Road streak continues with 3:0 win over Minnesota
July 22, 2017
|
 |
|
Royer
Wright-Phillips
Muyl
|
|
|
|
|
It wasn't long ago that Metro couldn't win on the road. Win? They couldn't score, going hours in various locations without ending on the scoreline. Well, those woes are no more. Metro won its fourth straight road game (can't forget the triumph in the Open Cup!), dropping expansion Minnesota 3:0 in the first match between the two teams.
Jesse Marsch made just one change from the midweek triumph, sticking with the 5-3-2, and inserting Alex Muyl for the injured Connor Lade.
Metro dominated from the opening kickoff, and took the lead 16 minutes in. Felipe, at the center circle, fed Daniel Royer, who took a few strides and then unleashed a rocked from outside the box. The ball evaded the Minnesota defenders and the clueless Bobby Shuttleworth, stashing into the bottom left corner of the net.
There were some testy moments on the other end, but nothing that the Metro defense couldn't handle. Late in the first half, Metro could have extended the lead, but Shuttleworth made close-range saves on Sean Davis and Royer.
67 minutes in, a rush into the Metro box led penalty appeals from Minnesota. As the home team appealed for a penalty, Metro went another way, with Royer finding Bradley Wright-Phillips over the top. The record holder took the ball on one bounce, fought off a defender, and beat the incompetent Shuttleworth. As amazing as it sounds, BWP has not been involved in any of the last eight Metro league goals... up to that one, of course.
Late in the game, Minnesota seemed to have given up, allowing sub Gonzalo Veron to run through its defense at will, only to shank his chances. (We still believe in you, Gonzalo!?) Metro did score a third, in the 90th, on a Muyl blast from inside the box. Most importantly, Sacha Kljestan received an assist on the play, his 43rd in league play. That passed Titi Henry for the team record. Also importantly, another 90 for Luis Robles made him the all-time team leader in league minutes played, passing Dax McCarty. Somewhat importantly, injury time marked the first-team debut of Hassan Ndam.
So, a terrific win to complete an excellent week, with goals pouring in from all angles. Could this be the turnaround we've been awaiting? Stay tuned...
Lineup: Robles, Long, Perrinelle, Zizzo, Muyl, Adams, Martins, Davis, Kljestan, Royer, Wright-Phillips. Subs: Murillo, Veron, Ndam.
|
