Open Cup Finals, here we come!
October 1, 2003
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Guevara 2
Wolyniec
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Ivanov
Cerritos
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The MetroStars made their first final ever, beating DC Scum in the Open Cup semifinals, 3:2. In their usual fashion, they got the win with a late goal, in the 88th minute by John Wolyniec. The Metros will now face Chicago in the final, October 15th at Giants Stadium.
With Clint Mathis suspended, Andrzej Juskowiak got his first start as a Metro. Wolyniec joined him up front. The Metros reverted to a 4-4-2, with Edgar Bartolomeu and Chris Leitch on the outside. For the second straight game, Eddie Gaven started with Mark Lisi on the bench.
It was DC that struck first, Galin Ivanov rising above the Metro defense on a corner kick in the 18th minute to open the score. But the Metros responded right away, with Amado Guevara knocking in a perfect cross from Bartolomeu just two minutes later. It was all Metros from that point on, with Guevara giving them the lead in the 43rd minute on a beautifully struck free kick. The goal gave Amado Metro open cup all-time and season records for goals (four) and points (ten).
The game changed in the 58th minute, when in a breakaway situation, DC goalie Doug Warren took down Juskowiak outside the box. With Warren sent off, Scum had to put in the local peanut vendor, Jorge Geddes (actually, he's their third-string keeper). Unfortunately, the Metros failed to take advantage, with most of the play from this point on taking place in their end. In the 76th minute, Ronald Cerritos took a pass from Hristo Stoichkov that Jonny Walker failed to hold and tied the game.
And that was the wakeup call the Metros needed. They started pressuring again, and after DC Scum couldn't clear the ball, Ricardo Clark took a shot that flew through bodies in the box, with Wolyniec pouncing on it, sending it into the bottom corner of the net. The team and the fans exploded in joy as the clock showed 88 minutes, and soon it was all over, and our first final was finally achieved.
Lineup: Walker, Bartolomeu, Pope, Jolley, Leitch, Williams, Clark, Gaven, Guevara, Juskowiak, Wolyniec. Subs: Magee.
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