Metro treads snow in frigid Minnesota, 1:1
March 11, 2023
Well, at least they scored. No, they didn't win, but... baby steps? A comeback for a draw, on a road in difficult conditions, is nothing to sneeze at? Unless you're very, very cold and can't help but sneeze...
It was very, very cold in Minnesota tonight, as Metro played in the snow for just the sixth time in its history, splitting the points with a 1:1 draw. Andres Reyes scored the lone Metro goal, becoming the unique 28th first scorer in the 28th years of Metro history.
Gerhard Struber decided to put the ballyhooed two-forward experiment on pause, benching Elias Manoel and Tom Barlow to give Cory Burke his first start as the lone frontman. Daniel Edelman saw his first minutes of the season by sliding into his usual defensive midfield role.
Metro had some half-chances early on, caused by the usual pressure in the attacking third. The best of those saw Lewis Morgan attempt to chip the onrushing keeper from the top of the box, only to fire just wide.
In the 18th minute, on a rare Minnesota attack, Sean Nealis slipped in the snow, leading to a corner kick. Carlos Coronel made a fantastic save on the close-range shot that followed (amazingly, his first of the season), but left a juicy rebound that was easily put in. In a continuing theme, those two shots on goal were Minnesota's only of the game.
But to win games, preventing goals is not enough, and Metro's scoring drought entered its sixth half of the season. It was ended four minutes in, as Reyes rose to meet John Tolkin's corner to head in the equalizer.
Metro had a couple of opportunities the rest of the way. Morgan missed a breakaway by shooting right at the keeper, and substitutes Manoel and Dante Vanzeir failed to connect on what was the Belgian's first real opportunity in a Metro uniform. On the other end, a terrific mid-air near-post block by Omir Fernandez kept the game tied late in the match.
Well, a road point is a road point, and the defense continues to impress. If only that offense started to follow suit. Baby steps?
Lineup: Coronel, Tolkin, Nealis, Reyes, Duncan, Amaya, Edelman, Casseres, Luquinhas, Morgan, Burke. Subs: Manoel, Vanzeir, Fernandez, Nealis, Barlow.
|
