Wizards 0, MetroStars 0, 2 OT
The Associated Press
8/13/03 5:45 PM
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- Two players were treated for heat exhaustion and taken off the field on stretchers Wednesday as the Kansas City Wizards and MetroStars played to a 0-0 tie at Giants Stadium.
Wizards defender Jimmy Conrad was treated for dehydration and an arrhythmia in the Kansas City locker room, while the heat and humidity that had field temperatures reaching 118 degrees got the best of MetroStars defender Edgar Bartholomeu.
Conrad, 26, felt his heart begin to race after the first overtime. He took a knee and asked for help.
"My heart sometimes races and I can't control it," Conrad said after being treated in the locker room. "I got a little scared and thought it could be worse. I attribute it to the heat more than anything."
Conrad received fluids intravenously and said he felt better.
"I talked them out of going to the hospital," Conrad said. "I could have walked off. I had one IV bag and I was back to normal. It wasn't my intention to give everyone a scare, but I was scared myself."
Bartholomeu was sitting up in the trainers room of the MetroStars' locker after the game. He was not immediately available for comment.
Several players questioned the idea of playing an afternoon match in August.
Only 10,737 people attended the game that featured very little action and very few scoring opportunities.
Kansas City outshot the MetroStars, 10-4, but few of those shots were legitimate scoring chances.
"It probably wasn't the best thing to do," said MetroStars midfielder Mark Lisi, who played the entire game. "It was tough out there. It was tough to breathe. Hopefully, we won't have to play another game like that again."
"I lost my breath and was fighting for air and I didn't even play the whole game," said MetroStars reserve forward John Wolyniec, who entered the game in the 53rd minute and had the team's best scoring chances in the second half. "I wasn't too concerned before the game, but once you stepped on the field, you could feel it. It was pretty hot on that field."
The tie left the MetroStars with an 8-5-6 record. Kansas City is 7-5-7.
Igor Simutenkov, the Wizards' second-leading scorer, pulled a hamstring in the 32nd minute and had to leave the game.
Meola had two good saves on Wolyniec in the second half to keep the game scoreless.
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