Woly's magic gives Metros OT win over Crew
September 20, 2003
Do you remember the last time the MetroStars beat Columbus at home? The year was 1999, and Mike Petke's goal moved the Metros to 1-0-1, probably the one and only bright spot in that horrible season. Flash forward four and a half years, as finally the Metros solve the Crew problem, this time John Wolyniec playing hero, scoring the amazing overtime winner after 100 scoreless minutes.
Bob Bradley finally made a switch to the formation, as the Metros came out in a 3-5-2 with the back three of Steve Jolley and Eddie Pope flanking Joe Addo (no, he's not dead yet). Joey DiGiamarino and Ricardo Clark manned the wings, with the central midfield of Richie Williams, Mark Lisi, Amado Guevara behind Clint Mathis and Mike Magee on top.
The best two chances of the first half were both called back on offside calls, and both were questionable at best. First, Mathis was denied early in the half, then a Columbus goal was ruled out later in the period.
The newest Metro acquisition, Andrzej Juskowiak, made his debut early in the second half, and had a number of what some call "cheeky back heels" that went nowhere. The increased pressure on the Columbus goal late in the game lead to a number of chances, but none of them found the back of the net as regulation ended.
Then, it was Wolyniec time. He entered the game in the beginning of overtime, and the heroics came very very late in the second extra session. With mere seconds left, Woly one-timed a perfect pass from a Guevara free kick that originated in the Metro half, slamming it home past the helpless Jon "Shave Your" Busch. The goal was Wolyniec's second overtime winner of the season.
Lineup: Walker, Addo, Pope, Jolley, DiGiamarino, Clark, Williams, Lisi, Guevara, Magee, Mathis. Subs: Juskowiak, Gaven, Wolyniec.
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