Exhausted Metro emptied in Seattle, 1:0
May 28, 2023
Coming off a tank-emptying Open Cup overtime outing, Troy Lesesne had a choice. The team was facing yet another three games in eight days stretch, with two country-crossing trips built in. Surely, he would rest players in what was bound to be an incredibly tough game in Seattle so they will be fresh for to Eastern clashes next week?
Perhaps it was not a choice at all, as the avalanche of injuries that has seemed to subside claimed another victim: Andres Reyes, who was held out as a caution. So Lesesne tried to be cautious himself, playing three center backs and starting five players who went 120 minutes just five days ago. It didn't work, with the 1:0 scoreline doing little to explain the difference in quality between the two teams.
With Hassan Ndam aimlessly floating as the right center back, Seattle had no trouble exploiting the space on the left side. The goal came on a precise 22nd minute cross to Jordan Morris, but it could have been much much worse. Time and time again, Seattle was able to get behind the Metro defense and sail crosses through into the box. Thankfully, their finishers couldn't connect further.
Speaking of finishers not connecting, Metro spent the first half not being able to connect to the frontline at all. Dru Yearwood, completely wasted as an attacking midfielder, turned the ball over time and again. Lesesne made adjustments at the half, and soon, a close-range Elias Manoel header went straight at Stefan Frei. Then, a perfect long ball from Cristian Casseres found Manoel in stride, but his shot from the top of the box was parried by the Seattle keeper.
In the 75th minute, a second yellow on Seattle's Joao Paulo gave Metro a shot to even it up, but for that, you actually have to take shots. Predictably, Metro meandered through the rest of the match, ending a disappointing week with a predictable loss.
Let's hope that exhaustion doesn't get worse.
Lineup: Coronel, Tolkin, Nealis, Ndam, Nealis, Stroud, Casseres, Harper, Yearwood, Barlow, Vanzeir. Subs: Carmona, Manoel, Luquinhas, Mullings, Burke.
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