St. Louis CITY 2 v MNUFC2
CITYPARK | St. Louis, Missouri
04.02.2023 | MLS NEXT Pro Game No. 2
5:00 p.m. CT | Streaming on AppleTV’s MLS Season Pass
MNUFC2 came up big in their first match of the season last Friday, scoring three goals and securing a clean sheet against the Real Monarchs. The Twos have been working hard to improve upon their inaugural season success in MLS NEXT Pro, and these first three points showcase some positive momentum. Next up, MNUFC2 will face a formidable opponent in St. Louis CITY 2 – the 2022 league runner-ups. In another road match, the Loons will need to keep their intensity and composure to come out on top once again this week.
A real standout from the Twos' first match was Diogo Pacheco. Pacheco had a great showing that wreaked havoc on the Monarch’s backline and resulted in a brace. Fred Emmings also stepped up to the plate, earning his first shutout with three saves. The Twosies' 3-0 drubbing of Real Monarchs was especially impressive given the absence of key players Emmanuel Iwe and Zaydan Bello, who were called up to support the first team during the international window, along with Molik Jesse Khan, who was summoned to national-team duties of his own. In their place, multiple MNUFC Academy players were given an opportunity to show off their skills at the next level, including Kage Romanshyn, Carlos Leatherman, and MLS NEXT Performer of the Matchday, Leo Conneh.
Look for MNUFC2 to put forth an even stronger showing in this week's matchup, as the return of seven regulars to the first team should allow for several Twosies mainstays to return to the starting XI against SLC2.
On the other side of the ball, City2 finished first in the Western Conference last year with 49 points but fell short of a league victory to Columbus Crew 2 in the Cup final. Clearly, St. Louis was very successful last year. However, in the creation of a new MLS team, St. Louis took some of their best NEXT Pro players and added them to the first-team roster. A new first team could very well impact the success of the second team, but it is far too early to tell.
The Loons played St. Louis twice last season; the first match was a dominating 4-0 road win and the second was a close 2-1 loss at home. MNUFC2 held firm against one of the better teams in the league in 2022, though, with big changes to both teams, it will be a whole different game this time around.
“Obviously some of the guys here will remember those games and remember playing against that team, but they've changed a lot and we've changed a lot,so it's not going to be a carbon copy of last year for either team,” said Head Coach Cameron Knowles. “We expect a very difficult game; they were easily one of the better teams in the league last year. You saw how many of the players then kicked on to the first team. So it's going to be a challenge for us.”
A notable addition to the St. Louis roster, especially for Loons fans, is Aziel Jackson. The leading scorer for MNUFC2 last year, Jackson was a big chance creator and offensive force for the Twos. It will be interesting to possibly see him on the same field as his old team again, only this time in an opposing role.
Currently, MNUFC2 have three points following their win, and St. Louis CITY 2 have one point after their 1-1 draw with Tacoma Defiance and subsequent 5-4 shootout loss. Though a better start for the Loons, this will be a very difficult match, especially with St. Louis itching for their first win of the season. The boys in Black and Blue will need to take their winning momentum and continue to add fuel to it if they want another three points.
“We talk about this all the time in terms of everyone just helping the guys around them,” said Knowles. “If you can communicate and organize with the guy next to you, the guy in front of you, that works through the different layers of the team so that everyone can get on the same page. We're going to have to be very, very disciplined for 90 minutes this weekend. And we've certainly got the group to do it.”
Though still early in the 2023 campaign, Sunday’s tilt will be an excellent litmus test for a Twosies squad that opens the season with six consecutive away matches. Earning a result on the road is always an uphill battle, particularly when you’re heading to a place like St. Louis — a soccer-crazed city riding the momentum of the best expansion start in MLS history. The challenge that lies ahead this weekend is certainly great, but so is the opportunity. And if MNUFC2 are able to steal three points on the road against last season’s NEXT Pro runners-up, not only will they will be off to a flying start; they will have officially put the league on notice that the Loons are a force to be reckoned with this season.
