Metro loses to cross-river home cooking, 2:1
May 18, 2024
Let's make this abundantly clear: Metro did not lost this game to their cross-(two)-river(s) rivals because of the referee. The home side (playing in their backup stadium) converted one more chance than Metro did, and no referee played a role in that. It was the first time all year that Metro lost a close game, falling 2:1.
Sandro Schwarz held out Emil Forsberg from the opening lineup due to illness, which means Dante Vanzeir returned as Lewis Morgan moved back to midfield. Sean Nealis also regained his usual starting space, as Andres Reyes went to the bench.
The blue team scored just three minutes in, as a cross got behind the Metro defense, John Tolkin felled, and former Red Bull (Salzburg, Leipzig) player Hannes Wolf knocked it in from close range. Metro did regain their composure soon after, and proceeded to force their usual slate of turnovers in the opposing side of the field. Alas, they best they could do was a Lewis Morgan long shot that rang off the outside of the bottom left post.
Then, for the second straight game, it was a piece of individual magic in first half injury time. This time it was Cameron Harper, pouncing on a ball outside the box, taking a few steps, and sending a rocket off the crossbar and in. It was his third straight game with the goal... and the two sides were now tied.
Early in the second, Tolkin finally got behind the defense and sent a cross that Vanzeir should have knocked in, but missed the net. In the 64th minute, a similar play on the other net ended with a NYC goal, and Metro was down.
And that was it for goals in the match, thanks to a wonderful fingertip save by Carlos Coronel, as he did enough to push it off the crossbar. Alas, Metro couldn't get much going on the other end... so let's talk about the referee.
When a NYC played carrying a yellow card brutally tackles our player in midfield, a card stays in his pocket. When Nealis, in injury time, does not make contact with a player, somehow a second yellow is given. When a game full of stoppages and substitutions somehow only gets three minutes of stoppage time, sees another sub and an ejection in those three minutes, and gets blown dead at 3:16... When? You know what, enough. The ref sucked. Metro lost.
That being said... it would be nice to play on an even playing field, you know?
Lineup: Coronel, Tolkin, Nealis, Eile, Duncan, Edelman, Amaya, Harper, Morgan, Vanzeir, Manoel. Subs: Carmona, Gjengaar, Forsberg, Burke, Reyes.
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