Metro survives New England, 2:1
June 10, 2011
Their last victory seeming eons ago, Metro clawed and fought their way to beat New England 2:1. A huge penalty kick save from Greg Sutton and yet another goal from Thierry Henry proved to be the difference.
"Clever" Hans Backe, who chewed the team out after last week's despicable draw, decided to keep the lineup the same. Metro started the game lively, with Luke Rodgers barely missing just 20 seconds in.
In the 33rd minute, the Revs' Rajko Lekic decided to trip over his own feet in the box, but sold it so well that the referee whistled Stephen Keel for the foul. It was the fourth penalty call against Metro in five games. Shalrie Joseph stepped up and hit the ball to his right, only to be rejected by Sutton's giant outstretched arm.
Metro got on the board in the 37th. Henry started the play, passing the ball to Rodgers. The bald Englishman returned the favor, and Titi beat a defender, sending a pass to an onrushing Austin da Luz. The ball hit the leg of bearded Ryan Cochrane, who kicked it into the net for an own goal.
Three minutes before the break, Rodgers pounced on an errant pass to momentarily break free in the box, but, sadly, his shot went wide.
Metro doubled the lead in the 50th minute. Henry received a pass from Stephen Keel, went one way, fooling Cochrane, then calmly slotted the ball into the net. Unfortunately, the two-goal cushion didn't last long, as four minutes later a cross was whipped into the Metro penalty area, and Roy Miller jumped and missed. Zak Boggs jumped and didn't, and just like that, it was 2:1.
But this time, Metro hung on. They had a great chance late, when Henry found an unmarked Ballouchy close to the net, but the Moroccan's shot was not on target. The Revs sent everything they could at Sutton, but the behemothian Canadian stood tall, making a huge stop on a long shot by Kenny Mansally. Minutes from time, it looked like the Revs had equalized, but the ever-complaining Lekic was correctly called offside on the play. It wasn't pretty, but it was a victory.
After the game, when Backe was asked about ending the winless streak, he coyly quipped, "you can say that we now have not lost in five". With Metro now starting at four straight on the road, let's hope that the revered coach will be able to keep his sense of humor.
Lineup: Sutton, Miller, Keel, Mendes, Solli, Tainio, da Luz, Ballouchy, Lindpere, Rodgers, Henry. Subs: Hertzog, Rooney.
|
