minutes later, but Miami's second-half substitution Marshall cleared a Valencia chip off the goal line.

In the 85th minute, Miami's Ian Bishop received the Fusion's second red card of the match for a hard tackle on Ramos.

The MetroStars return to action in the Merconorte Cup next Wednesday, August 8 against the Venezuelan power Deportivo Italchacao at Giants Stadium. Next Saturday the MetroStars travel to Dallas for MLS regular season action against the Burn (8:30 p.m. ET), while the Fusion continue on their four-game road trip, traveling to New England to take on the Revolution (7:30 p.m. ET).

August 4, 2001 1 2 F

Miami 0 1 1

MetroStars 1 1 2

Scoring Summary:

MET--Faria (Valencia, Williams) 3

MIA--Preki (unassisted) 49

MET--Chung (Hernandez) 78

MIAMI FUSION--Nick Rimando, Pablo Mastroeni, Carlos Llamosa, Ivan McKinley, Lazo Alavanja (Brian Dunseth 41), Ian Bishop, Jim Rooney, Chris Henderson, Alex Pineda Chacon (Tyrone Marshall 65), Preki, Diego Serna

TOTAL SHOTS: 11 (Preki 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (Marshall 1, Preki 1, Henderson 1); FOULS: 17 (Serna 5); OFFSIDE: 2; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: Rimando 6; CAUTIONS: McKinley 19, McKinley 36, Rooney 56, Dunseth 63; EJECTIONS: McKinley 36, Bishop 85;

METROSTARS--Tim Howard, Orlando Perez, Steve Jolley, Mike Petke, Richie Williams, Daniel Hernandez, Mark Chung, Billy Walsh (Tab Ramos 56), Petter Villegas (Martin Klinger 93+), Adolfo Valencia, Rodrigo Faria (Mark Semioli 86)

TOTAL SHOTS: 22 (Faria 6); SHOTS ON GOAL: 10 (Faria 3, Valencia 3); FOULS: 23 (Petke 4); OFFSIDE: 5; CORNER KICKS: 2; SAVES: Howard 2; CAUTIONS: Hernandez 45, Jolley 84; EJECTIONS: none;

Referee: Noel Kenny; Assistant Referees: Greg Barkey, Richard Eddy

Attendance: 41,794; Weather: Overcast, 75 degrees

source: www.MetroStars.com