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MLS New York Red Bulls

MetroStars Fall to Charleston Battery in Fourth Round of Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, 1-0

July 20, 2004 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
New York Red Bulls News Release


The loan goal of the game came in the 48th minute by Steve Klein, and it proved to be enough to put the Charleston Battery through to the quarterfinals of the Open Cup. The play started when the home side earned a free kick in the MetroStars half of the field. Rick Titus took the kick, which was deflected by the Metros wall. Klein was then able to collect the loose ball, and slide it into the goal.

The Charleston Battery had the first true chance of the game in the 12th minute when Gabe Valencia broke free of the MetroStars' defense and ripped a shot that beat goalkeeper Zach Wells, but hit the frame and bounced into the six-yard box, where Metros defender Chris Leitch calmly collected the ball, and cleared it out of danger.

In the 20th minute the MetroStars had a shot of their own hit the post. Cornell Glen ripped a ball from the top of the 18-yard box that was deflected. The ball bounced towards Charleston ‘keeper Dusty Hudock, but before he was able to grab it, Mike Magee ran onto it and hit a shot with the inside of his right foot that just caught the frame and deflected away, leaving the two teams knotted at 0-0.

Wells kept the scoreboard at zeros in the 26th and 29th minutes with two spectacular saves. First he made a fully-extended diving save on a Valencia shot from 30 yards out, then Valencia broke through the defense and blasted a low shot that Wells made another diving save on. The pair of saves left the two sides tied at the break.

After giving up the goal, the MetroStars had a great chance to knot the contest in the 71st minute. Mike Magee took the ball down the left flank on a counterattack, and played a low ball across the six-yard box. A sliding Fabian Taylor met the ball, and hit it towards goal, but it ricocheted off the post and was cleared by the Battery.

In the 73rd minute things looked promising for the Metros as Eddie Gaven earned a penalty kick for the "Red and Black". Valencia took the 17-year old star down inside the box from behind to warrant the call. Magee stepped to the spot, and fired a shot that hit the bottom side of the crossbar, bounced downward and was cleared away from danger, leaving the score 1-0 in favor of the Battery.

Bob Bradley made a move to change the flow of the game just minutes after the missed PK when he substituted forward Sergio Galvan Rey into the game for rookie defender Seth Stammler in the 76th minute. With the change, the Metros proceeded to furiously attack the Charleston side, but despite their attempts, they were unsuccessful in scoring the equalizer, and fell to the Battery, 1-0.

The MetroStars return to MLS action this Saturday, July 24th when they host the Chicago Fire at 7:30 p.m. ET (TV: FSN-NY, Spanish Radio: WADO 1280 AM). MetroStars Head Coach Bob Bradley will be looking to capture his 100th career MLS victory against his former club, in the Metros last home game before the All-Star break.

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