TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Mamadou Diallo scored his third goal of the game in overtime as the Tampa Bay Mutiny beat the New York-New Jersey MetroStars 4-3 on Wednesday night.
Meanwhile, MetroStars goalkeeper Mike Ammann is expected to miss the rest of the season after breaking three ribs in a collision with Diallo.
Diallo, who has an MLS-best 22 goals after his first career hat
trick, scored from close range with just over four minutes left in
the second overtime. He is fifth player in league history -- and the
first since Stern John in 1998 -- to reach 20 goals in a season.
New York-New Jersey's Alex Comas had tied in the 85th minute
with his second goal of the game.
Steve Ralston put the Mutiny up 3-2 in the 70th minute.
New York-New Jersey took a 2-0 first-half lead on goals by Comas
in the 21st minute and Adolfo Valencia in the 43rd. Diallo tied it
with goals in the 45th and 61st.
Valencia, who has a team-best 14 goals, has scored three times in the past two games.
After the game, MetroStars general manager Nick Sakiewicz said Ammann also has a concussion. Ammann, who did not break his jaw as originally feared, remained hospitalized Thursday at St. Joseph's Hospital.
Ammann dived to beat Diallo to a loose ball in the 29th minute. As Diallo jumped over the goalkeeper, his right foot struck Ammann's head.
"It was a mugging," Sakiewicz said. "Good strikers pull up or jump. We didn't see that."
Diallo said he hopes to visit Ammann on Thursday.
"I'm so, so sorry about that," Diallo said. "At the time, I
was ready to kick the ball. I want to talk with Mike and tell him
how bad I feel."
The injury could leave the MetroStars without an experienced
goalkeeper for the postseason. Backup Tim Howard has been selected
for the U.S. Olympic team and will leave in early September.
MetroStars coach Octavio Zambrano said his team could end the
season using two A-League goalkeepers.
"I don't see another option at this moment," Zambrano said.
The MetroStars were without midfielders Roy Myers (Costa Rica)
and Tab Ramos (United States) because of national team commitments.
