Metro ekes out a win vs Montreal, 1:0
April 26, 2025
The obvious stance at MetroFanatic is: Metro wins, we're happy. Metro loses, we're unhappy. (Metro ties... open-ended.) That being said, today's 1:0 triumph over Montreal... Well, perhaps "triumph" is too strong a word here.
Thankfully, Sandro Schwarz ended his central defense shenanigans, as we went back to the best defensive pairing of Noah Eile and Sean Nealis. Another change came at right back, where the injured Dylan Nealis gave way to Kyle Duncan, finally returning from an injury of his own. In midfield, Wiki Carmona displaced Dennis Gjengaar.
Montreal had most of the ball early, forcing a quick save from Carlos Coronel. Then, against the run of play, Cameron Harper found himself alone against the Canadian keeper, who came out of the box to thwart the breakaway. Harper elected to shoot as opposed to go around, and shot just wide.
Once again, Metro ended the first half with no shots on goal, but at least they didn't allow any this time. The first shot on goal came from a corner kick, as Eile's header went straight at the keeper. In the 67th, it was Eile again off a corner, this one swung by Omar Valencia from the right side. The tall Swede was stationed at the left goalpost, easily out-jumped his defender, and got himself his first Metro goal.
The rest of the game consisted of the Metro defense clearing Montreal chances from the box, as Coronel did not have to make any tough saves. Against a more competent team...
Yes, that's the problem with this win here. Montreal is dead last in the East, having scored four goals all year. They put out a heavily rotated side, saving many first teamers for their Canadian Championship game that is to follow. And Metro barely, barely won. And Metro once gain couldn't create anything from the run of play. A win is a win, don't get us wrong...
But we're not exactly ecstatic about this one.
Lineup: Coronel, Valencia, Eile, Nealis, Duncan, Stroud, Carballo, Harper, Carmona, Forsberg, Choupo-Moting. Subs: Gjengaar, Parker, Ngoma, Edwards.
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