THE RESERVE KING Galvan Rey lifts Metros over Crew reserves
Sergio Galvan Rey (right), battling the Columbus Crew's Marcus Storey, scored the lone goal in the Metros' reserve win. Photo by Ken Goldfield
By Dylan Butler
BigAppleSoccer.com Associate Editor
Jamaica, N.Y. -- Like it or not MetroStars fans, Sergio Galvan Rey is going to be a big key to the team’s success over the next few weeks.
With Eddie Gaven in the Netherlands with the United States Under-20 National Team and rookie Abbe Ibrahim out for 3-5 weeks with a torn left lateral meniscus, the MetroStars forward line is frighteningly thin. That means the “King of Goals” is going to have to live up to his nickname, which is something the much-maligned Argentinean understands.
“I am looking forward to it. I play hard so I can get the opportunity,” Galvan Rey said through a translator Sunday. “The games that are coming ahead of us should be important, not only for the team but for me to score some goals for the team.”
In a Reserve League match at St. John’s Sunday morning, Galvan Rey scored the lone goal of the game for the Metros in a 1-0 win over Columbus. After playing the final four minutes of Saturday night’s 3-2 win over the Crew, Galvan Rey started up top with former Seton Hall standout and guest player Jerrod Laventure.
After creating several chances in an opening 45 minutes that saw the Metros dominate possession, Galvan Rey latched onto Seth Stammler’s well-timed long ball and chipped it over the right shoulder of Columbus keeper Andrew Terris in the 76th minute.
“I noticed when Seth kicked it, that the ball was going to go over the fullback’s head,” Galvan Rey said. “At that time I looked at the goalie to see where he was, then I went in and I was able to put it over his head.”
While it was the Metros (2-2-2) had the better of the chances, Columbus (3-2-1) had the most dangerous one of the first half when Andrew Rutledoe put the ball off the crossbar following a scramble in the box in stoppage time.
Ten minutes into the second half Columbus had another opportunity when Eric Vasquez found Domenic Mediate streaking down the left side and the former Maryland standout sent a cross in front. But Knox Cameron couldn’t fight through a double team and the ball trickled through the box.
Just after putting the Metros ahead, Galvan Rey fed Mark Pedreiras, another guest player out of Seton Hall, but Terris dived to his right to touch the ball away for a corner kick.
Any hope Columbus had of equalizing went out the window in the 83rd minute when Mark Schulte was sent off for his second yellow card and the Crew played the final seven minutes down a man.
“We try and keep our discipline, our shape and try and score some goals,” Metros coach Mo Johnson said. “Sergio did score a nice goal. He created a bunch of opportunities in the first half and we were just unfortunate that it wasn’t two or three-nil.”
Columbus Crew
Andrew Terris; Ryan Kelly, Stephen Herdsman, Mark Schulte, Marcus Storey; Domenic Mediate, Devin Barclay, Jamal Sutton, Eric Vasquez; Andrew Rutledoe, Knox Cameron
MetroStars
Jonny Walker; Carlos Mendes, Jason Hernandez, Seth Stammler, Mamadou Diallo; Ramon Bailey, Gilberto, Danilo da Silva, Mark Pedreiras; Sergio Galvan Rey, Jerrod Laventure
