Henry's wonder winner whomps Worms, 2:1
March 30, 2013
 |
2:1
|
 |
| New York |
|
Philadelphia |
|
|
|
|
|
|
If there is one thing clear about this team, is that it will go as far as Titi Henry will take them. When the talismanic Frenchman is on his game, Metro is hard to stop. And when he is not... well, we've seen it so far this season. When he is absent? Well, that looked to be the case again today, as Henry was held out at the start of the match. Fortunately, the still-injured striker came on as a second half sub, and scored a magnificent late goal to give Metro a 2:1 win over the Philly Worms.
Brandon Barklage's red card meant that Kosuke Kimura switched to the right, Heath Pearce -- to the left, and Jamison Olave returned to the middle. Fabian Espindola's injury led to Tim Cahill lining up as supporting forward.
The two best chances of the first half both belonged to the combination of Jonny Steele and Peguy Luyindula. First the former set up the latter; Luyindula, unmarked in the penalty area, shot wide. Then the roles were reversed, and it was Steele's time to miss, this time high.
The teams exchanged goals early in the second. Metro broke through in the 55th minute. Off a Juninho corner, a cross from Steele was met in by Dax McCarty, close to the penalty spot. The Marty McFly look-alike flicked the ball across his body as it pierced both the penalty area and the back of the net. The Worms equalized eight minutes later. Directly off a throw-in, Conor Casey rose over S. Markus Holgersson to tie the match.
Henry entered the game with 30 minutes left, and made his presence known immediately. It was clear that the enigmatic Frenchman was not at 100%, as a fully-fit Henry would rarely pass up open looks in the box to the likes of Steele. Yet today, whatever percentage he was, was enough. In the 81st minute, Luyindula served a cross into the penalty area. Henry ran onto it, received the ball on one foot, switched it to another, and volleyed it past the incredibly helpless Zac MacMath.
Metro got a scare late in the match, as Casey crashed into Luis Robles. After some scary time on the ground, the Metro goalkeeper stayed in the game.
So, finally a win, the first of 2013 and the first for Mike Petke... and just one of many wonders in the Metro career of Titi Henry.
Lineup: Robles, Pearce, Olave, Holgersson, Kimura, McCarty, Steele, Alexander, Juninho, Cahill, Luyindula. Subs: Henry, Sam.
|
