Deja vu, again, again: Metro ties Fire 1:1
May 13, 2006
Wake us up if you heard this one. For the fifth time in six games, Metro left the stadium tied, this time walking away from an encounter with the Fire 1:1. Just like in the other two non-scoreless draws this year, Metro scored first only to give away the lead. Jean-Philippe Peguero had the lone New York goal, his first for the team; but the biggest story was the unexpected start for Jon Conway in net.
With Taylor Graham, Mike Magee, and Edson Buddle all out with injuries, New York switched to a 3-5-2 lineup; Steve Jolley made his season debut on the left side of the defense, with Carlos Mendes moving to the middle and Jeff Parke to the right with Marvell Wynne sitting out. In the midfield, Mark Lisi made his first meaningful apperance of the year in the center. Peguero replaced Buddle up front. But the one change that was not forseen was Conway's debut in place of Tony Meola, who injured himself just minutes before the match.
Conway came up big early on, stopping Chad Barrett on a breakaway a few minutes in. In the 27th, New York got their first home lead of the year on a play started by Lisi. A perfect pass found Seth Stammler on the right, who sent a ball into the box, where Peguero outjumped the Fire's C.J. Brown and headed in his first Metro goal.
Just ten minutes into the second half, Mo Johnston took off a displeased and ineffective Amado Guevara for Wynne. Metro then switched to a four-man back set, which worked until the 68th minute, when Danny O'Rourke brought down Nate Jaqua in the box. Diego Gutierrez converted the penalty kick, the game was tied, and deja vu set in.
In the waning moments of the match, Youri Djorkaeff tried to win the game by himself, and came close as his long low shot hit the left post in the 82nd minute. A minute later, Chicago hit the crossbar, and then in injury time, it was Youri time again as he set up substitute Peter Canero with a perfect opportunity from close range. But what can you expect from Canero? Nothing, as he put the ball right into Zach Thornton.
Elie Ikangu made his Metro debut in the waning minutes of the match, becoming only the second French player in league history behind Djorkaeff.
Six games; five goals, five ties, five points... Something has to give, right?
Lineup: Conway, Jolley, Mendes, Parke, O'Rourke, Lisi, Henderson, Stammler, Guevara, Djorkaeff, Peguero. Subs: Wynne, Canero, Ikangu.
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