[nas] FW: MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER RECAP - WEEK 25

> MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER RECAP
> WEEK 25 - SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2003
> 
> Landon Donovan scored the first hat-trick in San Jose Earthquakes club
> history, pulling the Western Conference leaders all alone to the top of the
> Major League Soccer overall table, thanks also to a victory in Colin
> Clarke's first match in charge of Dallas Burn as Week 25 of MLS action
> wrapped up on Saturday.
> 
> Donovan's hat-trick - his first in his professional career - gave the
> Earthquakes a 4-1 victory away to Kansas City Wizards and left San Jose with
> 46 points, three ahead of Eastern Conference leaders Chicago Fire, which
> fell 2-0 to Dallas in Clarke's first match as Burn boss after Mike Jeffries
> was dismissed earlier in the week.
> 
> The Fire saw their lead in the East narrowed thanks to a dramatic golden
> goal from John Wolyniec, as MetroStars defeated Columbus Crew 1-0 at Giants
> Stadium. But neither of the other teams battling for places in the MLS Cup
> playoffs in the East took advantage, as an equally dramatic extra-time
> winner from Carlos Ruiz gave Los Angeles Galaxy a 1-0 victory against D.C.
> United, while New England Revolution played to a scoreless draw against
> Colorado Rapids.
> 
> The Earthquakes exploded for four goals for the third time this season as
> the Wizards saw their winless streak extended to nine matches in front of a
> club-record crowd of 30,308 at Arrowhead Stadium. Donovan scored the only
> goal of the first half after he surged diagonally through the area through
> the Wizards rearguard following a long pass from the left (26).
> 
> Defender Eddie Robinson headed home a corner kick in the 54th minute to
> double the 'Quakes lead, but Davy Arnaud pulled a goal back for the home
> side five minutes later when he potted the rebound of a saved Chris Klein
> shot.
> 
> But Donovan finished off a wonderful wall pass with Dwayne DeRosario,
> sweeping in from close range in the 70th minute to rebuild the lead, then
> finished off the match when he curled home a shot from inside the box deep
> into stoppage time.
> 
> The three points gave San Jose the advantage for the MLS Supporters' Shield
> with five matches to play, after first-half goals from Toni Nhleko and Eddie
> Johnson ended a four-match losing run for Dallas in Clarke's first game in
> charge - the victory against Chicago just the club's second in their last 10
> contests.
> 
> Nhleko gave the home side a dream start, slotting home the rebound of a
> Johnson shot that was parried by Zach Thornton after just seven minutes,
> then Johnson side-footed home from close range two minutes into stoppage
> time, finishing off a low cross from Ali Curtis in the left side of the
> area.
> 
> At the Meadowlands, Wolyniec's stunning strike in the 101st minute pulled
> MetroStars to within three points of Chicago. It was just the second victory
> in the last eight matches for Bob Bradley's side, who gained at least two
> valuable points on all three teams below them in the tight battle for the
> Eastern Conference playoff places.
> 
> With the final whistle coming at any second, Amado Guevara lofted a
> seemingly harmless freekick from the center circle into the Columbus end,
> where Wolyniec took it out of the air with a tremendous first-time
> left-footed volley. It was his fifth goal of the season, and third in the
> last five matches, and put an end to the Crew's unbeaten run at four games.
> 
> The goal also left MetroStars three points ahead of D.C. United in the
> Eastern Conference, Los Angeles Galaxy pulling into third place in the West
> after Ruiz's 99th-minute goal settled a bitterly-contested battle at The
> Home Depot Center.
> 
> Just as it seemed both teams would share the spoils, substitute Diego Serna
> hooked in a short cross from the right, Ruiz powerfully driving a clear
> header off the turf that bounced off United 'keeper Nick Rimando's hands
> before trickling over the goal line for his league-leading 14th goal of the
> campaign.
> 
> New England Revolution couldn't lift themselves out of last place in the
> East, playing to a scoreless draw with Colorado Rapids at Gillette Stadium
> on Thursday, the visitors ending the match with just nine players though
> extending their unbeaten string to six matches (and 11 in their last 12).
> 
> The Revolution were gifted a glorious opportunity midway through the second
> half when referee Alex Prus adjudged Taylor Twellman was bundled over by Wes
> Hart in the area, but Rapids 'keeper Scott Garlick turned aside Twellman's
> tame penalty. Colorado's Kyle Beckerman was red-carded in the 43rd minute,
> but the teams were brought level on 54 minutes when Prus sent off Revolution
> midfielder Brian Kamler. Then, four minutes into extra time, Pablo Mastroeni
> was shown red for a second bookable offense.
> 
> 
> *******


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