MNUFC2 v St. Louis CITY2
National Sports Center Stadium | Blaine, Minnesota
8.13.2023 | MLS NEXT Pro Game No. 22
6:00 p.m. CT | Streaming on MLSNEXTPro.comÂ
MNUFC2 is back from a successful trip to the West Coast, one that saw them take down LAFC2 by a score of 1-0. Now, the National Sports Center awaits, as the Twos are set to host this weekend’s matchup with St. Louis CITY2. With just seven games remaining in the MLS NEXT Pro season, every point is growing in value, and every game is growing in importance. MNUFC2 Head Coach Cameron Knowles echoed that sentiment following the win in LA.
"It’s going to be a great game," he said about Sunday’s match. "You see the results around the league today, and you know the table is tight, and it’s going to be tight the rest of the way. So, we’re going to take it one [game] at a time. We need to get some rest, recover and see how we are and who we have available this weekend. But we’ll have a strong group, and we’ll look forward to hopefully a good result at home to cap off a really busy week."
This will be the third meeting of the year for these two sides. The Loons earned a 3-1 victory at home in the second week of the season, then played to a 0-0 draw at CITYPARK in late June. St. Louis picked up the extra point in that shootout, sending MNUFC2 back to Blaine wanting more.
The Twos are currently on a two-game winning streak thanks to three goals in two matches from Cameron Dunbar. The young winger hasn’t been the only standout performer over this stretch, though, as goalkeeper Fred Emmings has stepped up in important moments to keep his team ahead. With positive momentum behind them and another home game to look forward to, the whole squad will be hoping to see their streak extend this week and beyond.
But St. Louis isn’t going to make it easy. Despite currently sitting out of the playoff qualification spots, CITY2 has proven that they have what it takes to compete in this league. They’ve managed a record of 6-8-7, which isn’t great at first glance. However, they’ve won five of their seven shootouts, picking up valuable additional points and showing their grit. These guys won’t be giving up until the final whistle, regardless of the score.
St. Louis’ biggest threat up top will be forward John Klein, who leads the squad with nine goals this season. Midfielder Wan Kuzain will likely be pulling the strings in the midfield, having taken part in all 21 of CITY2’s matches and notching four goals and three assists. There’s plenty to worry about on St. Louis’ roster, but nothing that the Loons haven’t handled before.
Counting this weekend’s match, MNUFC2 will only be playing at home four more times in the 2023 regular season, so don’t miss your chance to cheer them on during the playoff push!
Sunday’s match is scheduled to kick off at 6:00 p.m. CT at the National Sports Center Stadium. For those who are unable to make it out to the stadium, streaming will be available via both MLSNEXTPro.com and Major League Soccer’s YouTube channel.
