Metro tussles Orlando to a 1:1 draw
May 6, 2016
Two weeks ago, Metro came back to beat Orlando, with the southerners fuming over what eventually was determined to be a correct no-call. So it was quite clear that tonight's game was going to be feisty. "Feisty" was an understatement.
For 90 minutes, Metro battled Orlando through hard tackles, numerous tussles, and a barrage of yellow cards. There was even a red late in the game. At the end, the two teams came out even, 1:1.
Aurelien Collin made his Metro debut against his former team, and was the first of eight yellow card victims early in the game. The rest of the lineup stayed the same.
Metro got on the board in the 19th minute. Another magnificent Sacha Kljestan pass split the defense and found Bradley Wright-Phillips in the box. The Englishman struck for his third of the year, all against Orlando.
Late in the first half, Luis Robles parried a shot from Kaka, but left a juicy rebound. Cyle Larin raced to the free ball, but Robles was there to somehow deny the striker with his extended legs.
Orlando evened it in the 67th. Larin beat the offside trap and got the ball past Ronald Zubar in the box. With Robles late to switch side, the ball got to Kevin Molino, and the score became 1:1.
Metro had a wonderful chance to take the lead, when Kljestan walked into the penalty area and centered the ball to Felipe. Orlando keeper, awful Joe Bendik was drawn out to stop Kljestan, but Felipe's shot went off an Orlando defender and out.
Orlando's Cristian Higuita got a red card five minutes from time, but Metro failed to capitalized. At the end, it was probably a fair result... but we're betting that Orlando is still pissed off.
Lineup: Robles, Lawrence, Zubar, Collin, Zizzo, McCarty, Martins, Kljestan, Grella, Sam, Wright-Phillips. Subs: Veron, Duvall, Muyl.
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