0:0 MetroStars San Jose 06.28.00 · League

The MetroStars and San Jose Earthquakes both missed key first half opportunities and finished in a 0-0 deadlock on Wednesday night at Giants Stadium. With the scoreless tie, the MetroStars move into a tie for first place in the Eastern Division with the idle New England Revolution. This is the latest in the regular season that the MetroStars have ever occupied the top spot.

The first half was evenly played with each team enjoying good moments. The Metros had their best chances come in a two minute span starting in the 13th minute. A Tab Ramos volley was saved by 'Quakes goalkeeper Joe Cannon. The rebound was eventually crossed in by Mark Chung and Steve Shak's header on the far right post was saved into a corner by Cannon. Off the ensuing kick, defender Steve Jolley was freed up on the left side of the box and sent a curling right-footed shot which was deflected out again for a corner kick by Cannon.

The Earthquakes improved with time and their best scoring chance in the opening half presented itself on the feet of defender Dan Calichman in the 22nd minute. A corner kick from the left side by Harut Karapetyan was headed in the box by Mauricio Solis. Calichman slid onto the header and knocked it against the left post.

The opportunities on the offensive end were fewer for both squads in the second half as the back lines clamped down. In the 66th minute it was Adolfo Valencia who was freed in the box but his shot on goal was deflected by Cannon and then cleared off the line by San Jose defender Jimmy Conrad. Four minutes later it was Abdul Thompson Conteh creating a shot in the box all by himself but his left-footed blast was safely saved by Metros 'keeper Tim Howard.

In extra time, neither team risked much on offense, and the score remained knotted at 0-0. San Jose appealed for a penalty kick in the 8th minute of overtime when Mauricio Solis was challenged by Howard for a ball in the box which rolled out.

Salvadoran forward Ronald Cerritos, who has led the Earthquakes in scoring for the last three seasons, sat out another game with a strained quad. Khodadad Azizi, appearing in his first game after recovering from a hamstsring injury, came on in the second half as a substitute. He only lasted 13 minutes, however, having to come off in the 88th minute after re-aggravating the hamstring on a break.

Lothar Matthaus, who made his return to the MetroStars after participating in Euro 2000, played on defense but came out in the 60th minute, having strained his lower back and hamstring.

Howard made his first start of the regular season in between the posts for the MetroStars and picked up his first career shutout. Mike Ammann, who had not missed a minute of play thus far in MLS, injured his lower back in practice yesterday.

Lineup: Howard, Shak, Dooley, Matthaus, Jolley, Ramos, Walsh, Hernandez, Chung, Mathis, Valencia. Subs: Myers, Villegas, Semioli.