Metro mitigates Montreal, 1:0
September 24, 2016
What's the best way not to blow a two-goal lead? Never acquire it! Tonight, Metro dominated all areas of the game, but could only put one on the board. Thankfully, Montreal laid a big fat goose egg, and the game ended 1:0, earning Metro its seventh straight playoff berth.
Jesse Marsch made only one change from last week's lineup, inserting Dax McCarty for Sean Davis. (You will note that the captain was absent from three of the five blown leads, and only appeared late in the fourth. Perhaps Marsch noticed as well.)
Montreal got an early chance after Damien Perrinelle mindlessly wandered up the field and lost the ball. The ensuing counter-attack saw Ignacio Piatti get a lucky bounce to keep the ball... and then completely miss the net. Piatti would get another opportunity later in the half, but this time, Luis Robles made a terrific save.
Metro's best opportunities of the period came off a close-range header Daniel Royer that was pushed high and two McCarty headers of corners that were saved.
The lone goal came on the half hour. With Metro pounding the Montreal box with attacks, Felipe's shot was cleared straight to Chris Duvall. The right back sent the best cross of his Metro career onto the head of Royer, who knocked the ball into the ground and then, the net.
Metro did have a chance to get the dreaded two-goal lead, but McCarty's goal was waved off after a Perrinelle push in the box. Alex Muyl had two excellent chances, but went for placement on the first, where power was necessary. On the second, the ball skipped just past the goalpost.
But tonight, the second was not needed. Perhaps for the best...
Lineup: Robles, Lawrence, Collin, Perrinelle, Duvall, McCarty, Martins, Kljestan, Royer, Muyl, Wright-Phillips. Subs: Grella, Davis.
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