3:2 MetroStars Columbus Razov 2 Djorkaeff Buddle Glen 06.18.05 · League

Ante Razov showed off his ex-team by scoring his first two goals as a Metro and Youri Djorkaeff added a penalty kick in the second have as the Metros beat Columbus, 3:2 in the first game under the regime of Alexi Lalas. The new boss should be happy with the result, as it was a win, and an entertaining one at that.

The MetroStars made one change from last week; Jeff Agoos, now healthy, took back his starting spot from Carlos Mendes. The other, less noticeable change was on the sidelines, where Bob Bradley and Mo Johnston were subject to the new suit-only dress code by Alexi Lalas. Hell, whatever works.

The Metros started livelier than they were last week, but of course, that's not saying much. But it was Columbus who had the first great opportunity of the game, when ex-Metro Cornell Glen dove in the box in the 27th minute, and Zach Wells was whistled for taking him down. But Zach made up for the mistake, saving Chris Henderson's shot; Wells' second such save of the year.

And then it was Razov time. In the 31st minute, he beat the offside trap to receive a Djorkaeff pass, ran at the net, and hit a low long shot past the helpless Bill Gaudette. And just two minutes later, Razov got the ball from Amado Guevara on the right side, and hit the ball at a very acute angle and into the Crew net for a two-goal lead.

Columbus cut it to one just three minutes later, when Edson Buddle fought off Agoos in the box, and hit the ball off Wells. But in the 41st minute, Agoos turned from goat to hero. With Wells out of the net, Agoos cleared a Buddle shot off the line to preserve the score.

In the 70th minute, Guevara was taken down in the box by Mario Rodriguez, but this time the Honduran did not step up to take the kick. Instead, it was Djorkaeff, who put it into the left side of the net to enlarge the Metro lead once again. However, that would only last seven minutes, as two ex-Metros hooked up on a Crew counterattack, with John Wolyniec finding Glen with a long swooping ball. Once again, Agoos played the goat as Glen turned him and the Metro defender found himself on the turf. Wells came out of the net, but if there is one thing Glen can do right, it's score in one-on-one situations.

The 3:2 score stood until the final whistle, with the Metros getting a couple of good opportunities to score, but Columbus cleared a Djorkaeff shot off the line in one of them. A good result at the end, and one that was a more lopsided game than the scoreline suggested.

Lineup: Wells, Regan, Parke, Agoos, Leitch, Bradley, Lisi, Guevara, Magee, Djorkaeff, Razov. Subs: Mendes, Galvan Rey, Stammler.