Henry salvages a point for 10-man Metro, 2:2
July 23, 2011
On many occasions, the rescuing of a point we saw today would be viewed as a celebration. Down a goal, down to ten men, a miraculous goal to salvage a draw... But tonight, it all feels so empty. Be it the blown lead, the defensive breakdowns, the... Well, we'll take the 2:2 tie with Dallas. It could have been much worse, after all.
"Clever" Hans Backe made one personnel change from the lineup that got destroyed by Colorado, as Rafa Marquez finally returned from injury to regain his spot from Carlos Mendes. The clever one made one strategic changes as well, sliding Joel Lindpere to the middle, Mehdi Ballouchy to the left, and letting Thierry Henry play forward, as opposed to some hybrid left wing.
As the teams fought off the record-breaking heat, the first half looked pretty, pretty good. The defense stayed organized, with Dallas not able to record a single shot on goal. Then, in the 39th minute, Dane Richards started the play, getting the ball to Henry. Titi tripped, but somehow kept possession, and sent the ball back to Richards. The Jamaican then made a run, crossing the ball into the box, where Juan Agudelo collided with a Dallas defender, somehow managing to flick the ball towards the net, where it looped over Kevin Hartman and dropped inside.
Yet something happened at the half. It was now Dallas who controlled the play, and, in the 51st minute, the game got even. Martin Chavez got behind the Metro defense, received a pass, and slotted it past Frank Rost. Moments later, Chavez almost had his second, but the German elder denied him from close range.
Chavez would get his second in the 78th. Off a long Dallas free kick, the ball fell in the box, with the entire Metro defense falling asleep, watching the pretty bounces. With Ballouchy, Dax McCarty, and especially Rafa Marquez turned into gazing statues, the ball trickled to Chavez, who did not miss. And all looked lost.
And all looked hopelessly lost two minutes later, when Richards got his marching orders for a second yellow card. We will not debate the validity of the call, but we will mention that the referee missed a clear hand ball in the box after a brilliant run by Richards up the right side (Ugo Ihemelu first had the ball bounce off his arm, then slapped it with his hand on the ground), as well as a despicable punch by Break Shea.
Yet, somehow Metro rescued a point, and it was all due to the brilliance of Henry. Five minutes from time, McCarty found the Frenchman at the edge of the box, with his back to the net. Titi spun, and sent a shot from that ripped through the penalty area and into the upper left corner. Metro had the miraculous draw.
As empty as that miraculous draw sometimes feels...
Lineup: Rost, Miller, Ream, Marquez, Solli, Ballouchy, McCarty, Lindpere, Richards, Henry, Agudelo. Subs: Albright.
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