St Louis CITY2 (1-4-3) returns to CITYPARK this weekend for a rivalry showdown against Sporting Kansas City II (4-3-1). The match kicks off at 5:00 p.m. CT, and it will be streamed on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app.
Although this weekend’s match will be CITY2 and SKC II’s first meeting of the season, the two sides met three times last season in what were three tightly-contested matches. Playing as the away side in the first two matches, CITY2 claimed 1-0 and 2-1 victories over SKC II. When the two sides met again later in the season in St. Louis, Sporting Kansas City II earned two points after winning shootouts following the teams’ 1-1 draw.
CITY2 wasted no time getting on the board in their last match against LAFC2, as midfielder John Klein buried a shot off a pass from midfielder Faysal Bettache in the 5th minute. Klein added to his total with another goal in the 37th minute, this time finishing a ball from defender Ezra Armstrong. After being held to zero (0) shots on goal in the first half, LAFC2 clawed their way back into the game after the break, scoring in the 49th minute to make it 2-1 and then netting the equalizer in the 71st minute. CITY2 responded by keeping LAFC2 scoreless for the rest of the match before winning shootouts 5-3 to claim the extra point.
Klein’s four (4) goals on the season make him tied for the ninth-highest total in MLS NEXT Pro. With the assists from Bettache and Armstrong against LAFC2, six (6) different players have now recorded an assist for CITY2. Winning challenges has been a key component of CITY2’s play thus far, with the team one of only two in MLS NEXT Pro with three players (Wan Kuzain, Michael Wentzel, Sergio Rivas) in the top thirty for tackles won.
SKC II enters this weekend’s match after claiming a 2-1 victory against Galaxy II on Matchday 8. They have scored at least one goal in every match thus far and are led by forward Pau Vidal, whose six (6) goals are tied for second-most in NEXT Pro. With the match being the first of three games in eight days, CITY2 will look to get a busy stretch of the season started with a win.
