Metro loses battle of playoff seeding, 3:1
October 19, 2014
Playoff seeding is a fickle thing. How often have we gotten a supposedly favorable draw, only to fall on our face when things started to matter? So maybe dropping into the play-in game will do this team good... Right?
Well, the play-in game is not a sure thing, but it could soon become the reality. Metro lost to Columbus 3:1, not only ending their seven-game home winning streak, but allowing the Crew to jump them in the standings. Metro dropped to fifth, meaning that if the season ended today, they will be forced into that play-in game.
Metro changed two defenders from last week's playoff-clinching romp. Roy Miller returned from international duty, sending Kosuke Kimura to the bench. Armando had to play for the injured Ibrahim Sekagya. Also, Peguy Luyindula returned from suspension as Ruben Bover sat.
Columbus scored twice in the first half, through Aaron Schoenfeld in the 17th and Ethan Finlay in the 34st. Metro's lone bright spot on the match came in the 58th minute, when Lloyd Sam split two defenders, then blasted a shot in from an acute angle. In the 80th, Schoenfeld scored again, as New York defenders stood like statues, deciding that watching the ball is more important than stepping up and trying to defend.
So this sets up a regular season finale with Kansas City, knowing that anything short of a win will guarantee that Metro will play the play-in game on the road. A win can push Metro as high as third, depending on Columbus' last result. Well, who knows what is good for this team. Such is the matter of playoff seeding...
Lineup: Robles, Miller, Olave, Armando, Eckersley, McCarty, Alexander, Luyindula, Sam, Wright-Phillips, Henry. Subs: Oyongo, Bover.
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