Monday, October 10, 2011

2003 - MetroStars v Columbus Crew

2003.09.20 MetroStars v Columbus Crew, Giants Stadium
John Wolyneic lashed home a dramatic overtime goal to give the MetroStars a hard-fought 1-0 overtime victory.. Following a tightly contested regulation match, Wolyneic connected with an Amado Guevara pass in the closing moments of the second overtime...

The Metros newest acquisition, Polish international Andrez Juskowiak entered play in the 51st minute in an attempt to reverse the Metros sluggish start... Juskowiak would only play 5 games for the Metros in the 2003 season before returning to the Bundesliga...

Juan Forchetti
Boca Juniors (Argentina 2003)
MetroStars (MLS 2003)
Chacarita Juniors (Argentina 2004-2005)
CD Santamarina (Argentina 2005-2006)
Egaleo (Greece 2007- )

Jacob LeBlanc
MetroStars (2003)

Kenny Arena
MetroStars (MLS 2003-2004)
DC United (MLS 2005)

Sunday, October 9, 2011

2003 - MetroStars v NE Revolution


2003.09.13 MetroStars v NE Revolution, Giants Stadium

Revolution rookie forward Pat Noonan scored his fourth and fifth goals of the season as the Revolution defeated the MetroStars 2-1. The game was played in heavy rains during the first half, in which the Revolution dominated play, with both an effective attacking game and a strong defensive performance. The Revolution outshot the Metros 10-2 in the first half, with the MetroStars failing on get a shot on goal. The Revolution attack was led by Noonan, Jose Cancela and Shalrie Joseph...

Steve Jolley gave the Metros hope by reducing the deficit by 1 goal in the 81st minute. Mike Magee took the corner kick from the right side, defender Eddie Pope flicked the ball to the far post, where Jolley was able to collect his third goal of the season... Unfortunately it was not enough for the MetroStars to overcome a stronger Revolution team..

Saturday, October 8, 2011

2003 - MetroStars v Chicago Fire


2003.08.24 MetroStars v Chicago Fire, Giants Stadium
An 86th minute strike by Anton Razov gave the visiting Firs a 2-1 come-from-behind victory...

Razov started the play as he dribbled the ball through four MetroStar defenders. Razov's pass inside the box would deflect toward team-mate Damani Ralph, whose shot rebounded off a MetroStars' defender back to Razov. Unmarked, Razov was free to place the ball into the back of the net from 8-yards out for this 12th goal of the season...

The MetroStars struck early in the game as forward John Wolyniec scored his fourth goal of the year in the 28th minute. Wolyniec received a pass from Craig Ziadie before taking on  defender CJ Brown in the penalty area. Wolyniec's lofting shot from 6-yards out was out of reach of the charging Fire keeper Zach Thornton...

Jamaican national Damani Ralph scored for the Fire to equalize the score. It was Ralph's 10th goal of his rookie season. Ralph would score 11 goals on the season for the MLS record goals scored by a rookie. Ralph was named Rookie of the Year...

Friday, October 7, 2011

2003 - MetroStars v DC United

2003.05.10 - MetroStars v DC United, Giants Stadium

Clint Mathis' first half goal led the MetroStars to their 3rd consecutive victory 1-0 over DC United. Mathis scored in the 42nd minute, while DC started the season without a victory in their first 5 games and failing to score a goal in 283 minutes of play...

For the MetroStars, the play of the game came when an exchange between mark Lisi and Amado Guevara led to a chipped pass at the top of the penalty area, over the United defense. Mathis, in full stride, took the ball off his chest and lashed a  right-footed shot past United keeper Nick Rimando...

The United had chances when they forced MetrosStars keeper Tim Howard to make great saves on shots by Bobby Convey and Aleck Eskandarian...


5x7 card announcing the MetroStars player academy - One Dream - One Team
The back of the card asks: Do you want to be the next Clint Mathis?

Thursday, October 6, 2011

2003 Metrostars


2003 Freekick game program, the mini poster mentioned on the cover was a centerfold of the Home Depot Center.
Great thrill to open the program and find a photo of your son playing 3v3 soccer in the bubble before the game, especially when he beats the defender!
I like this Pepsi ad with the cartoon players, Clint Mathis (with mohawk), Carlos Ruiz, Landon Donovan, Demarcus Beasley and Cobi Jones...

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

2003 - MetroStars v LA Galaxy


2003.04.19 MetroStars v LA Galaxy, Giants Stadium
The LA Galaxy earned their 3rd consecutive 1-1 road draw of the early 2003 season.

The match was marred by 5-yellow cards in a hotly contested game from the opening whistle, as MetroStars defender Steve Jolley set the tone of the game by taking down Galaxy forward Carlos Ruiz in under 2-minutes into the game.

Overwhelming pressure by the Galaxy gave them the 1-0 lead in the 20th minute. The goal sparked the MetroStars offense as the team led by Amado Guevara mounted an offensive surge. In the 42nd minute Metro defender Joey DiGiamarino was upended by Ezra Hendrickson in the Galaxy penalty area, earning the MetroStars a penalty kick. Jaime Moreno calmly placed the ball hard and low past LA keeper Kevin Hartman for the left corner goal, knotting the game at 1-1.

This was Moreno's first goal with the MetroStars, after playing for DC United from 1996-2002. Moreno would play 11 games for the MetroStars scoring 2 goals before returning to the United.

Bob Bradley

Complimentary mini-poster (centerfold)
Art work was in the same style as the Pepsi ads int he magazine, features:
Josh Wolff, Syan Suarez, Pablo Mastroeni, Carlos Ruiz, Landon Donovan, Taylor Twellman, Clint Mathis, Kyle Martino, Demarcus Beasley and Bobby Convey.

Monday, October 3, 2011

2003 - MetroStars v China

2003.09.09 - MetrosStars v. National Team of China

The MetroStars defeated the National Team of China 2-1 in an international friendly at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ...

19-year old Metro forward Mike Magee scored a goal and an assist to lead the MetroStars. In the 67th minute Mike Nugent scored the game winning goal, assisted by Magee. Nugent collected a pass in the box while holding off a chinese defender, fired a shot on gaol, which Chinese goalkeeper Li Jian could only get his fingertips on.

china scored in the 56th minute to tie the game as midfielder Zhao Junzhe sent a through ball to Zhang Shou, who muscled past two MetroStars defenders and took a low shot. Metros keeper Paul Grafer deflected the shot with his left leg, but the force of the shot did not allow him to keep the ball out of the goal...

Sunday, October 2, 2011

2009 - Red Bulls v Toronto FC

2009.10.24 Giants Stadium, East rutherford, NJ

The red bulls finished their worst season with a 5-19-6 record, on a high note defeating Toronto FC 5-0 in the last Major League Soccer game to be played in Giants Stadium...

The Stadium opened in 1976 as home to the NY Giants football team. The Cosmos and the NASL would bring in professional soccer in 1977 until 1985. The Stadium would host the 1994 FIFA World Cup and the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup.

1994 professional soccer returned when the MetroStars and MLS started. Many international friendlies would be played over the years. 

Game Day cover and centerfold


Following the game the Red Bulls Academy held tryouts on the field for a tournament team. Mike had been invited to participate through the Red Bulls Development Schools. Although he was not selected for the tournament team, he has the honor of being one of the last players to play soccer on the Giants Stadium field. Since their was a football game coming up that weekend the boys were told not to step on the Giants logo painted in the end zones...

Saturday, October 1, 2011

2008 - USA v Argentina



2008.06.08 Giants Stadium - USA v Argentina

One week before the start of the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying, the US Mens National Team showed its mettle with an impressive 0-0 draw with the #1-ranked Argentina before a record sell-out crowd of 78,682 fans...The crowd was the largest for a US Men's National Team match at Giants Stadium and the 4th largest crowd ever at the stadium....

During a night when Kasey Keller, one of the best goalkeepers in US soccer history was honored before the game for earning his 100th cap, Tim Howard displayed the skills that have made him the heir apparent to Keller as the US top keeper. Howard was named the Sierra Mist Man of the Match...Howard made seven saves, all in the first half of the game...

Landon Donovan also shined during a special occasion that saw him become the 11th player to earn 100 caps for the US Men's National Team, the youngest ever for the US and the fourht youngest in the world...

Friday, September 30, 2011

2008 - Red Bull v FC Dallas

2008.06.21 - Giants Stadium - NY Red Bull v FC Dallas

A 16th minute goal by defender Kevin Goldthwaite was all the Red Bulls needed to register a 1-0 victory against FC Dallas, ruining Schellas Hyndman's debut as FC Dallas' head coach.

Sinisa Ubiparipovic, who had an active first half, blasted the ball wide of the far post in the 44th minute from the left of the 18-yard box, capping one of the better first halves the Red Bulls have played.

Jon Conway did not see much action, but made a game winning stop in the 68th minute, diving to rob Andre Rocha, who got behind the New York defense to unleash a shot from 16-yards out.
Seth Stammler
Centerfold: Juan Pablo Angel and David Beckham after the Red Bull 5-4 victory over the Galaxy on August 18, 2007 at Giants Stadium...

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Carl Robinson - NY Red Bull

Carl Robinson - NY Red Bull 2010 team issued card

Wales National Team 1999-2009

Wolverhampton Wanderers 1995-2002
- Shrewsbury Town 1996
- Portsmouth 2002-2004
- Sheffield Wednesday 2003
- Walsal 2003
- Rotherham United 2003
Sunderland 2004-2006
Norwich City 2005-2007
Toronto FC (MLS) 2007-2010
NY Red Bull (MLS) 2010-

Robinson spoke to Mike's HS soccer team prior to their 2010 season...

Sunday, September 25, 2011

2007 - US National Team

2007.06.23 Giants Stadium...US Men's U20 v Chile and US Women's v Brazil....

In an exciting match-up the US Men's U20 National tea faced Chile's U20 team...With goals from Freddy Adu and Robbie Rogers the US would defeat Chile 2-1 in their final preparation game before heading to Canada for the FIFA U-20 World Cup....New Jersey's favorite Jozy Altidore assisted on Adu's goal.

The US Women scored 58 seconds into the game, on a goal from Kristine Lilly. The US would defeat the Brazilians 2-0 in their first meeting since the 2004 Olympic Gold Medal game. Abby Wambach would score the second goal for the US in the physical match.

Saturday, September 24, 2011

2007 - Red Bull v KC Wizards

2007.10.13 - Giants Stadium - Red Bull v KC Wizards...

In the final game of the season, the Red Bull defeated the KC Wizards 2-1...

After KC defender Jose Burciaga Jr handled Dave van den Bergh's cross, Juan Pablo Angel scored from the penalty spot beating Kevin Hartman low to the keeper's right...

Two minutes later the Wizards equalized the score on a Jack Jewsbury header past Red Bull keeper Jon Conway...

Dane Richards would score the game winner in the 24th minute, after collecting a through ball from Angel...

The Red Bull finished the season 12-11-17 for a 3rd place finish in the Eastern Division an s spot in the playoffs...

Centerfold: "Red Bull Express" by Thomas Symonds - Red Bull Art of Can exhibition...

Friday, September 23, 2011

2007 - Red Bull v Chicago Fire

2007.09.01 - Giants Stadium - NY Red Bull v Chicago Fire
Juan Pablo Angel scored his 14th goal of the year in the 75th minute to lift the Red Bulls to a 1-0 victory against a red-hot Fire club...

Dane Richards starte the play by fending off a tackle and sliding the ball to Angel on the left side of the box. Angel received the ball just inside the penalty area and beat Chicago goalkeeper Matt Pickens from 15-yards for the games only goal... The goal tied Angel, for the moment, with DC Untied's Luciano Emilio and Kansas City's Eddie Johnson for the lead for the MLS Golden Boot...

Angel became the first New York player to score 14 goals in a season since Adolfo Valencia in 2000...

Clint Mathis was honored prior to the start of the game for breaking the club record for all-time goals (MetroStars-Red Bulls) and nearly added his 46th career goal five minutes into the game as the Red Bulls got off to a quick start. His one-time shot off a Pickens clearance from the right side of the box, sailed wide of the net...

Dane Richards
Centerfold: Red Bulls took on LA Galaxy at Giants Stadium on August 18 before a record crowd of 66,237 fans.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

2006 - Red Bull v Columbus Crew

2006.09.16 New York Red Bull v Columbus Crew, Giants Stadium

For 82 minutes, the story of the Eastern Conference survival game between the Columbus Crew and New York Red Bull, at Giants Stadium, was referee Baldomero Toledo, who sent off three players and awarded a second-half penalty kick to the Red Bulls...

With one swift kick of a 16-year-old's right foot, Josmer "Jozy" Altidore all but saved the Red Bull's season with a 30-yard blast to the right of Columbus keeper Bill Gaudette, for his first MLS goal...

Before that it was all Toledo, who sent off Joseph Ngwenya in the 20th minute for a hgih kick to Seth Stammler's side. then it was Mike Magee who was red carded in the 63rd minute for an apparent left-handed punch to Kei Kamara just two minutes after both players entered the game...

Toledo was not done as he straight red-carded the Crew's Marcos Gonzalez in the 71st minute for a right elbow that bloodied John Wolyniec, who was replaced Altidore in the 74th minute...


Edson Buddle

Centerfold: artist rendition of the future Red Bull Park