1:3 Bodo Glimt MetroStars Halvorsen Vaca 2 Occean 02.28.04 · La Manga

MetroStars midfielder Joselito Vaca scored two goals today to propel the Metros to a 3-1 victory over FK Bodo/Glimt of the Norwegian Tippeligaen, in the final game of Group A in La Manga Cup at La Manga Club Resort. The Metros finish group play with a record of 1-1-0 for three points and second place. The win also gives the MetroStars an opportunity to advance to the semifinals, but the team awaits the result of tonight's Group B match between the Dallas Burn and Dynamo Kyiv. The three group-winners and best second-place team advance to the semifinals on Monday, March 1 at noon local time (6:00 a.m. ET).

The MetroStars lit the scoreboard first, in the 54th minute. MetroStars draft pick Olivier Occean stripped Bodo/Glimt midfielder Andre Hanssen of the ball in the midfield. The Southern Connecticut State University product immediately darted up the field with forward John Wolyniec and midfielder Eddie Gaven keeping pace as passing options on either side. The defense started to close in on Occean as he approached the 18-yard box, but he laid off a pass to Gaven. The 17-year-old then attempted a cross to the middle for an unmarked Wolyniec, but Bodo/Glimt defender Frederik Kjolner deflected the pass to the top of the box. Metros midfielder Michael Bradley pounced on the loose ball, got away from a defender and found Vaca with a lead-pass on the right side of the box. The Bolivian international ripped a one-timed, right-footed shot past diving Bodo/Glimt goalkeeper Jonas Ueland Kolstad to put the Metros up, 1-0.

Four minutes later, the Metros doubled their lead with Occean scoring his first of the tournament. MetroStars goalkeeper Jonny Walker lofted a goal kick to the center of the field and Wolyniec leaped into the air, but was undercut by Hanssen. Occean settled the ball, turned and ran past the Bodo/Glimt defense. The Canadian Under-23 forward outran the defense, dribbled into the box and blasted a shot past the helpless Kolstad to increase the Metros' lead to 2-0.

The Metro continued to pour it on the Norwegian squad and made it 3-0 with another goal by Vaca, in the 72nd minute. The Metros cleared out a Bodo/Glimt corner kick up the field and an unmarked Occean gathered the ball. The forward raced up the field with only one defender remaining. He touched the ball past Kjolner as he was charging towards him and got around the defender. Vaca raced up the left wing and the Metros had a two-on-one with the goalkeeper. Occean dribbled into the box towards the onrushing Kolstad and he slotted a pass to Vaca, who then placed a shot into the open net to give the Metros an impressive 3-0 lead.

In the 80th minute Bodo/Glimt's Havard Halvorsen scored a consolation goal to cut into the MetroStars' lead to 3-1. Walker raced out to intercept a Bodo/Glimt corner kick, jumped over a mass of players and missed the cross. A quick shot by Bodo/Glimt in the penalty area was blocked, but the ball bounced quickly to Halvorsen and he blasted a low shot at the open net. Metros defender Chris Leitch attempted to stop the shot on the goal line, but it deflected off of him and into the roof of the net.

The MetroStars contained the Bodo/Glimt attack and Walker came up with two successive point-blank saves, in the 78th minute. Bodo/Glimt midfielder Christian Berg crossed a pass to the far post that was headed by Kjolner from. The U.S. international dove and got his hand on the shot forcing it to hit the crossbar. Forward Aasmund Bjorkan flicked the rebound, but Walker made another spectacular reflex save to stop it.

The MetroStars can advance to the semifinals with a better goal differential than Dallas, Odd Grenland, and GIF Sundsvall.