Metros 1
Rapids 1
Splendor in the grass? Hardly.
They slipped, they fell, they tiptoed through the fresh natural turf. The new field at Giants Stadium didn’t win any fans among the MetroStars, who blew a lead over the mediocre Colorado Rapids last night, settling for a 1-1 draw.
“We prefer the grass field, but I don’t know what you call this one,” coach Bob Bradley said.
Playing on grass – just laid for the CONCACAF Gold Cup semis Thursday and finals Sunday at Giants Stadium – the sides dodged divots all night, defenders struggling to keep their feet.
“When you go to hit a ball and a whole chunk of turf three yards long moves under you, that isn’t for soccer,” said Ante Razov, who scored the Metros’ lone goal.
Having replaced the usual artificial surface, the grass will remain in place through July 31, when Chelsea faces AC Milan in a friendly, and perhaps beyond. The Metros hope the trays of turf somehow grow into a real pitch.
“On a night like tonight [home field advantage] is taken away a little bit, but it’s still our job to win,” Bradley said.
The first half was a study in tedium, the heavy turf slowing the ball, and the 5-10-3 Rapids playing a shutdown style. Youri Djorkaeff, returning from a hamstring pull to partner Razov up front, headed a corner onto the the right post in the third minute for the Metros’ best chance. In the 38th, Jeff Cunningham ran onto an ill-advised backpass, only to shoot wide of Zach Wells on the break down the right channel.
Djorkaeff was scissored down late in the first and replaced by Sergio Galvan Rey at halftime, and the Metros came alive. Rey and Amado Guevara immediately began combining for attacks, leading to Ante Razov’s goal in the 51st minute. Guevara’s feed for Rey went through to the top of the arc, where Razov slammed his 82st career MLS goal off a defender, and then the hand of Rapids keeper Joe Cannon.
“We needed to get more mobility,” Rey said. “The first half was a little slow.”
Razov’s goal was his fourth in five games with the Metros, and tied him for fourth place with retired Raul Diaz Arce in all-time MLS scoring. Although he managed to overcome the grass effect, he didn’t like it.
“The ball, it died all night,” Razov said. “[The turf] was real heavy, and it makes the game tough. But give [Colorado] credit, they made it tough, too.”
