5th in a row! Freak FK helps Metros burn Dallas
May 24, 2003
An indirect free kick inside the Dallas penalty area resulted in the first goal and a great shot by Steve Jolley gave Metros the second as the team won their fifth game in a row, 2:1 versus visiting Dallas. The five-game winning streak matches Metros' all time best, equaled in the 2000 and 2001 seasons.
Tim Regan made his first start, replacing the suspended Joey DiGiamarino at left back and Jose Galvan made his Metro debut for the injured Richie Williams. The Argentine's role was primary on the right flank with Ricardo Clark being the lone defensive midfielder. Unfortunately, Galvan spent as much time on the turf as he did on his feet.
After an uneventful first half, Metros came very close to scoring early in the second, when Craig Ziadie served the ball into the box and Clint Mathis fired from close range right into Dallas goalie (and Metro reject) DJ Countess, the ball cleared off the line by a defender. Then, in the 60th minute, in order to prevent Mike Magee from getting the ball, Countess received a back pass in the box, resulting in an indirect free kick. Although Dallas placed their entire lineup on the goal line, Mathis' shot ricocheted off one of the Burn's legs and into the net, giving him a goal for the fourth consecutive game.
Dallas evened the score three minutes later, as Clark was judged to handle the ball in the penalty area. Tim Howard, moving left and right on his line, guessed correctly in stopping Jason Kreis' shot, but the US reject roofed in the rebound.
But it was Jolley who played hero, with Steve Morrow's attempt to clear a Mathis free kick falling onto the Metro defender's foot. The one-time shot sliced through the Dallas defense and went in past the helpless Countess. As good as the goal was, the celebration was even better as Jolley landed a couple of backflips.
Fifth in a row... Who would have thought it?
Lineup: Howard, Regan, Jolley, Pope, Ziadie, Clark, Galvan, Lisi, Guevara, Magee, Mathis. Subs: LeBlanc, Arena.
|
