16-year-old Gaven plays in goal, scores OT winner in DC
July 5, 2003
|
 |
Etcheverry
Kovalenko
|
Moreno
Clark
Gaven
|
|
|
|
|
Having made three substitutions in regulation, Bob Bradley used a loophole to get Eddie Gaven on the field in overtime as Metro-DC regulation ended tied at twos. The move paid off as Gaven, who started the overtime session in goal, scored the game winner with just a minute left to give the 10-man Metros a dramatic 3:2 win.
DC United opened the scoring as Edgar Bartolomeu brought down Ali Curtis in the box just ten minutes into the game. Marco Etcheverry converted the ensuing penalty kick. But the Metros, who were outplayed early on, responded ten minutes later. Jaime Moreno, who made his first start since the third game of the season, scored against his former team, taking a low shot from across the box to beat Nick Rimando.
In the 26th minute, ex-Metro Mike Petke couldn't clear the ball, and Ricardo Clark scored his second goal in three games, striking a shot from about 30 yards that Rimando could not hold. But the lead did not hold as Kenny Arena received yellow cards in the 30th and 35th minutes, reducing the Metros to ten men. DC continued pressuring against a disorganized Metro back line, and equalized in the 43rd as Dema Kovalenko sent one past Tim Howard.
With the insertion of Chris Leitch late in the first half, the defense stabilized in the second. DC could not really produce many chances, with Howard making sure than the chances that they got went nowhere. The game headed into overtime when Bradley did the switch, putting Howard on the field and swapping Gaven with Mark Lisi. Gaven had to come in as a goalie for the loophole to be usable.
After the ball was kicked out of play, Gaven put on his jersey and went on the field, with Howard sliding back in goal. The first overtime ended goalless, as Leitch saved one off the line late in the period.
After Gaven was brought down in the box early in the second OT without a penalty called, he got another chance. A couple of huge saves from Howard on the other end led to a pass from Amado Guevara to Gaven up the left wing. With a defender and Rimando to beat, the youngster did just that, giving the Metros an improbable 3:2 win with just seconds left on the clock.
Lineup: Howard, Bartolomeu, Forchetti, Arena, Ziadie, Clark, Williams, Lisi, Guevara, Magee, Moreno. Subs: Leitch, Wolyniec, Regan, Gaven.
|
