2:3 MetroStars Colorado Gaven Galvan Rey Cila 2 Borchers 06.30.04 · League

What a terrible result. Playing against a last-place team that was missing most of its starters and dominating them for long stretches of the game, the Metros allowed two late goals off set pieces, falling to Colorado 3:2 in front of the biggest crowd of the season -- wearing Peruvian red and Argentine blue, here not to see the Metros but the friendly afterwards.

With Chris Leitch healthy and re-taking his spot on the left of the defense, Joselito Vaca also came back to the lineup; Gilberto Flores' injury sidelined him for what can be at least three-four months. Sergio Galvan Rey and Fabian Taylor started up front for a tandem not seen in weeks.

After Colorado's Jordan Cila opened the scoring in the 13th minute, it was all Metros. Ten minutes later, Vaca sent a perfect cross to the Rapids' goalmouth, which Eddie Gaven met with his head and redirected into the net to tie the game. The much-maligned Galvan Rey gave the Metros the lead in the 53th minute, knocking in an Amado Guevara corner kick that Jeff Parke touched, for his first Metro goal. And then the floodgates looked to open.

But they didn't. While the ball spent most of the time in the Rapids' end, the Metros forwards could do nothing about it. Taylor and his sub, Cornell Glen, proved to be useless on the day, and in the 78th minute, completely against the run of play, Colorado's Nat Borchers tied the game off a free kick that bounced off Eddie Pope.

But the worst was yet to come. After Glen was pulled down in the box and no penalty was called, the Rapids went the other way, earning a corner kick that Cila knocked in with one minute left in regulation. Pathetic.

This was a game the Metros had in their pocket and couldn't close out. This is a game championship teams have to win. The Metros looked so good a week ago, and look where they are now. Pathetic.

Lineup: Walker, Leitch, Pope, Parke, Ziadie, Clark, Gaven, Vaca, Guevara, Galvan Rey, Taylor. Subs: Glen, Magee, Wolyniec.