MLS Colorado Rapids

Rapids Host MetroStars Tomorrow

Published on May 16, 2003 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Colorado Rapids News Release


The Colorado Rapids will bace the MetroStars for the second time this month tomorrow, Sat. May 17 when they host the Metros at INVESCO Field at Mile High. Kickoff is set for 2:00pm MT; a special mid-day kickoff since the game is being broadcast nationwide on ESPN2.

Tickets are still available for the game by visiting www.coloradorapids.com, calling TicketMaster at (303) 830-TIXS or by calling the Rapids at (303) 299-1599 for groups and special packages.

LAST MEETING VS. MetroStars:
RAPIDS 1, MetroStars 2
Saturday, May 3 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ- A goal and an assist from defender Craig Ziadie led the MetroStars (2-1-1, 7 pts.) to a 2-1 victory against the Colorado Rapids (0-2-1, 1 pt.) on Saturday, May 3rd at Giants Stadium. Ziadie scored the game-winning goal in the 62nd minute to record his first career tally, as the MetroStars battled back from a 1-0 halftime deficit. Against the run of play though, it was the Rapids who grabbed a 1-0 lead with less than five minutes remaining in the first half. A through ball from Mark Chung found Roberts one the left side of the penalty area but left the striker with a difficult angle out wide. With a defender closing, Roberts sizzled a low left-footed shot on Metros goalkeeper Tim Howard, who could only watch in dismay as the seemingly harmless ball spun off his chest and trickled over the goal line. The effort by Roberts was the second of only three first half shots attempted by the Rapids. Ziadie's presence on the right side would prove to be the difference in the match, as he set up the game-tying goal in the 51st minute by launching a cross into the box that found the head of teammate Clint Mathis, who nodded a close range shot past a helpless Vallow for his first goal of the season.

MISCELLANEOUS TEAM NOTES:

IN THE NET: The Rapids have scored 70 goals during the month of May all-time, second only to DC United, which has 82. Next after the Rapids is the Columbus Crew with 64 goals during that same month.

Magic 100: The Colorado Rapids are close to reaching an MLS milestone on number of players used on the field during the team's history. Any Rapids player that makes his Rapids debut from now on will become the 100 player to have ever played for the team in an official MLS game. The only two other MLS teams to reach this mark have been, the Metrostars, who have fielded 133 different players in the team's eight-year history, and the New England Revolution, which has fielded 114 different players. The MetroStars' 100th player was Cordt Weinstein in 2001. On the Revolution side, three players share the honor. Steve Ralston, Alex Pineda Chacón , and Jim Rooney all started for New England on March 23, 2001 becoming the 100th, 101st and 103rd players to ever play for that franchise.

Rapids-MetroStars Connections 1: Rapids midfielder Mark Chung was acquired from the MetroStars for the 4th overall selection in the 2002 Dispersal Draft. Chung spent three seasons with the MetroStars, playing 62 regular season games scoring nine goals, and 8 playoff games with two goals. In his first season with the Rapids in 2002, Chung led the team in scoring with 11 goals and 10 assists, being named to Pepsi Best 11 Team.

Rapids-MetroStars Connections 2 and 3: Current MetroStars Defender Joey DiGiamarino was a Project-40 Player for the Rapids during the 1998 MLS season. ‘Digi' went on to start 43 of the 67 games he played in for the Rapids, scoring 7 goals in three MLS seasons. Prior to joining the Rapids, DiGiamarino played the 1997 season with the A-League's Colorado Foxes. That year, he played for the Rapids in an exhibition game against Chivas. MetroStars midfielder Mark Lisi, who is from Englewood, CO, went to Regis High School and played club soccer with the Rapids' Wes Hart in the Colorado Rush program.

Final Destination 2004 Olympics Games: Rapids Midfielder Kyle Beckerman was part of the United States Under-23 National Team that played against Mexico this past Wednesday in Guadalajara, Mexico. The US side is closing their preparation stage for the qualifying rounds for the 2004 Olympics, which will begin in January next year. Beckerman's goal is to lead the team to clinch a ticket for the Olympics in Greece, while helping his club team to MLS Cup 2003. Kyle will be back in the Denver area in time to be available for the Rapids game against the MetroStars.

Slow on the Start, Finishing Strong: With a 2-0 loss to the Columbus Crew this past Saturday, the Rapids tied the worst start ever with a 0-3-1 (W-L-T) record after four games, equal to the start of the 2001 season. In 1997, the club went 1-4-0 during the first five games and finished the season playing in MLS Cup.

Black & Blue Mentality: The Rapids lead MLS with 11 yellow cards after 4 games. Midfielder Pablo Mastroeni, who played for the USA in last week's game against Mexico, will miss Saturday's game against the MetroStars for receiving 11 cautions points in three consecutive games. Pablo was assessed a 4 point yellow card in the game against Columbus, which gave him 11 total caution points in 3 consecutive games. So far, eight players have been shown a yellow card this season.

Soccer Ball Drive for IRAQ: Saturday May 17 will be a special Rapids Drive night at the stadium! The Rapids and MLS are working with the Interim Government of Iraq to supply soccer balls to the needy and underprivileged kids of Iraq! You can help out by bringing your old or unwanted soccer balls to INVESCO Field on May 17 and donating them in the bins at the gates. The Rapids will be shipping out all donated soccer balls to Iraq following the May 17 game.

Rapids Quotes:

Coach Hankinson looking forward to this Saturday's game:

"Well, certainly the benefit is we're familiar with New York, having just played them a couple of weeks ago. So we know the strength of their players. Guevara is very dangerous, and Mathis can always get a goal. And right now they're playing not to give up goals and wait for someone like a Clint (Mathis) to get one, or they wait for their opponents to shoot themselves in the foot. So we have to play very good football on Saturday to have a chance to win.

Lineup: what can fans expect for Saturday?

"I think that we've not shown the ability for our four to take care of their four, so the idea of going to five is something we have to consider at this point. We'll wait to see on Kyle Beckerman coming back from the Under-23 Mexico and U.S. game and how he's doing, because I would like to see him get an opportunity in the lineup.

For the entire Rapids Game Notes, please visit www.coloradorapids.com.

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Major League Soccer Stories from May 16, 2003


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