Ziadie leads Metros over Rapids, 2:1
May 3, 2003
Since coming over in a midseason trade last year, Craig Ziadie did not have a goal or even an assist for the MetroStars. So one can imagine the surprise when first he set up Clint Mathis -- and then scored one on his own -- to give the Metros their second straight win, a 2:1 decision over Colorado.
With Amado Guevara's return couple with Jaime Moreno's injury, Mathis slid into a forward role -- and it paid off, but not before Tim Howard made an uncharacteristic mistake. Howard failed to control a Zizi Roberts shot that gave the Rapids a 1:0 lead four minutes before halftime. Colorado's shot was an anomaly, as the Metros controlled the ball for almost the entire game up to that point.
Chris Leitch left the game with an injury midway through the first half and was replaced by Mark Lisi, making his first appearance of the year. As a direct result, Ziadie switched from left back to right, with Joey DiGiamarino sliding back on the left flank.
In the 51st, it was Ziadie's amazing cross that found Mathis' head to tie the game. Eleven minutes later, Ziadie sliced and diced through the Rapids' defense, and it was another goalkeeper's failure to hold the shot -- this time, Scott Vallow's -- as Ziadie scored his first MLS goal to give the Metros the lead they will not relinquish. Late Colorado flurries proved fruitless with the Metros claiming their second straight three points.
Lineup: Howard, Ziadie, Jolley, Pope, Leitch, Clark, Williams, DiGiamarino, Guevara, Wolyniec, Mathis. Subs: Lisi, Magee, Regan.
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