Metro sweeps Worms to avoid wild card
October 27, 2012
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In its history, Metro has played its share of important regular season finales. And while this one did not have the consequence of a potential playoff clinch hanging on it, it still held merit. A win and only a win would give Metro a chance to avoid a wild card game... and a win they got, riding a spectacular first half to a 3:0 win over their supposed rivals from Philly. Metro will go into the playoffs as the East's third seed, pending various scenarios in the upcoming DC-Chicago game that would surely involve scorefixing.
In his last(?) regular season game, "Clever" Hans Backe made one change, necessitated by Lloyd Sam's injury: Joel Lindpere started on the left, with McCarty sliding to Sam's spot on the right.
Metro started the game frisky, applying high pressure from the get-go. The ice was broken in the 13th minute, when a clumsy tackle from Carlos Valdes left Tim Cahill on the ground in the penalty box. Kenny Cooper stepped up and converted the penalty to his left, his third such goal on the year in as many opportunities.
The lead doubled in the 35th, when Metro pressure led to Titi Henry stealing the ball in front of the penalty area. The Frenchman raced towards the Worms goal, bypassed defenders, and slotted in his 15th of the year.
The Worms' attacking plan was to isolate Jack McInerney against S. Markus Holgersson, but the former vice captain had his ways with the Philly youngster. Two times the much-maligned Swede stopped potential breakaways before they had a chance to result in shots.
Metro took the pedal off the gas in the second half, but nevertheless got the third, again from Cooper. McCarty fed the ball to the colossal striker, and he tore it in from the right side of the box. Cooper ended the regular season with 18 goals, the second-best total in team history to Juan Pablo Angel's 19 in 2007.
Late in the game with Worm hack Amobi Okugo elbowing Cahill in the penalty box, but somehow no foul was given. The match ended soon after, with Metro sweeping the Worms in their three-game regular season series.
So now, Metro must watch the DC-Chicago game to see who they will meet in the opening round of the playoffs. Yes, a drop to the wild card is still somewhat possible (a 7:6 Chicago win? a 13:13 tie?), but let's not even go there.
Bring on the Fire? Bring on DC!...
Lineup: Robles, Pearce, Holgersson, Marquez, Lade, Tainio, Lindpere, McCarty, Cahill, Cooper, Henry. Subs: Solli, Le Toux, Miller.
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