Up-tempo, losing soccer continues in Seattle, 2:1
May 31, 2015
Up-tempo, high pressure, winning soccer. Repeat: up-tempo, high pressure, winning soccer. Again: up-tempo, high pressure, winning soccer. UP-TEMPO, HIGH PRESSURE, WINNING SOCCER! The more you say it, the more it seems real, doesn't it?
We gotta give it to Jesse Marsch: early in the season, the game plan worked. But over the last three weeks... boy, has it been exposed. Today, Marsch was left with no answers, as Seattle came back to beat Metro 2:1. The winner was scored in second half injury time. Up-tempo, high pressure...
Marsch's lone change from last week's debacle vs Philly was the insertion of MLS's two-time-reigning French Player of the Month, Damien Perrinelle, back into the lineup for Roy Miller.
The first half was a tale of two free kicks. First, a Seattle ball went through the penalty area, and Luis Robles made an amazing reaction save to push it out. Then, in the 36th minute, Seattle was whistled for a handball just outside the box. Bradley Wright-Phillips drilled a shot that rebounded through the wall. Cleverly, Lloyd Sam was standing amongst the Seattle players, and headed in Metro's first goal in three matches.
Seattle turned on the pressure in the second half, and it was once again Sam starting the counterattack. He fed Wright-Phillips in the box, and the attacked was brutally brought down by Brad Evans. Somehow, no foul was called.
Down, Seattle coach Sigi Schmid made some changes, and slowly but surely, his side started to control the game. On the other end, Marsch couldn't adjust, and his team paid dearly. In the 69th minute, Marco Pappa abused Chris Duvall and sent a shot that tied the match. Marsch's move? Put on Dane Richards! Then, when a tie looked to be likely, the Metro defense fell asleep. Already in injury time, Clint Dempsey got at the end of the ball and sent it through the goalmouth. Chad Barrett tapped it in, but it would have gone in anyway. Marsch's move? Put on Anatole Abang! And the, stare stoically into the sunset...
Up-tempo, high pressure...
Lineup: Robles, Lawrence, Perrinelle, Ouimette, Duvall, McCarty, Martins, Kljestan, Grella, Sam, Wright-Phillips. Subs: Richards, Abang.
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