1:0 New York Cincinnati Lade 04.27.19 · League

Two years ago, a switch to five in the back (three in the back?) helped salvage Metro's season. Tonight, a similar switch looked to have done the trick... on paper. Yes, Metro finally won a game, beating Cincinnati 1:0 on a Connor Lade goal. But considering the visitors, an expansion team in midst of a scoreless drought, hit the woodwork three times, and that Lade's shot ended up Metro's only on goal... well, let's not praise the new formation yet.

Amro Tarek joined the backline, with Lade and Alex Muyl as wingbacks. Michael Murillo and Vincent Bezecourt sat, Cristian Casseres and Bradley Wright-Phillips missed due to injury, as Omir Fernandez and Brian White entered the lineup.

Metro played by far its best first half of the season, controlling the game... until it got to the box. Lade was fantastic on the wing, and had the team's only shot on goal of the period, running onto a Daniel Royer backheel and slamming it into the net from the top of the box. It was his first goal since 2016.

Alas, after the break, the team turned lifeless. Cincinnati had most of the ball, only thwarted by the woodwork. It all started after a Tarek lunge left Darren Mattocks one-on-one against Luis Robles. The Metro goalkeeper pushed him wide, with the shot bouncing off the post. A few minutes later, sub Murillo headed the ball back towards his own net, only for Cincinnati to jump on it and hit the post again. Then, in the 90th minute, Kendall Waston rung a header off the crossbar.

So the winless streak is finally over, and perhaps the new formation will have the same effect it did in 2017. Somehow, we doubt it...

Lineup: Robles, Tarek, Long, Parker, Lade, Muyl, Davis, Rzatkowski, Fernandez, Royer, White. Subs: Murillo, Lawrence, Jorgensen.