Following last Thursday night’s 1-1 draw against The Town FC, which led to an extra point after a 5-3 shootout win from the penalty mark, MNUFC2 returns to the pitch at the National Sports Center for a matinee matchup with St. Louis CITY2. This will be the Twos' second meeting of the season against the current second seed in the Western Conference, following May’s initial matchup that saw CITY2 leave NSC with a 2-1 victory.
However, with May well in the rearview mirror and significant development over the past few months, the Twos' attacking third has continued to improve and pose more of a scoring threat to the opposition. Core players like 2024 MLS NEXT All-Star Darius Randell, the lightning-quick wing Loïc Mesanvi, and playmaking midfielder Kage Romanshyn Jr. have only grown more in sync with each other. The firepower generated by this talented trio will certainly challenge St. Louis’ defensive third. If this dynamic group can find the net, MNUFC2 has a strong chance to secure a positive result and avenge their early-season loss to CITY2.
On the flip side, the Twosies will need someone to step up in support of the defensive third. Center back Hugo Bacharach will be unavailable for this Sunday’s matchup after receiving two yellow cards against The Town, resulting in a red card and a one-game suspension. While the 2024 MLS SuperDraft pick serves his suspension, Academy standout Dominic Mawing returns from his own one-game red card suspension, which should provide some much-needed support. If Mawing can fill Bacharach’s shoes and hold up against the CITY2 attack, it will be crucial in easing some of the pressure on defensive stalwarts Finn McRobb and Britton Fischer.
However, Mawing may not be the only Academy talent to see important minutes this Sunday, especially with the club’s recent loan outs of MNUFC2 regulars Morris Duggan, Patrick Weah, and Molik Jesse Khan. No doubt, there will be plenty of talented players at the Academy level that are ready to seize the opportunity and contribute.
Come see if MNUFC2 can take down CITY2 this Sunday at 2:00 p.m. at the National Sports Center in Blaine. Get your tickets today at SeatGeek.com. Can't make it to NSC? Stream the game for FREE on MLSNEXTPro.com.
