3:3 New York Chicago Morgan Harper Klimala Mueller Omsberg Shaqiri 05.18.22 · League

When pundits get asked about Metro's failures to win at home this year, the standard answer is that the away teams sit back, and Metro can't break the bunker. Well, Chicago didn't sit back tonight, and Metro couldn't win. In fact, they were lucky to tie, as the Fire jumped into the lead with just a minute left in regulation. Thankfully, Patryk Klimala immediately responded, leveling the crazy game at 3:3.

It was John Tolkin's turn in the COVID doghouse, so he missed a minute in league play for the first time all year. Lewis Morgan made his return, and Cameron Harper made his first Metro start. Dylan Nealis was suspended, but Cristian Casseres returned. Luquinhas and Patryk Klimala were rested from the offset.

Metro got a great opportunity less than a minute into the game, with a close-range free kick from the left side. Frankie Amaya dropped it on the goalmouth at the feet of Tom Barlow, but the "Big, Strong, Fast" striker inexcusably misfired.

The opener came in the 20th, after Omir Fernandez was tackled in the box. Morgan perfectly placed the penalty kick inside the right post. Unfortunately, he couldn't convert a one-on-one minutes later, firing straight at Gabriel Slonina. Then, in the 38th, Chris Mueller beat the offside trap, escaped three Metro defenders, and roofed it past Carlos Coronel to tie the game.

Four minutes into the second half, Chicago was unlucky not to score off a corner, as the ball dropped dangerously close to the line before Metro cleared. Alas, on the ensuing corner, Wyatt Omsberg got his head onto the ball at the back post, and the visitors were ahead.

Metro evened it in the 58th, after Fernandez sent a ball through the box that Klimala left for Harper. The youngster took a week shot at Slonina, who should have easily saved it... except, somehow, the goalkeeper some were touting for the US national team dropped it into the net.

With the score even at 2:2, both teams did not sit back. Usually, this would suit Metro, right? Wrong, as Chicago looked more likely to score. They broke through in the 89th, when an attack up the right flank saw Amaya fail to clear the ball in the box. It dropped to Xavier Shaqiri, and MLS's most expensive player beat Coronel from the top of the box.

Thankfully, that was not the end. In injury time, Casseres sent a ball into the box. Fernandez ran onto it, took it to the edge of the six-yard box, then laid it off for Klimala. The much-maligned Pole, with a defender on him, placed it past the dumbfounded Slonina.

This home misery has to end at some point, right? What do you say, pundits?

Lineup: Coronel, Morgan, Long, Nealis, Edwards, Harper, Amaya, Yearwood, Casseres, Fernandez, Barlow. Subs: Klimala, Luquinhas, Pendant, Ryan.