Metro lashes league-leading LA, 2:0
September 25, 2010
Even as Metro was dispatching various opponents this season, one question lingered: can they hang with the best of MLS? For their four matches against the league's best -- Columbus, Salt Lake, and Los Angeles -- all ended with losses. Until tonight, that is. For Metro went to Los Angeles and, without Thierry Henry, dumped the Galaxy 2:0. The win moves New York to a first-place tie in the East with Columbus, although the Crew have played one extra game and owns the tie-breaker.
Henry's injury meant the return to the starting lineup of Juan Pablo Angel (who should have never been benched in the first place). Carey Talley made his Metro debut at right back for the injured Chris Albright (Talley's first touch just seconds into the match was a ridiculous backwards header on an harmless ball that earned the Galaxy a free kick). He then had to come out of the game late in the first with an injury of his own, and was replaced by Mike Petke.
After weathering an early Galaxy storm, Metro took over the game in the middle of the first half. Their persistence paid off in the 36th minute, when, off a throw-in, Galaxy's Yohance Marshall headed the ball right into Joel Lindpere's path. The Metro hero burst into the penalty area and placed the ball past the keeper -- but off the post. Thankfully, Dane Richards was right on the doorstep and knocked home the game's first goal.
Richards was instrumental in getting the second, in the 60th minute. The formerly-maligned-now-loved Jamaican got the ball from Carlos Mendes with space to run. If this was a video game, it was like the turbo button being pushed' Richards exploded into the penalty area, only to be brought down by the terrible Marshall. Angel easily converted the penalty kick to his left.
The Galaxy's attack proved feeble, as they failed to come up with anything even remotely dangerous. When they did get into the box, Bouna Coundoul was ever-present, marking the territory as his own. It was his ninth shutout of the season, tying Tony Meola's 1996 mark for the individual Metro season record.
So the question has been answered. Bring on the league's best!
Can the playoffs start already?...
Lineup: Coundoul, Miller, Ream, Mendes, Talley, Marquez, Tchani, Lindpere, Richards, Ballouchy, Angel. Subs: Petke, Robinson, Ibrahim.
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