Metro whirls past Quakes, 2:0
August 28, 2010
It sure was a long time coming. We saw it all: a goal in a friendly, the woodwork, missed breakaways... But that elusive first league goal was still missing. Until tonight, when Dane Richards tallied the game-winner after a terrific effort to help Metro to a 2:0 win over San Jose. Oh, you thought we were talking about Thierry Henry? Well, he scored too.
For the third straight week, Metro started the same lineup, and came firing on all cylinders from the opening whistle. For most of the match, there was only one quality team on the field, and San Jose wasn't it. Oh, the Quakes did get a few chances on counter-attacks, but ex-Metro Cornell Glen failed time and time again. One occasion midway through the first half, when he had an open net but missed wide, stood out for its ineptitude.
Henry had two excellent chances to break through his goalless slump. First, Rafa Marquez fooled two Quakes and walked the ball into the penalty area, but Henry's shot was cleared off the line by ex-Metro Tim Ward. Then, Juan Pablo Angel set up Henry at the edge of the box, but the shot went off the right post.
Metro broke through right before the half. Joel Lindpere did a remarkable job by keeping the ball alive at the edge of the penalty area. Richards pounced on the ball, and, like a whirling dervish, burst past two defenders and into the area, dribbled around Jon Busch and scored into an empty net.
That was all Metro needed, but tonight, they got one more. In the 63rd minute, Richards' cross bounced into the penalty area and landed with Henry, who settled it and blasted into the net past Busch. Henry celebrated by thanking the Empire Supporters Club, a classy move from a classy player.
So, a terrific win for the second straight week, and a stranglehold on the second place in the East, with a ten-point cushion over Toronto. With a tough month of September coming up, let's see if Metro can keep it up.
Lineup: Coundoul, Miller, Ream, Mendes, Albright, Marquez, Tchani, Lindpere, Richards, Henry, Angel. Subs: Kandji, Stammler, Ibrahim.
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