1:4 DC United New York Bartlett Manoel Harper Morgan Burke 05.15.24 · League

After last season finished in (what else!) another playoff disappointment, the Metro brass was left with a decision: keep Troy Lesesne or look elsewhere. Elsewhere they did, as quickly the-never-called-interim head coach got his walking papers. Sandro Schwarz came in, of course, but Lesesne quickly landed on his feet... at our original rivals, the Scum of DC.

The first meeting of the old boss and the new boss couldn't have gone better for Metro, as they came to DC and stomped the home side, 4:1. DC might have "won" the xG battle, but the scoreboard told a different story. When Metro had their chances, they made the Scum pay. (Oh, what a different tune this is from the Lesesne and the pre-Lesesne era!)

With three games in eight days, Schwarz chose to rotate the squad a bit, sitting the Nealis brothers for Andres Ryes and Kyle Duncan. Cameron Harper and Elias Manoel were both rewarded for weekend goals, as Wiki Carmona and Dante Vanzeir shifted to the bench.

A very even first half was not exactly full of Metro chances, but that all changed two minutes into injury time. With most of the Scum on Metro's side of the field, Frankie Amaya jumped on the ball and sent it in a tremendous long arc over half of the field, where it bounced in front of Manoel. The Brazilian, close to midfield than he was to the penalty box, hit the ball from the air, as a second magnificent arc sailed right over the head of the dumbfounded DC keeper Alex Bono and into the net. WOW.

Metro got the second seven minutes after the break, as Harper, just like Manoel, rewarded Schwarz for the start. Emil Forsberg sent a perfect slicing pass from the left to the onrushing Harper, who took it in the box. A DC defender launched, fell as Harper cut back, and the Metro attacker had all the time in the world to pick his spot. Four minutes later, it was Harper again, just staying onside after Manoel sent him through on a breakaway. Bono had to come out of the net to make a save, but Lewis Morgan ran onto the loose ball and easily tapped it into the empty container to make it 3:0.

Metro did well to fend off multiple Scum corners, but finally fell to one in 65th as the lead was shrunk to two. In the 82nd, off a deep Scum throw in, Carlos Coronel had to make a late reaction save to push the ball out. Then, three minutes into injury time, Vanzeir sprung Cory Burke, who blasted it home from the top of the box. It was his first goal in 360 days.

At this point, it looks like Metro brass made the right decision?

Lineup: Coronel, Tolkin, Reyes, Eile, Duncan, Edelman, Amaya, Harper, Forsberg, Morgan, Manoel. Subs: Vanzeir, Nealis, Carmona, Burke.