Lalas, Meola Are Traded

Two of American soccer’s most recognizable players--defender Alexi Lalas and goalkeeper Tony Meola--Thursday were traded from the New York/New Jersey MetroStars to the Kansas City Wizards as Major League Soccer continued to reshuffle the deck for its upcoming season, opening March 20.

Lalas, 28, a veteran of 79 MLS games, and Meola, 30, who has a league-record 18 shutouts in 95 games, were key figures on the U.S. national team that reached the second round of the 1994 World Cup under then-coach Bora Milutinovic, who now coaches the MetroStars.

In return, the MetroStars acquired midfielder Mark Chung, 28, a former U.S. national team player, and goalkeeper Mike Ammann, 28, of Irvine. Ammann’s 21 victories in 1997 were an MLS record until the Galaxy’s Kevin Hartman won 22 games last season.