4:2 MetroStars Miami Comas 2 Valencia Villegas Heaps Lassiter 07.22.00 · League

The MetroStars won their fifth straight game to claim the top spot overall in the MLS standings, defeating Eastern Division foe Miami 4-2 at Giants Stadium Saturday afternoon. Forward Alex Comas notched two goals in the victory, while Adolfo Valencia and Petter Villegas both scored.

Comas put the ball past Miami goalkeeper Nick Rimando to give the MetroStars the lead in the 39th minute of play. Roy Myers led Comas with a long pass from the back, and Comas wrestled his way through a line of defenders before slotting the ball past the rookie 'keeper. The goal is Comas' fifth of the season.

The Metros added a second goal after the break when Valencia converted on a penalty kick in the 49th minute. Five minutes later, Valencia helped extend the lead to 3-0. Valencia took a Villegas pass just inside the box, ripping a quick shot on goal. Rimando was able to make the initial save, but Villegas ran onto the rebound and stuck the ball into the back of the net.

Comas recorded his second goal of the game in the 60th minute, running onto a long pass from Mark Chung. With the ball coming into the box from the left flank, Comas simply outpaced his marker and put the ball into the back of the net.

Less than a minute later, Miami's Jay Heaps snapped 'keeper Mike Amman's clean sheet, rising above the defense to snap a header into the upper left-hand corner of the goal. Martin Machon recorded an assist on the play, feeding Heaps with a well-placed cross from a short free kick.

Machon added another assist in the 89th minute, finding a streaking Roy Lassiter near the far post. Machon took the ball on the run from Diego Serna and slotted it wide to an unmarked Lassiter to make the final score 4-2.

Lineup: Ammann, Jolley, Petke, Hernandez, Dooley, Chung, Villegas, Corrales, Myers, Valencia, Comas. Subs: Semioli, Gomez, Perez.