Metro can't find a winner in Philly, 0:0
July 6, 2024
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0:0
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New York |
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If Metro was to break its Philly winless streak, tonight would have to be the night, right? The Worms have been leaking goals left and right, and haven't won at home since March. Unfortunately, to win games, you must score goals. (Excuse us, we've been listening to the inane Fox studio commentary the past couple of weeks. Where were we?) Metro couldn't score goals tonight, failing numerous times in tying a wretched Philly team, 0:0. Fortunately, the home side couldn't score either.
Carlos Coronel made his return from a pointless Copa America, and Daniel Edelman came back from suspension to shore up the midfield. Lewis Morgan made his first start since his European sojourn, and Sandro Schwarz elected to give Sean Nealis a rest in favor of Andres Reyes.
It all became very auspicious early on, when Dante Vanzeir laid it off to Morgan, who had an empty net to shoot at, only to miss wide. (Vanzeir looked to be offside on the play.) The Belgian himself two great opportunities to score after being put alone with the keeper, but missed both times. (What else is new?)
Coronel did not show any rust, making a fantastic fingertip save midway through the first half to push the ball over the bar. Midway through the second, he made a miraculous close-range save -- and them saved the follow-up to keep the game scoreless.
Schwarz put on Nealis the Elder in the 82nd, but going to three center backs was actually not a defensive move. It freed up Noah Eile to make runs up the left flank, and Metro looked the most dangerous it had all night. And when Dennis Gjengaar sent a perfect cross to Elias Manoel at the doorstep with five minutes left, it looked like Metro would finally break through. They couldn't. Manoel slid it just wide.
And that was the story of the night and continues to be the story of the season (and, honestly, of the last five years after the departure of BWP): this team needs a finisher. They tried Patryk Klimala, they stupidly traded away Brian White, they tried Manoel, they tried Vanzeir. None of it has worked. Open up the pocket book, Red Bull. Sign a target striker with a proven scoring record.
TO WIN GAMES, YOU MUST SCORE GOALS!
Lineup: Coronel, Tolkin, Eile, Reyes, Nealis, Edelman, Donkor, Harper, Carmona, Morgan, Vanzeir. Subs: Manoel, Gjengaar, Nealis.
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