UP NEXT, LOS ANGELES:
The MetroStars return home from their two game road swing this weekend when they host the Los Angeles Galaxy in the front end of a two-game homestand. The Metros will host the Galaxy at Giants Stadium on Saturday, July 9 at 8:00 p.m. ET. This will be the second and final meeting between the two clubs this season, with the first resulting in a 2-2 draw in Los Angeles on June 4. (TV: MSG, Spanish Radio: WADO 1280 AM).
The "Red and Black" will complete their homestand when they host the Colorado Rapids on July 16 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
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).
INDEPENDENCE DAY RECAP: The Metros rang in Independence Day by drawing with Real Salt Lake 2-2 at Rice Eccles Stadium on Monday.
Ante Razov and Mike Magee tallied goals for the MetroStars in the contest, and Real went down to 10 men when Brian Dunseth was sent off in the 45th minute for a hard tackle on Eddie Gaven.
RAZOV SCORES (AGAIN): MetroStars forward Ante Razov tallied his third goal in as many games with the "Red and Black" on Monday when he put the Metros ahead 1-0 against Real Salt Lake in the 44th minute.
Later in the game Razov tallied his first assist with the MetroStars (and his first since April 2, 2005 while a member of the Crew).
MetroStars forward Ante Razov is quickly assending the league all time goal scoring list. Currently he sits in fifth place, just one shy of Raul Diaz Arce.
MLS' ALL-TIME LEADERS IN GOALS SCORED
Italics= Active player
1. Jason Kreis, RSL, 97
2. Roy Lassiter, 88
3. Jaime Moreno, DC, 83
4. Raul Diaz Arce, 82
5. Ante Razov, MetroStars 81
6. Preki, KC, 78
MAGS GETS A GOAL: MetroStars midfielder Mike Magee got into the scoring column for the first time since September 11, 2004 when he scored the MetroStars' second goal against Real Salt Lake on Monday. The assist on the goal was credited to Ante Razov.
GAVEN VS LA: MetroStars midfielder Eddie Gaven has had considerable success against the Galaxy in the few times that he has played them. In three career games against LA, the 18-year old has three goals.
RAZOV LIKES TINSEL-TOWN TOO: MetroStars forward Ante Razov has ammassed some impressive stats against the Galaxy during his career. In 21 games against the Galaxy, he has scored six goals and tallied seven assists.
BRADLEY VS THE GALAXY: MetroStars head coach Bob Bradley has a career record of 9-10-4 against the Galaxy while at the helm of both the Chicago Fire and the MetroStars. While with the Metros however, Bradley is undefeated with a record of 4-0-3 against the Western Conference foe.
NEW ADDITIONS: Last week the MetroStars made two additions by signing both Tony Meola and Ryan Suárez off waivers.
Meola, 36, was waived by the Kansas City Wizards on March 2, 2005 and was not selected by any MLS team. Kansas City declined their rights of first refusal on Meola. Therefore, he was placed on waivers last Tuesday and made available to all teams.
One of the greatest all-time American goalkeepers in United States soccer history, Meola has appeared in more games for the U.S. National Team (99) than any other goalkeeper. He is second in Men's National Team history to Kasey Keller for the most wins in U.S. History (37) and is second all-time with 32 career shutouts for the U.S. He made five appearances for the National Team in 2000 and 2001, recording a 3-1-1 record with 2 shutouts. Meola captained and played every minute of all four games in the '94 World Cup, including a 2-1 win over Colombia to advance to the second round.
The Kearny, New Jersey native also owns a distinguished Major League Soccer record, as he was named five-time All-Star (1996-1998, 2000, and 2002) in his 10-year career that included stints with the MetroStars and Kansas City Wizards. He ranks first all-time in Major League Soccer history in shutouts with 48 and tops the goalkeeper chart in minutes played (17,516), games played (194), saves (886), and catch/punches (595). Meola is fourth all-time in wins with 80 and fifth all-time in save percentage (.734). He also owns the single-game record for saves with 15.
Suarez - 27 years old and in his fifth season - has appeared in 100 career MLS games, starting 97 of them. He has tallied five goals and added five assists over the course of his career, with one of those goals coming earlier this season while he was with CD Chivas USA. Suárez, 27, was waived by CD Chivas USA on Monday, June 27, 2005.
WALKER SENT TO C-BUS: The MetroStars announced on Friday, July 1 that they traded goalkeeper Jonny Walker to the Columbus Crew in exchange for Columbus' natural 2006 fourth round Supplemental Draft pick.
Jonny Walker joined the MetroStars in the middle of the 2003 season after goalkeeper Tim Howard was transferred to Manchester United. Walker made an immediate impact with the Metros starting all 14 games after he joined the team and earning a league low 0.95 goals against average and four shutouts. He made his Metro debut on July 19, 2003 at Dallas and registered his first win by making seven saves in the 2-1 victory.
For the 2004 season, Walker played the full 90 minutes in the 28 games that he appeared in during the regular season and also played the full 90 minutes in both legs of the Eastern Conference Semifinal series against D.C. United. Walker recorded five shutouts on the season and recorded his season-high eight save performance (including a penalty kick save) in Kansas City on July 28, 2004. Walker finished the 2004 season with a 1.61 GAA.
Following the 2004 season with the MetroStars, Walker underwent surgery in mid-November to repair a partially torn rotator cuff. He has not seen any action in 2005.
Walker earned three caps for the United States National Team and made his U.S. debut on January 18, 2004 in a 1-1 tie vs. Denmark.
METROSTARS ON TV: Saturday July 9, MetroStars vs. L.A. Galaxy, 8:00 p.m. ET. MetroStars GameNight Live, 7:30 p.m. ET, July 9.
WEEKLY PRACTICE SCHEDULE:
MetroStars training schedule for this week is as follows:
Wednesday 7/6- off
Thursday 7/7- TBD
Friday 7/8- TBD
