51黑料 City SC's goal at Vancouver: Getting a lead and holding on to it
As 51黑料 City SC moves toward the end of its season, it can only hope that that goes better than the end of most of its games.
In an alternate universe where City SC could close out games, holding on to leads in the final 15 minutes, City SC would be a playoff team. It has lost 15 points from winning positions in the second half of games this season, which right now is the difference between being in 14th place in the West 鈥 which is where they are 鈥 and being tied for seventh 鈥 where they would love to be. And not blowing those leads would likely have some residual value, helping to chase the doom and gloom away that permeated the team for much of the summer.
City SC, which makes yet another trip to the West Coast to face Vancouver on Saturday, has allowed more goals in the 75th minute or later than any team in the league. It has allowed a goal in the 85th minute or later in four straight games, two of which turned potential ties into losses. And that doesn鈥檛 even include the Open Cup game with Minnesota, where City SC gave up goals in the 85th and 88th minutes to turn a win into a loss and elimination.
The most recent example was last Saturday against Chicago, who City SC led 2-1 in the second half before giving up goals in the 67th and 87th minute to lose 3-2. Since the start of June, it鈥檚 also happened against Minnesota in MLS play (allowing goals in the 75th and 90th) and Portland (55th and 91st).
鈥淐hicago was a very, very tough loss,鈥 said midfielder Eduard Lowen, 鈥渏ust as many losses we鈥檝e had throughout the season where we played a really, really good game, and we would have deserved a win or at least a point, and then getting scored on that late and in the way we lost. It鈥檚 frustrating, for sure.鈥
The search for a cause has been elusive, but it led to a lengthy discussion of the topic in conjunction with the team鈥檚 Tuesday film session that pushed the team getting on field back more than 45 minutes. One thing the team is looking at is communication. As the game progresses, the players have often been getting increasingly spread out on the field, but not always communicating to others about that gap. That鈥檚 leaving more space for opponents to get the ball and create scoring chances. So in 11 v. 11 segments in practice this week, the coaching staff was stopping play in the equivalent of the 70th minute and telling everyone to start talking more.
鈥淚 wanted the guys to be more communicative, more intense,鈥 interim coach David Critchley said, 鈥渟o at the end of the practice now, I鈥檓 asking for more from these guys. So you need to tap in, mentally, and your body, physically, needs to be able to do it as well.鈥
鈥淲e press a lot,鈥 said midfielder Marcel Hartel, 鈥渟o maybe some guys are not on 100 percent anymore, but then we have to communicate it in the game that we maybe step a bit back to stay a bit deeper so that we don鈥檛 just have one guy go in the press and don鈥檛 have energy in this situation to press with him. So we need more communication also on the field. If our front four have not the energy to press anymore, that we step a bit back so that we don鈥檛 concede that goal so easy.鈥
鈥淲e鈥檝e just got to be more awake, more sharp, even especially in the last 20 minutes or so,鈥 Lowen said.
That won鈥檛 be the only thing on City SC鈥檚 mind against Vancouver. The Whitecaps were, for a while, the hot team in the league, but they have come down to earth with just three wins and two ties in their past 10 games. But the team is a hot commodity again after signing German superstar Thomas Muller. No one knows how good Muller is than the German-heavy City SC roster.
鈥淥ne of the biggest players of all time, for sure,鈥 Lowen said. 鈥淭he trophies he鈥檚 won, how many trophies he鈥檚 won, how many titles, how many goals he scored, I think he鈥檚 in a top 10 all-time goal scorers in the Champions League. He鈥檚 one of the best players of all time.鈥
Muller, an attacking midfielder, won 13 Bundesliga titles in 16 seasons with Bayern Munich 鈥 parity is not a thing in European soccer 鈥 two UEFA Champions League titles and a World Cup. He has 10 goals in World Cup play; only eight players have more.
鈥淗e鈥檚 a special, special person for us German guys,鈥 said Hartel. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a German legend. He鈥檚 achieved so much in his career. We are very happy that he鈥檚 here and playing for the MLS. That means a lot for a lot of guys from Germany.鈥
Muller, who turns 36 in September, came off the bench and played 30 minutes for his Vancouver debut on Sunday against Houston and scored a goal, only to have it erased on an offside call. He could be making his first start on Saturday.
鈥淩espect what he鈥檚 done as a player and respect him,鈥 Critchley said, 鈥渂ut not give him too much respect, where you give him too much space, give him too much time, I think the best way you can respect him is know his strengths and try to combat it. So the role of our double 6s (most likely Lowen and Chris Durkin) will be pretty important in this game, just trying to eliminate the space for him. He had a goal against Houston that was called back, but I think it was his third or fourth touch. He hits the volley bottom corner. So in those types of areas, in those types of spaces, just to be hyper alert and try to not give him any time and space, because you did see the quality in the finish.鈥
51黑料 City SC moves Mykhi Joyner back on to first-team roster
With available spots on the first-team roster, 51黑料 City SC on Thursday moved forward Mykhi Joyner from having an off-roster Homegrown designation to a spot on the team鈥檚 supplemental roster. That move makes Joyner eligible to play for City SC in every game for the rest of the season.
The off-roster status had allowed City SC to not count Joyner against its roster limit, but he was still allowed to appear in six Major League Soccer games in the season on a short-term loan. With Joyner having made the last of those six appearances two weeks ago against Nashville, he could not play again for the first team without a change in roster status.
Playing with City2, the club鈥檚 developmental team in MLS Next Pro, Joyner has scored 14 goals, second-most in that league. (Eight of them have come on penalty kicks.) He鈥檚 seen as a dynamic player and the best and closest of the club鈥檚 four Homegrown players to being ready to play with the first team.
In his six games with City SC this season, Joyner yet to score in 98 minutes. He also made one start for the team in its U.S. Open Cup match with Union Omaha.
Cedric Teuchert will miss his third game in a row with a hip injury, so Joyner, who turns 19 next week, will make the trip to Vancouver for this weekend.
There still figures to be more playing time available for Joyner with City2, which has six regular-season games to play and up to four postseason games. City2 clinched a playoff spot over the weekend and leads MLS Next Pro in points.
鈥淲hether he comes into our roster and plays on the weekend for us, that鈥檚 something that鈥檚 great,鈥 said interim City SC coach David Critchley. 鈥淗e鈥檚 going to travel with us this weekend, so that鈥檚 exciting for him, but we want to make sure he keeps playing minutes. You might see one or two games where he goes back to City2, especially as they make a playoff run and get some minutes there, but he鈥檚 going to be in our training environments now, training with us consistently and trying to, just for all these players, bridge that gap to be closer from second-team football to first-team football.鈥
Critchley started the season as the coach of City2 and before that worked with City SC鈥檚 academy teams, so he鈥檚 witnessed firsthand Joyner鈥檚 development over the years.
鈥淗e鈥檚 shown me consistency,鈥 he said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 shown me that he can be a good threat in front of goal and score some goals. He came into our training environment yesterday and scored himself two goals in the 11 v. 11 game at the end. So he鈥檚 a natural goal scorer, but a lot of his growth has also come away from the field.
鈥淗e鈥檚 starting to mature more and more now. Every single time I look at him, he鈥檚 taken his development a lot more serious in how he eats, how he sleeps, how he rests. So that鈥檚 some of the stuff that also shows me that he鈥檚 getting closer to being a professional.鈥
51黑料 City SC interim coach David Critchley speaks after the team's win over Nashville SC. Video edited by Beth O'Malley
Whoops! There it goes again for 51黑料 City SC: STL Soccer Talk
Whoops! There it goes again for 51黑料 City SC
51黑料 City SC beat writer Tom Timmermann and co-host Beth O'Malley reflect on another blown lead by City SC, which continues to allow late goals that continue to cost them. If City SC could hold leads, it would be in playoff contention. But it can't, so it isn鈥檛.
51黑料
51黑料 City SC beat writer Tom Timmermann and co-host Beth O'Malley reflect on another blown lead by City SC, which continues to allow late goals that continue to cost them. If City SC could hold leads, it would be in playoff contention. But it can't, so it isn鈥檛.
Kessler returns at center back for 51黑料 City SC, finds himself in a battle
Whoops! There it goes again for 51黑料 City SC
51黑料 City SC beat writer Tom Timmermann and co-host Beth O'Malley reflect on another blown lead by City SC, which continues to allow late goals that continue to cost them. If City SC could hold leads, it would be in playoff contention. But it can't, so it isn鈥檛.
51黑料
A lot has happened since Henry Kessler had last appeared in a game as a center back for 51黑料 City SC, most notably the acquisition of another center back, Fallou Fall, who will be a contender for playing time, just like Kessler and Timo Baumgartl.
With interim coach David Critchley committed to a four-man back line, he said last week he didn鈥檛 see a scenario where all three could be on the field at once. Which means the competition will be high in practice this week with all three players fit enough to start.
鈥淗ealthy, healthy,鈥 is how Kessler described the competition Tuesday. 鈥淚 think we all bring things to the table. All can play those positions. So it鈥檚 been good.鈥
Kessler started and played 57 minutes on Saturday against Chicago, his first appearance since June 8 in Portland. It was just his fourth appearance since April 13, when he suffered the first of two injuries to his left hamstring. Critchley said Kessler got the start because he had a fixed number of minutes to play, and bringing on Fall late would help with the defense.
Kessler was probably the team鈥檚 MVP over the first two months of the season, anchoring at the time the league鈥檚 stingiest defense. Kessler thinks it鈥檚 quite possible his second hamstring injury 鈥 same leg, same muscle 鈥 was an extension of the first injury, but he also knows that the second time he injured it was on a hot day on the artificial turf in Portland, and that was probably not the best situation for him to be playing in.
鈥淚 think they鈥檙e definitely related,鈥 he said. 鈥淏ut a lot of things within the body are, so it鈥檚 unsurprising. ... Maybe, maybe if it wasn鈥檛 100 degrees in Portland, maybe then I don鈥檛 get injured. Maybe if that game wasn鈥檛 on turf, I don鈥檛 get injured. So there鈥檚 a lot of factors that have to be considered, and I think we learn from it, both myself and all the medical staff. The conditions were brutal. It was, I think, 95, felt like 103, something like that. So one of the hotter games I鈥檝e ever played, and 90 minutes, and it came down to a late goal. So we were definitely pushing for it. And unfortunately reinjured that muscle.鈥
Now Kessler, like many of his teammates, has eight games to show what he can do. His contract is up after this season, with the club holding an option.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 an opportunity,鈥 he said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 always so much to play for, even if it鈥檚 not where we want to be in the standings. Personally, as a team, there鈥檚 a lot of pride that we have, guys playing for contracts, stuff like that, so there鈥檚 always plenty to play for.鈥
鈥淚t鈥檚 those three competing for those two starting spots,鈥 Critchley said. 鈥淪o I鈥檒l be looking at what partnership will complement the game best based on the opponent and where we鈥檙e at confidence-wise, so if Thomas Muller is going to start the game and is going to be good drifting into the pockets, I need a defender who鈥檚 going to be aggressive stepping into the next line. But it always starts with the foundation of how they show up this week in training.鈥
Goodbye to Xande Silva
Xande Silva, whom City SC acquired from Atlanta at the close of the first transfer window, moved on four months later at the close of the second, as City SC transferred him to Hapoel Tel Aviv F.C. in the Israeli Premier League on Tuesday. City SC will keep a sell-on fee for any future transfer. Hapoel earned promotion from the second division to the first after last season.
Silva鈥檚 time with City SC was unremarkable at best. The team took a chance on him after it was clear he was not going to be playing with Atlanta. He was acquired on April 23 for $100,000 in general allocation money, plus more from incentives, though it鈥檚 unlikely any were hit. He played in 11 MLS games, always coming off the bench, and had no goals, no assists and just three shots on goal out of eight shots overall.
He also played two U.S. Open Cup games, making his only start with City SC in the game against Union Omaha. He was a healthy scratch for his final two games, not making the roster for the games against Nashville and Chicago.
Silva鈥檚 departure opened up another international spot for City SC, and the club quickly turned around and moved it to Chicago for $150,000 in GAM.
A long journey home
Travel is never easy for City SC, perched as it is on the eastern edge of the Western Conference. The team has to make seven trips to the West Coast every season, including this week, when it makes the longest trip of the season: 1,766 air miles, to play at Vancouver. But that doesn鈥檛 mean it鈥檚 the worst trip.
That might well have been City SC鈥檚 trip back home from Chicago on Saturday. Or really, Sunday. Because of thunderstorms, the game didn鈥檛 start until 9:02 p.m. and ended about 11 p.m., which means it was after midnight when the team got to the airport for the short flight home.
But an equipment problem with the plane kept the team on its bus for an hour, and then when it got on the plane, it was just in time for another wave of storms to hit. The plane didn鈥檛 take off until 3:33 a.m., landing in 51黑料 at 4:24. Players weren鈥檛 getting home until 5:30 a.m.
鈥淚t was not ideal,鈥 Kessler said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the closest trip and ended up being the worst travel. That鈥檚 just how it works.鈥
City2 clinches playoff spot
City2 became the first team to clinch a spot in the MLS Next Pro playoffs with its win over North Texas on Saturday.
City2 has a league-record 13-game unbeaten streak and is up 12 points in the West, though the team in second in the West, Town FC, has three more games than City2 left on its schedule.
The team is home on Sunday to face Sporting Kansas City II at 6 p.m. at Energizer Park. City2 is 40 points up on SKC II, which is at the bottom of the league with just two wins in 21 games.
Another game, another blown lead as 51黑料 City SC falls 3-2 to Chicago Fire
As 51黑料 City SC staggers to the close of its season, it showed again on Saturday night that what it is lacking in wins, it more than makes up for in exasperation.
On another night where a potential success gave way to another heavy helping of frustration, City SC led 2-1 going into the 67th minute, only to give up two late goals and come away with nothing in a 3-2 loss to the Chicago Fire at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois. It was the second time in its past three games City SC has led that late in the game, only to lose, and the fourth consecutive game it had allowed a goal in the 85th minute or later. If City SC could have held on to the leads it has had this season, it would be in a playoff position.
鈥淭his one, it was tough tonight,鈥 said interim coach David Critchley. 鈥淢y mind is still going in a thousand directions. This one stings a little.鈥
And the way SC goes about these games continues to make the losses even more painful. City SC was outplayed in the first half and trailed 1-0 but then came out in the second half and scored twice to take a 2-1 lead and create the thought that maybe this game would be different. But they seldom are, and City SC gave up goals in the 67th and 87th minutes, and once again, it didn鈥檛 even get a point for a tie.
鈥淚t鈥檚 very disappointing,鈥 said midfielder Tomas Ostrak, who almost single-handedly put City SC in the lead, scoring the first goal and setting up the second. 鈥淚 think we played very well in the second half. We came with good energy. I felt like we鈥檙e doing a very good job. We pressed very well. We鈥檝e been confident on the ball. We passed the ball around very well, quick. We had some good decisions, then we score goal, second goal, very good, good in the game. And then I don鈥檛 know. I don鈥檛 even know what happened.鈥
What happened was City SC couldn鈥檛 hold its lead. Since Critchley took over, City SC has lost 11 points from winning positions in the second half. That鈥檚 more than under Olof Mellberg, primarily because the team led far less often during his time as coach.
鈥淲e try playing the same soccer,鈥 Ostrak said, 鈥渂ecause we鈥檝e been playing forward, playing fast, playing straight, nobody was hiding. But sometimes one fails, and they have a good team. They have very good attacking players, so they have quality, of course. We knew, and we should be more careful and be more prepared for them. But it was very tough because it was like one second, and then, we lost the ball. They got some transition; they scored the goal. And it鈥檚 with that kind of quality player, it鈥檚 very, very tough. But overall, I鈥檓 very happy for this performance of our team.鈥
鈥淚f we would have come away with it with a 2-1 win, I would probably be the happiest man in Chicago,鈥 said Critchley. 鈥淲e know we鈥檝e conceded goals late in games. I know that data shows in the 75th minute we鈥檙e the No. 1 team that鈥檚 conceded goals this season. I鈥檓 very fully aware of that. So we need to keep working on these details. And it鈥檚 not a combination of one thing. It鈥檚 a little bit of everything. So we鈥檝e got to continue to get through these moments. And when I saw this go 2-1 up, I knew we kind of needed a third goal, just by what the season has shown me as a coach that stepped into this group this season.鈥
While wins at this point are mostly cosmetic for City SC, the losses keep moving it closer to mathematic elimination, though in any practical sense, elimination is a fait accompli. If City SC were to win all eight of its remaining games, finishing with 45 points might not be enough to make the playoffs. And considering that City SC has lost seven straight on the road, getting outscored 17-5 in the process, winning all four of its remaining road games seems an ambitious proposition. City SC is tied with the Los Angeles Galaxy for the fewest points in road games this season: five.
In another ongoing occurrence at City SC games, a discouraging result overshadowed an encouraging performance. Ostrak scored his first goal in 17 months, much of which he missed due to a serious leg injury, and also had an assist and kept going his run of solid play over the past month. He tied the game in the 47th minute, getting a ball in the box, positioning himself so he had a shooting lane and put it into the upper left side of the goal. Twelve minutes later, he crossed a ball to Marcel Hartel, who controlled it and fired in a shot from about 8 yards out for his fifth goal and to put City SC ahead.
鈥淭omas has grown every week,鈥 Critchley said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 in a good position right now. I would probably say for me, it鈥檚 the best form he鈥檚 been in since being at this club. He鈥檚 training really well. He plays really well. I鈥檓 so super-happy when I see guys from the back end and training every single day, work on their craft and work as hard as they can and then get rewarded in front of the fans and globally. So Tomas is contributing very well to this team, so I should be happy with his performance.鈥
鈥淚鈥檓 very happy,鈥 Ostrak said, 鈥渂ecause after this injury, I think I didn鈥檛 score for one and maybe one-half year. Maybe, I don鈥檛 even know how long it is, but I鈥檓 very proud. I鈥檓 very happy for me, but very disappointed with the result. So I don鈥檛 know how I should manage it? It鈥檚 like nice feelings but bad feelings as well. So I will be happier if we get these three points. I will be happier from that.鈥
The start of the game was delayed one hour and 21 minutes as thunderstorms passed through the area.
SLU men's soccer has the defense, but offense will have to step up for a return to NCAAs
51黑料 University goalkeeper Jeremi Abonnel (28) high-fives fans after SLU beat Indiana 2-0 in their season opener on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024, at Hermann Stadium.
Laurie Skrivan, Post-Dispatch
As 51黑料 University men鈥檚 soccer coach Kevin Kalish looks at his roster, he鈥檚 confident it鈥檚 a team that will be able to score some goals this season. Identifying who will score those goals is a bit more tricky.
SLU kicks off its season at 7 p.m. Thursday against South Florida at Hermann Stadium, and it is a very different squad from last season. Thirteen of the 30 players on the team鈥檚 roster are freshmen. Add in four transfers, and more than half of the team is new for 2025.
Gone with those graduates is much of the team鈥檚 offense. SLU scored 31 goals last season, but the players who are back scored only nine of them. (And four of those nine goals came in one late-season game against Division III Blackburn.) In its final four games of 2024, SLU scored just two goals, both in the same game: the Atlantic 10 Conference semifinal. So while the team鈥檚 defense stands strong, anchored by goalkeeper Jeremi Abonnel, the A-10鈥檚 preseason pick as top goalie, its offense will be a work in progress.
鈥淚 think we have probably the best attacking pieces that we鈥檝e had it since I鈥檝e been here, maybe outside of 鈥21 in terms of just individual attackers,鈥 Kalish said. 鈥淭hat was kind of a key focus. I think (assistant coaches) Jack (Roberts), Kevin (Stoll) and Carlos (Tofern) did a great job recruiting some really talented attacking players that I think could unlock games and be very good in 1 v. 1 moments out wide. But also, younger but very talented attackers that we think can score goals at this level. So they still got to prove it, but we鈥檙e excited about the pieces.
鈥淚 think the key for us is really just putting them in spots where they can bring out the talent. And we鈥檝e got a great amount of talent.鈥
But who will it be? Midfielder Tanner Anderson is the leading returning scorer with four, and Kalish is optimistic that with more minutes, he鈥檒l score more goals. Sophomore Jackson Delkus, one of the nation鈥檚 top recruits two years ago, had three goals but should also benefit from more playing time. Sophomore Andrew Heckelaible and transfer Xavi O鈥橬eil from Boston College could figure in the equation. There are others.
鈥淚 think that鈥檚 been a very big area of emphasis from the coaching staff going from last year to this year,鈥 said midfielder Carlos Leatherman. 鈥淥bviously, we have my last two years that I鈥檝e been here, we鈥檝e had a very good defensive record, and that鈥檚 something that we look to keep moving forward. But I think scoring goals is obviously something that you have to do to win games, and I think the coaching staff has done an amazing job in bringing in pieces that should help us achieve those goals.鈥
SLU鈥檚 defense allowed just 19 goals last season, the fewest in the A-10 and 20th nationally. Abonnel, in his third season at SLU, was fourth in the nation in shutouts last season with nine. In one of SLU鈥檚 big wins last season, against Indiana, he stopped a penalty kick and then tipped away a free kick, both in the closing minutes, to protect a win and a shutout.
鈥淚f they do break through, we know we trust him,鈥 said defender Grady Easton. 鈥淗e鈥檚 going to make a save; he鈥檚 going to do some things that other keepers can鈥檛. It鈥檚 very relieving as a center back to kind of have him behind you, knowing that he could clean up anything if it does come down to it.鈥
While many college soccer teams have gone international, bringing in players from overseas to fill their rosters, SLU has gone very local. Three freshmen, midfielders Nick Schramm and Jack DiMaria (son of SLU star Jeff) and defender Kai Jaeger, are products of the City SC academy just up Market Street, and all have suited up with City2, City SC鈥檚 team in MLS Next Pro. There were also three players, including Delkus, from the previous recruiting class who have played and trained with City2.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been really fortunate to foster a great relationship with 51黑料 City and a lot of the youth clubs in the area,鈥 said Kalish. 鈥淥ur No.1 priority will always be to get 51黑料 players at SLU. Obviously, every year is a little bit different on what your recruiting needs are. It just so happened that we lost a large amount of talent and players last year. We have a little bit of opportunity, spots to fill, a little bit of just that was a really good cycle of players coming through locally.鈥
The big risk of a team getting up to speed in-season is that for SLU, its nonconference play is very important. If SLU doesn鈥檛 get some good results there, it will be dependent on winning the A-10 tournament to get an NCAA berth for the fourth time in five seasons, something it hasn鈥檛 done since 2003.
鈥淚t is a balancing act,鈥 Kalish said. 鈥淚 thought last year we played some of our best soccer early, and then a lot of our key guys got injured middle to late part of the season, and we kind of petered into the NCAA tournament. We still had a good performance, but I think our attack wasn鈥檛 clicking on all cylinders. I think we鈥檙e kind of looking at this more holistically, looking at trying to keep guys not only fresh but available for late in the season.
鈥淲e have a lot of depth, trust the guys that we have, and if we happen to maybe lose a result or two in the early part of the season because of it, so be it. But we think it鈥檚 about building a team that鈥檚 ready to win championships and compete in November.鈥
SLU women ranked 23rd
SLU鈥檚 women鈥檚 soccer team moved into the national rankings from United Soccer Coaches after its season-opening 4-0 win over Kansas City, checking in at No. 23 after being the first team out of the top 25 last week.
SLU plays at No. 14 Penn State in University Park, Pennsylvania, on Thursday and then plays its home opener Sunday against Missouri, part of a doubleheader with the men鈥檚 team, which faces SMU.
51黑料 U. coach Josh Schertz speaks with the media via Zoom on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, after a a SLU season-ending loss at Arkansas State in the National Invitation Tournament.
