New York/New Jersey MetroStars
1996 season
ChairmanUnited States John Kluge
United States Stuart Subotnick
ManagerItaly Eddie Firmani (until May 24)
Portugal Carlos Queiroz (after May 28)
MLSConference: 3rd
Overall: 7th
MLS Cup PlayoffsConference Semifinals
Top goalscorerLeague: Giovanni Savarese (14)
All: Giovanni Savarese (14)
1997 →

The 1996 season was the first season in New York/New Jersey MetroStars's existence, in the first season of American Major League Soccer. They played their home games at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The team played 38 matches in the season including 35 Major League Soccer games and 3 friendlies. Eddie Firmani coached the team for their first eight games before being replaced by Carlos Queiroz.[1]

The team is now known as the New York Red Bulls; the entire organization is known as Red Bull New York.

Players

These totals come from 32 league matches and 3 playoff played in 1996. Only displaying players who capped 5 games or more.

Player Position GP (GS) Minutes Goals Assists
United States Rhett Harty Defender 34 (34) 2845 1 1
United States Peter Vermes Midfielder 33 (33) 2970 1 1
United States Tony Meola Goalkeeper 32 (32) 2880 0 0
Venezuela Giovanni Savarese Striker 29 (16) 1702 14 1
United States Tab Ramos Midfielder 28 (28) 2428 3 10
Italy Nicola Caricola Defender 28 (28) 2357 2 0
United States Miles Joseph Midfielder 27 (26) 2197 4 5
United States Jeff Zaun Defender 24 (22) 1795 0 0
United States Matt Knowles Midfielder 24 (17) 1767 0 0
United States A.J. Wood Striker 23 (15) 1232 5 2
Argentina Cristian da Silva Midfielder 22 (13) 1268 0 0
United States Rob Johnson Striker 21 (12) 1236 4 3
Italy Roberto Donadoni Midfielder 20 (20) 1800 3 10
United States Damian Silvera Midfielder 17 (9) 953 0 1
United States Chris Unger Midfielder 16 (12) 1029 1 1
United States Ted Gillen Defender 16 (10) 852 0 0
Colombia Antony de Ávila Striker 11 (10) 920 8 3
United States Mickey Kydes Midfielder 11 (7) 556 0 0
Mexico Edmundo Rodriguez Striker 11 (5) 473 0 1
Colombia Rubén Darío Hernández Striker 10 (9) 836 0 3
Republic of Ireland Kieron O'Brien Midfielder 8 (4) 311 1 1
United States Manny Lagos Midfielder 6 (6) 483 0 2
United States Andrew Restrepo Defender 5 (4) 343 0 0
United States Chris Brauchle Midfielder 5 (3) 323 0 0

Source:[2]

Results

Regular season

April 13, 1996 (1996-04-13) 1 Los Angeles Galaxy 2–1 MetroStars Pasadena, California
 Report
Stadium: Rose Bowl
Attendance: 69,255
Referee: Brian Hall
April 20, 1996 (1996-04-20) 2 MetroStars 0–1 New England Revolution East Rutherford, New Jersey
 Report
Stadium: Giants Stadium
Attendance: 46,826
Referee: Raul Dominguez
April 27, 1996 (1996-04-27) 3 MetroStars 0–2 Columbus Crew East Rutherford, New Jersey
 Report
Stadium: Giants Stadium
Attendance: 26,416
Referee: Zimmerman Boulos
May 4, 1996 (1996-05-04) 4 MetroStars 3–3
(2–1 SO)		 Tampa Bay Mutiny East Rutherford, New Jersey
 Report
Stadium: Giants Stadium
Attendance: 38,621
Referee: Esse Baharmast
Shootout
May 12, 1996 (1996-05-12) 5 D.C. United 1–1
(1–2 SO)		 MetroStars Washington, D.C.
 Report
Stadium: RFK Stadium
Attendance: 14,722
Referee: Kevin Stott
Shootout
May 16, 1996 (1996-05-16) 6 MetroStars 3–0 Colorado Rapids East Rutherford, New Jersey
 Report
Stadium: Giants Stadium
Attendance: 14,121
Referee: Raul Dominguez
May 19, 1996 (1996-05-19) 7 New England Revolution 2–0 MetroStars Foxborough, Massachusetts
 Report
Stadium: Foxboro Stadium
Attendance: 20,131
Referee: Arturo Angeles
May 22, 1996 (1996-05-22) 8 Kansas City Wiz 2–1 MetroStars Kansas City, Missouri
 Report
Stadium: Arrowhead Stadium
Attendance: 8,916
Referee: Ali Saheli
May 30, 1996 (1996-05-30) 9 MetroStars 1–2 D.C. United East Rutherford, New Jersey
 Report
Stadium: Giants Stadium
Attendance: 25,322
Referee: Zimmerman Boulos
June 2, 1996 (1996-06-02) 10 Dallas Burn 0–1 MetroStars Dallas, Texas
 Report
Stadium: Cotton Bowl
Attendance: 10,610
Referee: Kevin Terry
June 9, 1996 (1996-06-09) 11 MetroStars 0–4 Los Angeles Galaxy East Rutherford, New Jersey
 Report
Stadium: Giants Stadium
Attendance: 53,250
Referee: Kevin Terry
June 16, 1996 (1996-06-16) 12 MetroStars 0–1 San Jose Clash East Rutherford, New Jersey
 Report
Stadium: Giants Stadium
Attendance: 18,404
Referee: Kevin Stott
June 19, 1996 (1996-06-19) 13 MetroStars 0–0
(2–0 SO)		 Dallas Burn East Rutherford, New Jersey
Report
Stadium: Giants Stadium
Attendance: 14,322
Referee: Esse Baharmast
Shootout
June 26, 1996 (1996-06-26) 14 MetroStars 2–0 Kansas City Wiz East Rutherford, New Jersey
 Report
Stadium: Giants Stadium
Attendance: 16,103
Referee: Ruben Rodhas
June 30, 1996 (1996-06-30) 15 Columbus Crew 0–4 MetroStars Columbus, Ohio
 Report
Stadium: Ohio Stadium
Attendance: 17,261
Referee: Rich Grady
July 4, 1996 (1996-07-04) 16 Colorado Rapids 2–1 MetroStars Denver, Colorado
 Report
Stadium: Mile High Stadium
Attendance: 20,117
Referee: Esse Baharmast
July 10, 1996 (1996-07-10) 17 MetroStars 3–2 Dallas Burn East Rutherford, New Jersey
 Report
Stadium: Giants Stadium
Attendance: 17,416
Referee: Ruben Rodhas
July 21, 1996 (1996-07-21) 18 Los Angeles Galaxy 3–0 MetroStars Pasadena, California
 Report
Stadium: Rose Bowl
Attendance: 17,137
Referee: Tim Weyland
July 24, 1996 (1996-07-24) 19 San Jose Clash 0–1 MetroStars San Jose, California
 Report
Stadium: Spartan Stadium
Attendance: 15,096
Referee: Kevin Stott
July 28, 1996 (1996-07-28) 20 MetroStars 4–1 San Jose Clash East Rutherford, New Jersey
 Report
Stadium: Giants Stadium
Attendance: 21,212
Referee: Rich Grady
August 3, 1996 (1996-08-03) 21 New England Revolution 1–1
(3–2 SO)		 MetroStars Foxborough, Massachusetts
 Report
Stadium: Foxboro Stadium
Attendance: 20,162
Referee: Arturo Angeles
Shootout
August 11, 1996 (1996-08-11) 22 Colorado Rapids 0–2 MetroStars Denver, Colorado
 Report
Stadium: Mile High Stadium
Attendance: 8,880
Referee: Esse Baharmast
August 14, 1996 (1996-08-14) 23 MetroStars 4–0 New England Revolution East Rutherford, New Jersey
 Report
Stadium: Giants Stadium
Attendance: 20,711
Referee: Joshua Patlak
August 17, 1996 (1996-08-17) 24 Tampa Bay Mutiny 3–1 MetroStars Tampa, Florida
 Report
Stadium: Houlihan's Stadium
Referee: Frank Gorog
August 21, 1996 (1996-08-21) 25 MetroStars 2–3 D.C. United East Rutherford, New Jersey
 Report
Stadium: Giants Stadium
Attendance: 20,416
Referee: Arturo Angeles
September 1, 1996 (1996-09-01) 26 Kansas City Wiz 2–2
(3–1 SO)		 MetroStars Kansas City, Missouri
 Report
Stadium: Arrowhead Stadium
Attendance: 11,139
Referee: Steve Olson
Shootout
September 4, 1996 (1996-09-04) 27 MetroStars 0–2 Tampa Bay Mutiny East Rutherford, New Jersey
Report
Stadium: Giants Stadium
Attendance: 16,102
Referee: Tim Weyland
September 6, 1996 (1996-09-06) 28 D.C. United 1–2 Metrostars Washington, D.C.
 Report
Stadium: RFK Stadium
Attendance: 8,053
Referee: Zimmerman Boulos
September 10, 1996 (1996-09-10) 29 MetroStars 3–1 Los Angeles Galaxy East Rutherford, New Jersey
 Report
Stadium: Giants Stadium
Attendance: 19,111
Referee: Esse Baharmast
September 15, 1996 (1996-09-15) 30 Columbus Crew 2–0 MetroStars Columbus, Ohio
 Report
Stadium: Ohio Stadium
Attendance: 31,550
Referee: Robert Sheker
September 18, 1996 (1996-09-18) 31 MetroStars 1–0 Columbus Crew East Rutherford, New Jersey
 Report
Stadium: Giants Stadium
Attendance: 14,007
Referee: Kevin Terry
September 21, 1996 (1996-09-21) 32 Tampa Bay Mutiny 4–1 MetroStars Tampa, Florida
 Report
Stadium: Houlihan's Stadium
Attendance: 11,145
Referee: Frank Gorog

Playoffs

Conference semifinals

September 24, 1996 (1996-09-24) Game 1 MetroStars 2–2
(6–5 SO)		 D.C. United East Rutherford, New Jersey
 Report
Stadium: Giants Stadium
Attendance: 14,416
Referee: Esse Baharmast
Shootout
September 27, 1996 (1996-09-27) Game 2 D.C. United 1–0 MetroStars Washington, D.C.
 Report
Stadium: RFK Stadium
Attendance: 21,442
Referee: Paul Tamberino
October 2, 1996 (1996-10-02) Game 3 D.C. United 2–1 MetroStars Washington, D.C.
 Report
Stadium: RFK Stadium
Attendance: 20,423
Referee: Brian Hall

Friendlies

  Win   Draw   Loss

Date Home Away Score Metro Goal(s)
May 24 MetroStars Fiorentina 0–4
June 5 MetroStars Sporting Lisbon 1–1 Wood
November 15 Pennsylvania Natives MetroStars 1–2 Savarese 2

Source:[3]

Final standings

Place Eastern Conference P W (so) L (so) F A GD Points
1 Tampa Bay Mutiny 32 20 (1) 12 (3) 66 51 +15 58
2 D.C. United 32 16 (1) 16 (3) 62 56 +6 46
3 NY/NJ MetroStars 32 15 (3) 17 (2) 45 47 -2 39
4 Columbus Crew 32 15 (4) 17 (5) 59 60 -1 37
5 New England Revolution 32 15 (6) 17 (2) 43 56 -13 33
Place Western Conference P W (so) L (so) F A GD Points
1 Los Angeles Galaxy 32 19 (4) 13 (4) 59 49 +10 49
2 Dallas Burn 32 17 (5) 15 (3) 50 48 +2 41
3 Kansas City Wiz 32 17 (5) 15 (2) 61 63 -2 41
4 San Jose Clash 32 15 (3) 17 (6) 50 50 0 39
5 Colorado Rapids 32 11 (2) 21 (4) 44 59 -15 29

References

  1. ^ Queiroz takes over the MetroStars
  2. ^ Statistics
  3. ^ Schedule

See also

Categories