UP NEXT, COLUMBUS:
The MetroStars will travel to Columbus Crew Stadium where they will take on the Crew on Wednesday July 20 at 7:30 p.m. ET. This is the third time the teams have met this season with the MetroStars winning the previous two. (TV: Fox Sports Network NY, Spanish Radio: WADO 1280 AM).
The Metros will travel to San Jose to play the Earthquakes on July 23. This will be their second meeting of the season with the Earthquakes beating the Metros 1-0 in the previous meeting.
Tickets are available for all MetroStars home games at the Continental Airlines Arena box office and at all Ticketmaster outlets. Tickets will also be available through Ticketmaster by phone for callers in New Jersey (201-507-8900), New York (212-307-7171), and for Spanish-speaking customers throughout New York and New Jersey (212-307-4757).
COLORADO RECAP: The Metros are coming off a tie at home against the Colorado Rapids, 1-1, on July 16. Ante Razov scored for the Metros and Jeff Cunningham scored for the Rapids.
RAZOV MOVES UP TO FOURTH: With his goal Saturday vs. Colorado, MetroStars forward Ante Razov is quickly ascending the league all time goal scoring list. Currently he sits in a tie for fourth place with Raul Diaz Arce, just four shy of D.C. United's Jaime Moreno.
MLS' ALL-TIME LEADERS IN GOALS SCORED
Italics= Active player
1. Jason Kreis, RSL, 97
2. Roy Lassiter, 88
3. Jaime Moreno, DC, 86
4. Raul Diaz Arce, 82
4. Ante Razov, MetroStars 82
6. Preki, KC, 78
RAZOV RAISES BAR EVEN HIGHER: Newly acquired forward Ante Razov extended his MLS lead in multi-goal games to 17, after scoring two goals on June 18. Carlos Ruiz is tied for second place with Raul Diaz Arce with 13 multi-goal games. Razov did this against the team that just traded him, the Columbus Crew.
METROS DOMINATE CREW THIS SEASON: The MetroStars have played the Crew two times this season beating them both times and outscoring them by a total of 6-2 in those two wins. In their first meeting, MetroStars forward and international soccer legend, Youri Djorkaeff scored his first career MLS goal.
RAZOV AGAINST THE CREW: In 20 games against the Crew, MetroStars forward Ante Razov has scored 13 goals and tallied 2 assists in his career.
BRADLEY VS. THE CREW: Over his first seven years as a head coach in Major League Soccer, MetroStars skipper Bob Bradley has a 16-6-4 record against the Columbus Crew.
YOURI VS. THE CREW: In his short MLS Career Youri Djorkaeff has scored two goals and tallied one assist in two games against the Crew.
TWO FORMER METROS: Two players that were on the MetroStars earlier this season, John Wolyniec, a Staten Island native and Jonny Walker are now members of the Columbus Crew.
DIFFICULT STRETCH FOR THE METROS: The MetroStars are in the midst of a tough stretch, having to play four games in 12 days, one of their toughest stretches of the season. The Metros will host Colorado and Dallas and travel to Columbus and San Jose during their run. This stretch of games is similar to May 21 to May 31 when then the team played four games in 11 days.
GUEVARA NAMED ALL-STAR STARTER: MetroStars captain and midfielder Amado Guevara was named as a starter for the 2005 Sierra Mist MLS All-Star Team that will play English Premier League club Fulham FC on Saturday, July 30 at Columbus Crew Stadium (live on ABC Sports at 3:30 p.m. ET). This is Guevara's third consecutive All-Star game appearance.
Guevara currently leads the MetroStars with six goals and six assists this season and is tied for third in league leaders in both goals and assists. He was named the 2004 MLS Most Valuable Player and selected to the MLS Best XI last season, while also sharing the League's points title with 30 points on 10 goals and 10 assists. In the 2004 Sierra Mist All-Star game, Guevara scored twice and was named MVP of the match.
UNBEATEN AT HOME IN LAST SIX: After going winless in their first five home games of the season, the Metros have put together an unbeaten streak of six games at home. The Metros are 3-0-3 during this stretch, beating Chicago, Columbus and L.A. while tying D.C., New England and Colorado.
BRADLEY CLOSE TO SUSPENSION: MetroStars midfielder Michael Bradley will be forced to be careful with his play this week against the Crew and Earthquakes, as he is currently sitting on 18 caution points, just three away from a one game suspension.
Despite his current total, Major League Soccer's rules provide a good behavior clause, which reduces a player's caution point total if they play three games without receiving a card. Since Bradley has gone one game without receiving a card, he must go card-less in the MetroStars next two games to reduce his caution point total, and move off the caution point warning.
TOWN HALL MEETING ON MSG: The MetroStars will hold a Town Hall meeting with President and General Manager Alexi Lalas on Wednesday, July 20, 2005 at 6:00 pm at Nevada Smiths in Manhattan, New York. Madison Square Garden Network (MSG) Metro Soccer Report co-host and Survivor winner Ethan Zohn will act as the moderator for the event.
The meeting is scheduled to run for 45 minutes and fans will have the opportunity to ask Lalas questions pertaining to any and every aspect of the Metros' organization. MSG Network will broadcast the meeting the following Thursday evening on Metro Soccer Report at 10:30 pm, ET on MSG (the show will also re-run on Friday, July 22 at 6:30 pm, ET and Saturday July 23 at 1:00 and 6:00 pm, ET) so fans who did not have a chance to attend can see the event first-hand.
Following the meeting, the MetroStars will have a viewing party of the MetroStars' match against the Columbus Crew at Columbus Crew Stadium, which will air at 7:30 pm, ET on MSG. All are invited to stay and watch the Metros' game with Lalas and other members of the "Red and Black's" front office.
Metro soccer report: MSG will air the Metro Soccer Report this week on Thursday at 12:30 p.m. ET. The show will also re-run three more times (on Friday at 6:30 p.m. ET and on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. ET).
METROSTARS ON T.V.:
Wednesday July 20, MetroStars @ Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m. ET. on Fox Sports Network NY.
Saturday July 23, MetroStars @ San Jose Earthquakes, 10:00 p.m. ET on Madison Square Garden Network.
