4:0 New York Columbus Wolyniec Mathis Angel Caccavale 05.19.07 · League

Now this is more like it. Coming off a horrible game a week ago, Metro showed what it can do. Not even close to full strength, they played like anything but, destroying the Columbus Crew 4:0. Juan Pablo Angel led the way with a goal and two assists, John Wolyniec scored the first and had a helper, Clint Mathis moved within one of the club's all-time record, and Sal Caccavale entered Metro, scoring just minutes after making his nascent first-team appearance.

With Claudio Reyna still injured, Mathis assumed a deeper position. Dema Kovalenko started at right back for the first time in his career, as Tim Regan was sent back to the bench. Wolyniec made his first start since the opening game, partnering Angel up top.

Early in the match, Metro almost got on the board thanks to a Columbus mistake. A Crew defender tried to clear the ball from the top of the penalty area, and it swerved into the crossbar and onto the ground, sending keeper Andy Gruenebaum scrambling, but sadly no Metro forward was in the area, and the game remained scoreless. That didn't last long, as in the 17th minute, a give-and-go between Dane Richards and Angel resulted in Richards blowing by a Crew defender and sending a perfect cross onto an onrushing Wolyniec for the early lead.

Mathis got the all-important second goal of the game, and 43rd of his Metro career, in the 51st minute. After a throw-in deep, Angel tipped the ball, Wolyniec headed it at the near post, Gruenebaum was not able to clear, and Clint subtly headed in to double the lead and put him within one of Giovanni Savarese's record.

Ten minutes later, Angel got his first league goal by intercepting a lazy pass from Marcos Gonzalez and calmly slotting it on the ensuing breakaway. And in injury time, Caccavale, who had come on in the 88th minute, received a ball from another sub, Sinisa Ubiparipovic, and hit it through traffic (Mathis provided a useful screen) to set the final margin.

And the 4:0 win reminds us of another 4:0 game, almost eleven years ago, when another Colombian, Antony De Avila marked his Metro debut with a goal and an assist. No, this wasn't Angel's debut, and he certainly towers over our old favorite Pitufo... But maybe, just like eleven years ago, when De Avila broke through the early #11 curse of Edsucko and Rubencho, maybe now Angel will break through the horrendous curse of ten years of horrible #9s...

Maybe. The season is still young.

Lineup: Conway, Dunivant, Mendes, Parke, Kovalenko, Stammler, van den Bergh, Richards, Mathis, Wolyniec, Angel. Subs: Ubiparipovic, Ikangu, Caccavale.