2:3 New York Columbus Forsberg 2 Jackson Cheberko Amundsen 10.19.24 · League

No, the result didn't exactly matter. Because Charlotte defeated DC Scum, Metro would finish seventh regardless of this outcome. It's just how they arrived at the outcome... being completely outclassed by Columbus from the opening whistle, then fighting back, only to be choked at the death, 3:2. So much for that momentum, Herr Schneider...

Because of Dylan Nealis' red card in the last game, Sandro Schwarz chose to start Ronald Donkor at right back. Well, "chose" is probably not the right word. "Forced"? What can be said about roster construction when there is only one backup (Kyle Duncan) at both left back and right back, and that backup is injured?

So Columbus attacked up the right flank, and scored less than 90 seconds in. Then they scored again in the 14th minute, slicing and dicing through the Metro defense. Columbus had nothing to play for, their playoff seeding already settled. They started a bunch of backups. It didn't matter. For the entire first half, Metro played like the season was over... knowing that the result guarantee a matchup against the same team in the playoffs. (The Charlotte-DC outcome was obviously not settled yet.)

Metro actually showed some fight in the second half, with Cameron Harper hitting the post while being taken out by the Columbus keeper. Somehow, the blind referee decided not to award the PK. Then, Emil Forsberg hit the post... It all seemed rather pointless at that point.

Then, in the 78th, Lewis Morgan fed Forsberg, who gave it some thought and looped one in from the top of the box. Then, in the 87th, Elias Manoel got taken down in the box, and Forsberg converted the PK. Metro had the momentum! Oh, they might not win, but that all-important momentum, Herr Schneider!

The momentum was gone seven minutes into injury time, as Carlos Coronel was slow to react to a long shot. The Metro keeper was atrocious on the night, and has been so pretty much the entire second half of the year. Not that this result really mattered...

So now it's the same Columbus team in the opening round of the playoffs, only one that will no longer rest its starters. The same Columbus team which had its way with Metro in three of the four halves they played -- hell, even when Metro was playing better earlier this season, it was Columbus who brought them back to earth. The same Columbus team who is better than ours in every area on and off the field.

This playoff is gonna be a slaughter, especially since we lost momentum. Well, we can still hope for luck, Herr Schneider!

Lineup: Coronel, Tolkin, Nealis, Reyes, Donkor, Edelman, Stroud, Carballo, Forsberg, Morgan, Vanzeir. Subs: Harper, Manoel, Ngoma, Carmona, O'Connor.