St Louis City SC maintains its perfect MLS start, clinching a thumping 3-1 win against last season’s expansion team Charlotte FC in its first-ever league home opener
St Louis City SC has extended its hot start to its new life in the MLS, after having won its first-ever league home opener, thumping last season’s expansion team Charlotte FC 3-1.
Captained by former Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Bürki, America’s newest soccer team, which is led by a nine-strong majority female ownership group, trailed through an Enzo Copetti header in the 25th minute against the run of play.
However, just four minutes before the interval, Charlotte center-back Bill Tuiloma rose over St Louis striker Joao Klauss de Mello too early for a cross and resulted in heading the ball back into his own net, catching his goalkeeper Pablo Sisniega off his line.
One of his team’s two designated players, German midfielder Eduard Lowen, gave St Louis the lead from the penalty spot before the half-time whistle was blown (45+5′) after Charlotte’s Karol Świderski, of Poland, handled the ball from within his own box.
Saturday night gradually got worse for The Crown as the match went on, with an error at the back from the team’s French center-back Adilson Malanda gifting St Louis a two-goal cushion in the 71st minute.
St. Louis City SC players celebrate after midfielder Eduard Lowen scores his side’s second goal
St. Louis City SC forward Klauss celebrates after scoring from a Charlotte error at the back
Malanda carelessly made a back pass to Sisniega while Klauss was preying around the box.
The Brazilian intercepted the ball before it reached the Charlotte goalkeeper and chipped it to score St Louis’ third goal of the night, driving home fans into delirium.
Saturday’s match at CityPark had a sellout crowd of 22,423, according to the St Louis Dispatch, as fans were heard singing ‘S-T-L! S-T-L!’ in full voice after the final whistle.
In February, Klauss scored in the 86th minute against Austin FC to mark St Louis’ first MLS game as a match to remember with a 3-2 victory in Texas’ capital.
It was a stunning loss for Austin, which advanced to the Western Conference final before losing 3-0 to eventual champion LAFC in its second season of play last year.
St. Louis became the first team to win its inaugural match since LAFC beat Seattle 1-0 in 2018.
The club next faces the Portland Timbers away on March 11. The Timbers are now 1-1 overall after Saturday night’s loss to MLS Cup reigning champions LAFC (3-2).
The match at CityPark had a sellout crowd of 22,423 in what was St Louis first-ever home game
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