Central defense cracks in 2:0 loss to Dallas
April 12, 2008
So much for starting the season on a high note. In a complete reversal of last week's match, Metro went down early, allowing the first goal in the first minute, and ended up losing 2:0. Juan Carlos Osorio's decision to pair Kevin Goldthwaite and Chris LEitch in the center of the defense ended up costing the team dearly.
Juan Pablo Angel's injury, Jeff Parke's suspension, and Juan Carlos Osorio's tactics meant wholesale changes to the squad. Gone was the 3-5-2, and a new 4-4-2 emerged, with Dave van den Bergh, Goldthwaite, Leitch and Luke Sassano across the back, Seth Stammler, Danleigh Borman, Sinisa Ubiparipovic and Claudio Reyna in the midfield, with Jozy Altidore and Oscar Echeverry up front.
It was the inexperienced central defense pairing of Goldthwaite and Leitch that made Metro pay the price less than a minute in. Goldthwaite was late on the initial pass, and Leitch couldn't contest a header by Arturo Alvarez, and just like that, it was 1:0 Dallas.
Metro had most of the play of the first half. In fact, if not for a couple of Dallas chances that beat the New York offside trap, they would have completely dominated play on the field. The best chance came 14 minutes into the match, as Altidore was taken down in the box after a pinpoint Reyna pass. Sadly, the appeals for a penalty were ridiculously rejected. On the other end, Jon Conway made a huge save on an Alvarez breakaway to keep the margin at one.
It was much of the same in the second; Metro pressing, and Dallas sitting back, waiting for the counter-attack. It came in the 66th minute, as Kenny Cooper beat the offside trap, and raced in to make it 2:0.
The insertion of Mike Magee and John Wolyniec late in the half provided additional spark for Metro, but neither of the two long-term Metros could provide the finishing touch tonight. After two games, we're back to square one.
Lineup: Conway, van den Bergh, Goldthwaite, Leitch, Sassano, Stammler, Borman, Ubiparipovic, Reyna, Echeverry, Altidore. Subs: Magee, Wolyniec.
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