3:2 Columbus New York Mensah Meram Williams Wright-Phillips Veron 09.23.17 · League

Maybe we shouldn't have cried about all these ties. Coming off losing just the third final in club history, Metro suffered a major blow to their playoff seeding (if they make the playoffs, that is), by losing to Columbus, 3:2. The team has not won a league match in a month and a half.

The new lineup had Damien Perrinelle, Aaron Long, and Fidel Escobar in the back, Kemar Lawrence and Michael Murillo on the wings, with Tyler Adams and Sean Davis flanking usual suspects Felipe and Sacha Kljestan. BWP was up front, of course.

The Crew struck in the 8th minute, after a long free kick played into the box from the left side. Jonathan Mensah was left unmarked, and... we heard this one before, right? Leaving players unmarked on set pieces? That's not new?

Eight minutes later, Metro responded. Davis was terrific, fighting off defenders to keep the ball alive on the endline, then stripped a Crew player, and sent it into the box to Bradley Wright-Phillips. The marksman got his 97th in all competitions.

11 minutes into the second half, Justin Meram got through on the left side, and Fidel Escobar allowed him to take a shot that ended in the back on the net. Eight minutes after, off a Crew corner kick, Josh Williams was left unmarked... this is getting old.

Metro got one back with the help of video replay in the 72nd. Gonzalo Veron was taken out of the play past the endline, with the foul making it impossible for him to get back in. He begged for review, got it, then slammed the PK straight down the middle. That ended up all for Metro, as they could do little the rest of the match.

Five games left, and wins are needed. Worrying about playoff seeding? Let's qualify first...

Lineup: Robles, Perrinelle, Long, Escobar, Lawrence, Murillo, Martins, Adams, Kljestan, Davis, Wright-Phillips. Subs: Lade, Veron, Keita.