Metro manhandles abysmal Atlanta, 2:1
August 17, 2022
Well, that was the cure Metro needed. Mired in the biggest slump of the season, coming off two scoreless games, they got two early and then held off Atlanta, 2:1. It have been that close... wait, did someone say "Patryk Klimala"? We'll get to that.
Despite three games in a eight-day span, Gerhard Struber made just one change from last weekend, giving Daniel Edelman a start in place of Frankie Amaya. Edelman, who was rather rancid in his recent appearance against Colorado, actually asserted himself quite nicely tonight.
Metro's two goals came in the 11th and 15th minutes. First, Kyle Duncan beat two players on the right side (it's nice to have him back, even if it's for a short time!), then sent a cross into the box. There, Christian Casseres tipped it back, and Lewis Morgan one-timed a blast from the top of the box.
Four minutes later, off a short corner kick, John Tolkin got the ball back and floated it from outside the box and into the bottom left corner of the net. Initially called offside because of Klimala, a lengthy VAR review reversed the call, putting Metro up two.
Two would be enough, as Atlanta was awful. Other than two Josef Martinez headers that went high, they had nothing to show... until four minutes into injury time, when Martinez sneaked past the Metro defense to make the score 2:1. By then, it was too little, too late.
But Patryk Klimala, Patryk Klimala, Patryk Klimala! No, not the worst game tonight, making runs and getting in position... But four shots, three on goal, and nothing to show for it, making it 15 straight without a goal. (We will keep counting until he breaks the drought. IF he breaks the drought...) Not like we have better options than Klimala up front, right, Herr Schneider?
Still, a win is a win, and hopefully the bleeding stops. Metro's impressive road form continues... are we sure we want to battle for a home playoff game?
Lineup: Coronel, Tolkin, Long, Nealis, Duncan, Edelman, Yearwood, Casseres, Morgan, Luquinhas, Klimala. Subs: Reyes, Harper, Nealis, Barlow.
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