Metros Pound Rapids, 5-3
Mathis’ Two Goals Lift Club To Most Resounding Win of the Season;
Metros Push Lead In East Back To 11 Points
East Rutherford, NJ (August 20, 2000)
- The MetroStars defeated the Colorado Rapids, 5-3, this afternoon
before a crowd of 27,897 at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The win improves the club to 15-10-2 (47 points)--11 points ahead of New
England with five games remaining in the regular season.
The Metros jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the 19th minute on Clint Mathis’
10th goal of the season. Mark Chung, who gained possession in the midfield
and launched a quick counter-attack, lofted a precise pass to the streaking
Mathis just yards outside the Rapids box. Mathis settled the pass and made
two touches on the ball before blasting a shot past Rapids ‘keeper David
Kramer from about 17 yards out.
The Rapids tied the score at 1-1 in the 43rd minute on Jorge Dely Valdes’
fifth goal of the 2000 campaign. Defender Marcelo Balboa blasted a free-kick
into a wall of Metro defenders just outside of the top of the box. David
Vaudreuil collected the loose ball and played it wide to Jason Moore. Moore
lofted a cross back into the box that found the head of Valdes just yards
from the Metros goal. Valdes struck a forceful header just inside the upper
right corner from six yards out.
The Metros took the lead once again in the 51st minute when Alex Comas converted
a penalty kick. Comas, who now has nine goals on the season, was awarded
the kick after teammate Clint Mathis was pulled down inside the box by Colorado
defender Keyeno Thomas.
The Metros extended their lead to 3-1 only two minutes later on Mark
Chung’s third goal of the season. Midfielder Petter Villegas stole the
ball deep in the Rapids end and played the ball off to the near side to an
on-rushing Chung. Chung settled the feed before blasting a shot past a sprawling
Kramer from 10 yards out.
The Metros took a 4-1 lead in the 57th minute on Clint Mathis’ second
goal of the game. Tab Ramos placed a perfectly placed free-kick across the
Rapids box from the far side. Mathis, stationed at the back post, fought
his way out of a pack of defenders to head home his 11th goal of the season
into the upper right corner from five yards out.
The Metros padded their lead to 5-1 in the 65th minute on Mike Petke’s
second goal of 2000. Mark Chung sent a booming corner kick across the Rapids
box that found the head of defender Steve Jolley. Jolley, out-leaping several
Colorado defenders, headed the ball down to Petke. Petke’s volley made
it just over the goal line despite the valiant attempt by defender Lance
Key to prevent the tally.
The Rapids made it 5-2 in the 87th minute when midfielder Ross Paule converted
a penalty kick. The Rapids were awarded the kick after newly inserted
‘keeper Russell Payne came off his line and up-ended Rapids midfielder
Wes Hart in the 86th minute. Paule converted the attempt into the lower left
corner of the net.
The Rapids closed out the scoring in the 89th minute on Dely Valdes’
second tally of the game. Paule lofted a corner kick across the box that
came to defender Marcelo Balboa at the top of the penalty area. Balboa headed
the ball back into the box to Dely Valdes who one-touched the goal past Payne
from seven yards out.
NOTES: The Metros now improve to 14-1-1 when they score two or more goals
in a game…The LEGO/MLS Truck Tour made its way to Giants Stadium prior
to today’s game as more than 8,000 children from the tri-state area
took part in the festivities…Russell Payne called up from the Boston
Bulldogs of the A-League in place of the injured Mike Ammann made his first
appearance as a MetroStar in the 82nd minute…Midfielder Billy Walsh
was suspended for today’s game due to yellow card accumulation…The
Metros are now a perfect six for six this season on penalty kicks…The
five goal out-put by the Metros this season is the most this season by the
first place club.
Scoring Summary:
MET—Mathis (10) (Chung) 19’; Comas (9) (PK) 51’; Chung (3)
(Villegas) 53’; Mathis (11) (Ramos) 57’; Petke (2) (Jolley, Chung)
65’;
COL –Dely Valdes (5) (Moore, Vaudreuil) 43’; Paule (1) (PK) 86’;
Dely Valdes (6) (Balboa, Paule) 89’;
COLORADO RAPIDS—David Kramer; Keyeno Thomas, Lance Key, David Vaudreuil,
Marcelo Balboa, Scott Vermillion; Ross Paule, Jason Moore (Joey DiGiamarino
66’), Paul Dougherty (Seth Trembly 82’); Jorge Dely Valdes, Matt
Okoh (Wes Hart 70’). TOTAL SHOTS: 20; SHOTS ON GOAL: 12; FOULS: 18;
OFFSIDE: 4; CORNER KICKS: 6; SAVES: 5; CAUTIONS: Paule 18’; Trembly
93’; EJECTIONS: None; POSSESSION PERCENTAGE: 39%
METROSTARS—Tim Howard (Russell Payne 82’); Steve Jolley, Mike Petke,
Thomas Dooley, Lothar Matthaus (Ramiro Corrales 68’); Mark Chung, Tab
Ramos (Mark Semioli 78’), Petter Villegas, Roy Myers; Alex Comas, Clint
Mathis (Adolfo Valencia 62’ . TOTAL SHOTS: 17; SHOTS ON GOAL: 12; FOULS:
20; OFFSIDE: 3; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 5; CAUTIONS: Mathis 14’; Matthaus
52’; Payne 86’; Myers 93+’; EJECTIONS: None; POSSESSION
PERCENTAGE: 61%
Referee: Tim Weyland; Referee's Assistants: Nathan Clement, Greg Barkey,
Ken Heller.
Attendance: 27,897; Weather: Sunny, 73F, V-7mph, 39%H,
Courtesy
MetroStars
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