2:1 Italchacao MetroStars Diez 2 Garcia(OG) 10.24.01 · Merconorte

Deportivo Italchacao defender Daniel Diez scored two goals, including his second in the '89, to give his club a 2-1 win over the MetroStars at Estadio Olímpico de la UCV in Caracas, Venezuela.

The win gives the Venezuelan club the lead in the Copa Merconorte Group B standings with 12 points, followed the MetroStars and Colombian club Millonarios with nine points apiece. Chivas, who were suspended last week by the Conmebol Soccer Federation for failure to play the MetroStars as scheduled on October 17 at Giants Stadium, sit in last place with three points and forfeits in their remaining games.

Both clubs on a rainy night played to a scoreless first half. However, the start of the second saw the game open up as players adapted to the wet field conditions. In the 50', Steve Jolley brought down a player resulting in an immediate penalty kick call by Ecuadorian referee Roger Zambrano. Tim Howard, as he has done several times this year, smothered the attempt to keep the game scoreless.

The MetroStars scored first on an own goal by Juan Garcia in the 58'. Daniel Hernandez's shot was shot deflected off Garcia for the first goal. The home side quickly tied the game five minutes later on a hard shot by Diez that went past the outstretched arms of Howard.

The MetroStars, who brought in Adolfo Valencia during the early part of the second half for Martin Klinger, almost went head again in the '68, but the Colombian lost the ball near the goal as several defenders converged to stop his shooting attempt. One minute from the end, Diez put the game away heading the ball during a corner kick past Howard for the 2-1 lead and eventual final.

MetroStars defender Orlando Perez came close to tying the game in the waning moments, but his shot went wide.

Lineup: Howard, Perez, Petke, Jolley, Semioli, Williams, Alvarez, Hernandez, Villegas, Klinger, Dixon. Subs: Valencia, Diop.