5:2 New York Chicago Henry Sekagya Sam Alexander Steele Magee Amarikwa 10.27.13 · League

You knew how this one was going to go down. It was in the cards. A former Metro, most likely Mike Magee, will stick a dagger into his former team. All the anticipation, all the hope, all that waiting for that first trophy, it will get destroyed in the cruelest of ways.

And then, it did.

Magee -- it had to be Magee -- scored just six minutes into the match, knocking in a rebound from close range, a goal that was destined to make that Supporters Shield a fading memory. It was so clear how this was going to end.

And then, it didn't.

Midway through the first half, Peguy Luyindula took the ball at midfield and sent a perfect through ball onto Thierry Henry. The bearded ubermensch took one touch and sent a thundering rocket from outside the box and under the crossbar. 1:1. The Shield was back in play.

And then, it happened.

Early in the second, Henry sent a free kick into the box. Dax McCarty flew in and headed a shot that was saved, the ball dropping in front of Fire keeper Sean Johnson. In a frantic scramble, Tim Cahill got to it first, then it went off Ibrahim Sekagya and into the net. Just like that, the Shield started to become a reality.

And then, it did.

Three more goals came Metro's way. After a Fire corner, Luyindula -- again Luyindula! -- sprung Lloyd Sam on the right, and the Englishman sent a perfectly placed curve into the Fire net. Then it was Luyindula again, springing Eric Alexander, the latter finishing from an acute angle. By the time Henry sliced through the defense and found Jonny Steele for Metro's fifth, it was all but academic.

And then, it came out.

The Shield, the unobtainable glory. The Shield, proof that Metro was the league's best this year. The Shield, forever ours.

Thierry Henry, Tim Cahill, Dax McCarty, Luis Robles, Jamison Olave, Peguy Luyindula -- yes, Peguy Luyindula!, Markus Holgersson, we won't list every player, but they all deserve to be... Mike Petke, Robin Fraser, John Wolyniec... Most of all, the fans who have been there for these 18 horrible, wonderful, horrible years... It's ours.

And now, let's win the Cup.

Lineup: Robles, Carney, Olave, Sekagya, Holgersson, McCarty, Steele, Sam, Luyindula, Cahill, Henry. Subs: Alexander, Barklage, Wright-Phillips.