Somehow, Metro makes MLS Cup!
November 30, 2024
There have been better teams in Metro history. We can go up and down... We will not. It doesn't matter. This team made MLS Cup.
This team, which couldn't win a game for two months. This team, which leaked goals left and right. This team, which lost 5:1 at home to its supposed rivals. This team, which repelled down the standings. This team, which did not make any improvements in the summer window.... It doesn't matter. This team made MLS Cup.
This team: Carlos Coronel. On a rare breakdown midway through the first half, Orlando had a perfect opportunity in the box, and the Metro goalkeeper made a fantastic close-range save.
This team: Cameron Harper. On Metro's other defensive breakdown, making a wonderful last-second sliding tackle deep in the box. Then, two minutes into the second half, getting fouled outside the right side of the box.
This team: John Tolkin. After Harper's foul, sending a perfect, magnificent ball into the box that sailed over the Orlando defense and met the head of...
This team: Andres Reyes. Rising above all, heading in at the backpost what will forever stand as one of the greatest goals in team history. It was Metro's only shot on goal in the game.
This team: Sean Nealis, and Dylan Nealis, and Daniel Edelman, and Peter Stroud (starting for the injured Felipe Carballo), and Emil Forsberg, and Lewis Morgan, and Dante Vanzeir, and Noah Eile (coming in for Reyes, who was dangerously close to a second yellow), and other subs: Wiki Carmona, and Ronald Donkor, and Elias Manoel, and... (what!) even Cory Burke! All defending for the last 50 minutes, all keeping Orlando at bay. Were there any big chances for them down the stretch? Not really...
This team: Sandro Schwarz. Oh, what a difference good coaching makes! It can't make players better; it can make the team better than the sum of its parts, and that's exactly what Schwarz has done.
This team... Steve Jolley?! Metro's one-time-great-turned-radio-voice was the first to touch the Eastern Conference trophy, handing it to captain Forsberg.
This team... Just one more! Just one more, please. MLS Cup will be incredibly tough, but maybe it will not matter... for this team!
Lineup: Coronel, Tolkin, Nealis, Reyes, Nealis, Harper, Edelman, Stroud, Forsberg, Morgan, Vanzeir. Subs: Carmona, Eile, Donkor, Manoel, Burke.
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