51ºÚÁÏ

51ºÚÁÏ City SC played as well as it had in a long time, controlling play against Minnesota United on Saturday night at Energizer Park. But just when it looked like City SC would have the bounceback game it was looking for after its disappointing loss last week in Dallas, it all came apart.

Midfielder Chris Durkin, making his first appearance since May 31 because of a knee injury, was given a red card in the box just 10 minutes after he entered the game, Kelvin Yeboah converted the penalty kick, City SC went down a man and then 15 minutes later, a VAR review found a handball that led to another Yeboah PK and a crushing 2-1 loss for City SC before a sweltering sellout crowd.

It’s the fifth loss in the past six games for City SC, which is two points up on the last-place Los Angeles Galaxy with 10 games to play.

Durkin and Conrad Wallem, who picked up a yellow card and has to miss a game for accumulation, will miss City SC’s game with Nashville on Aug. 9. City SC has an exhibition game against English Premier League club Aston Villa on Wednesday at Energizer Park.

Sungbin Jeong and Devin Padelford, who is on loan from Minnesota and technically still their property, were both in the starting lineup and both made marks in the first half, with Padelford making some solid runs on the left flank and Jeong having three shots.

City SC controlled the first half, but couldn’t finish any of its chances until the 36th minute, when Tomas Ostrak was tripped in the box by Minnesota’s Michael Boxall and a penalty kick was awarded to City SC. Lowen stepped up and shot the ball back to his left while Minnesota goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair dived the other way, for his third goal, and second successful PK, of the season.

Boxall also figured in City SC’s closest call of the half, when he cleared a header by Klauss off the line to deny City SC a goal in the 23rd minute.

Padelford started on a new look back line, that had Timo Baumgartl and Jaziel Orozco at center back and Conrad Wallem on the right. Lowen played alongside Ostrak in the midfield. With multiple players coming back from injuries, City SC for a change has an abundance of players, and not only didn’t have to call anyone up from City2 but had four healthy scratches among the first team: Josh Yaro, Akil Watts, Jayden Reid and Joey Zalinsky.

Wallem got a yellow card in the 47th minute and will miss the Nashville game on Aug. 9 because of accumulated yellow cards.

Durkin came on as a sub in the 63rd minute, his first game since May 31, and played center back, with Orozco moving to left back as Padelford came out. Simon Becher replaced Jeong up front.Ìý