0:2 New York Philadelphia Uhre Gazdag 09.03.22 · League

So much for momentum. So much for playing well at home. So much for getting closer to clinching a playoff berth. So much for hope of anything good happening for Metro this year, as they were outmatched and overpowered by a much, much better Philly team, 2:0.

A rather even first half where fouls outnumbered opportunities gave some hope for earning at least a point. The best chance of the period came on a goalmouth Lewis Morgan cross that ended with a Luquinhas attempt saved. Alas, it took all of three minutes of the second half to change the game. A ball was dropped into the penalty area, and an agonizingly slow shot by Mikael Uhre trickled in inside the far post.

And then, somehow, Metro came alive. For a short period of time, they actually produced quality chances, but... But they simply couldn't finish. First, it was Elias Manoel, once against starting for an injured Patryk Klimala, miss-hitting a ball with only a goalie to beat. Then, on a deep free kick, another point-blank shot by Manoel forced a huge save by Andre Blake. And then... nothing.

Well, not nothing, as Philly pretty much took over the game from that point on. A huge save by Carlos Coronel on a point-blank shot kept the margin at one until the 74th minute. Then, a bad pass by Kyle Duncan saw Sean Nealis stripped of the ball, with Daniel Gazdag easily converting.

The only fireworks Metro could provide the rest in the way came when Dru Yearwood kicked the ball into the stands in injury time, hurting a child. He was rightfully given a red card, adding a fitting punctuation mark to a miserable night.

We keep repeating the refrain, but it's beyond ridiculous that the entire transfer period came and went without a proven striker being added. Manoel might prove to be a quality player at some point, but he has no proven goalscoring record, and it showed tonight.

So, let's say Metro makes the playoffs, which they are quite likely to do. What then? They will likely have to go through this Philly team, which is simply better than them in every area of the field. Well, as Herr Schneider says, in the playoffs, you just have to get lucky...

Good teams make their own luck.

Lineup: Coronel, Tolkin, Long, Nealis, Reyes, Nealis, Edelman, Yearwood, Morgan, Luquinhas, Manoel. Subs: Duncan, Fernandez, Clark, Barlow.