|
| |
 |
|
|
Sekagya, 2013
|
Playoff history at Red Bull Arena
October 11, 2022
Since it opening in 2010, Red Bull Arena became a fortress for Metro... in the regular season, that is. Playoffs are a different story. Still, even with this year's subpar performance at home, the recent narrative shifted to getting a home playoff game for the first time since 2018, as MLS switched every series to a single-game affair the following year. Be careful what you wish for...
2010: New York 1, San Jose 3
Metro started the playoffs perfectly, with a 1:0 road win. But future Metro Bobby Convey evened the aggregate very early, then scored another one to pull his team ahead. A magical strike from Juan Pablo Angel (in his last Metro game) tied it up late, only for Chris Wondolowski to steal victory for the visitors. Are we sure we want to go through this list?
2011: New York 0, Los Angeles 1
An October snowstorm stops New Jersey is in tracks, but the show must go on, with Metro losing on a goal by ex-Metro Mike Magee. There are fisticuffs, a Rafa Marquez red card, and Jan Gunnar Solli turning to DJ Solli at halftime. Metro loses the away leg in Los Angeles.
2012: New York 0, DC United 1
A November snowstorm on the heels of Hurricane Sandy postpones the game by a day, and Metro gets a break when the Scum goalkeeper is sent off, leading to a penalty kick. You know the rest: Kenny Cooper scores, Metro is called for encroachment, the retake is saved, Marquez gets red carded (in his last Metro game), DC scores late, and Digao plays his only minute. Of all the Metro playoff losses... this might be the pits.
2013: New York 1, Houston 2
Or is it this one? Coming off a 2:2 road tie, the Supporters Shield winners go ahead through Bradley Wright-Phillips, only for ex-Metro Brad Davis to tie it up when a bad pass by Ibrahim Sekagya gets intercepted. The away goals tiebreaker not implemented by MLS yet, this goes to OT, Houston scores, and that's that.
2014: New York 2, Kansas City 1; New York 2, DC United 0; New York 1, New England 2
In a winner-take-all first leg, it all starts very ominously as KC scores, but BWP is at his apex, tying late, then scoring the winner at the death. Soon after, it's BWP again, with a lovely assist by Titi Henry, and Peguy Luyindula to give Metro a huge first-leg advantage against DC. It all comes crashing down versus New England, as a horrid tackle by Jermaine Jones goes unpunished, and he ends up scoring the late winner. Metro gets close on the road, but loses on aggregate in Titi Henry's last game.
2015: New York 1, DC United 0; New York 1, Columbus 0
Another Supporters Shield, another... well, not early exist, as Metro, coming off a 1:0 road win, toys with DC. The goal comes late via BWP. Alas, the first-leg result versus Columbus puts Metro in a 2:0 hole, and all looks doomed until the 90th minute, when Anatole Abang gives them life... only for Wright-Phillips to hit the post in injury time.
2016: New York 1, Montreal 2
Metro ended the regular season by not losing in 16 straight games, but lost the opener in Montreal, 1:0. The lead was obviously not insurmountable, but a PK miss by Sacha Kljestan was followed by an Ignacio Piatti goal, and the rest was too little, too late.
2017: New York 1, Toronto 2
Toronto scores early, Daniel Royer ties it on a PK, but Michael Murillo leaves the post open on a late free kick, and Sebastian Giovinco scores. Metro wins the away leg 1:0, but the away goals rule is now implemented, so that's that. Damn MLS.
2018: New York 3, Columbus 0; New York 1, Atlanta 0
Coming off another Shield with the biggest point total in MLS history, Metro loses to Columbus 1:0. But a first-half goal from Alex Muyl is followed by a marvelous performance by Daniel Royer, who scores two in the second. The deficit in the semifinal is much worse, as Chris Armas' strategy in Atlanta goes horribly awry in a 3:0 loss. After VAR disabled another Metro goal, a late Tim Parker score ends the year with the win... but not really.
All of that being said, it's not like Metro's road playoff performance is any better...
|
