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Happy homecoming Valencia shoots MetroStars past D.C. United
Posted: Sunday April 02, 2000 12:57 AM
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- In an effort to turn their fortunes around, the New York-New Jersey MetroStars signed German superstar Lothar Matthaus and Colombian goal scorers Alex Comas and Adolfo Valencia. If the MetroStars' home opener is any indication, those moves were pure genius. The team with the worst record in their first four years of Major League Soccer delighted a crowd of 27,322 -- the largest in the new MLS season -- with a 3-2 victory over defending champion D.C. United. "I have to commend my team for its effort and intensity," said MetroStars coach Octavio Zambrano. "They (D.C. United) may have had more of the play, but slowly and surely we are getting better, and for now we will take the victory." Alex Comas and Valencia played well off each other, and Matthaus organized the team from the midfield to help the MetroStars to their 2-0 lead in the first half. They went ahead 3-0 before holding on for their first victory. D.C. United lost its second straight. New York-New Jersey dropped its season opener with a 3-1 loss last week in Miami. "For us this is only the beginning," Zambrano said. "It is clear that Valencia is a good finisher. Lothar was playing in front of the line of four because we were missing Tab Ramos and Tom Dooley with injuries. Once we have everyone back we will see who plays where." The MetroStars wasted little time getting on the scoreboard as Comas slipped a penalty kick into the right corner of the D.C. net in the fifth minute. Referee Ricardo Valenzuela awarded the penalty and issued a yellow card for dissent to D.C. captain Jeff Agoos when defender Carey Talley dragged Valencia down in the box.
The MetroStars added their second tally in the 23rd minute when Brian Kelly tucked a rebound of a shot by Valencia past D.C. keeper Tom Presthus. New York-New Jersey continued to dominate play in the second half, scoring again in the 56th minute on a diving header by Valencia. The Colombian striker headed in a curving left-footed free kick by Mark Chung after a D.C. defender fouled Matthaus just outside the box on the left side. Matthaus, who played for the MetroStars last week in Florida and earned his 145th cap playing for Germany Wednesday in a 1-1 tie with Croatia in Zagreb, admitted he was tired. "The most important thing is my team won," Matthaus said. "In the next three to four weeks I will be here to help." Meanwhile, D.C. United coach Thomas Rongen was clearly concerned but not despondent over his team's slow start. "We're definitely not as sharp as we need to be, especially at the defensive end, and that concerns me," said Rongen. United tallied its first goal of the year in the 63rd minute when Jaime Moreno scored on a penalty kick after being pulled down in the box by Matthaus. D.C. made it interesting when Agoos curled a left-footed free kick just beyond the reach of MetroStars keeper Mike Amman in the 84th minute. United played without all-time MLS assist leader Marco Etchverry, who sat out the game after being red-carded in last week's season opening 4-0 loss to Los Angeles.
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