Unbeaten run ends with terrible loss to Vancouver
June 1, 2013
|
 |
|
Klazura(OG)
|
Harvey
Miller
|
|
|
|
|
Raise your hand if you saw this coming. A seven-game unbeaten streak in league play, an opponent that just flew across the continent... An opponent that doesn't play well on the road, an opponent that is missing several first-choice players... This had to be a win, right?
Wrong. Metro dominated the first half, broke through in the second, but allowed two goals to lose to Vancouver, 2:1. Jamison Olave's second yellow late in the game was a key moment in the disappointing defeat.
Mike Petke made two changes from the last league match, as Roy Miller came in for Heath Pearce and Juninho replaced Tim Cahill, away on international duty.
Maybe we should have figured it was that kind of a night in the fifth minute, when Juninho found Titi Henry behind the Vancouver defense, but the Frenchman put his shot safely into the keeper's arms. Juninho then created a chance for himself, but his long blast whiffed just over the bar.
Nevertheless, it looked like Metro was about to break through, and it happened in the 51st minute. Henry found Jonny Steele on the left side of the penalty area, and the Irishman's cross was redirected into the net by Vancouver's Greg Klazura. And, with the Whitecaps not able to string any type of offensive cohesion, it looked like Metro was on its way to an easy win.
Alas, seven minutes later, off a corner, Eric Alexander poorly cleared a ball, Jordan Harvey jumped on it, and roofed it over Luis Robles. And then, in the 75th, a needless foul by Olave at midfield earned the defender his second yellow -- and the marching orders that came with it. Now Metro would be lucky to settle for a draw.
If only! In the 83rd minute, a cross was sailed from the right side and onto the head of the usually useless Kenny Miller. Kosuke Kimura must have been day-dreaming, for he was nowhere to be seen, and the Vancouver attacker gave his team the lead.
Metro had a chance to pull out a draw deep into injury time, when Henry set up Peguy Luyindula. Sadly, the lesser Frenchman hit the ball directly into the keeper's arms.
So now, a three-week break in league play, which will likely not be too pleasant. Raise your hand if you saw that coming.
Lineup: Robles, Miller, Olave, Holgersson, Kimura, McCarty, Steele, Alexander, Juninho, Espindola, Henry. Subs: Luyindula, Sam, Pearce.
|
