Looking to extend their current unbeaten streak to five straight matches, St Louis CITY2 (2-1-2, 9 points) will host Real Monarchs (1-2-1, 4 points) on Friday, April 19. The match kicks off at 7:00 p.m. CT and will be streamed on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app.
CITY2 poured in eight goals across their two matchups with Real Monarchs last season, winning on both occasions. When the teams met for the first time in Utah, AJ Palazzolo netted the fastest goal in club history, scoring just 38 seconds into a match that CITY2 eventually won 4-1. The teams met again at CITYPARK later in the season, where CITY2 dazzled in front of a then-MLS NEXT Pro record 9,489 fans on the way to a 4-0 victory. St. Louis is a perfect 4-0-0 across four all-time meetings with the Monarchs, outscoring them 12-1 in those contests.
For the second straight season, CITY2 will have a chance to continue an unbeaten run when Real Monarchs visit CITYPARK. Last year, the team was looking to pick up their third straight result, whereas this season the team is going for its fifth straight result. To reach their current four-match unbeaten status, CITY2 shut out Austin FC II 1-0 in Texas last weekend. Forward Brendan McSorley got on the scoresheet for the second week in a row, slotting in the game-winning goal in the 66th minute to give CITY2 the road win.
By blanking Austin FC II last weekend, CITY2 has now allowed just five goals through five matches this season, tying the team for the fifth-lowest goals against in MLS NEXT Pro. The win gave goalkeeper Christian Olivares his first clean sheet of the season.
Midfielder John Klein will look to continue his hot start to the season on Friday as well. After assisting McSorley’s game-winner against Austin, Klein now has three goal contributions (2 goals, 1 assist) in five matches this season. The assist was Klein’s 13th goal contribution over his last 14 MLS NEXT Pro regular season matches dating back to last year.
Cam Cilley has played a key role in midfield for CITY2 this season. He leads the team in successful passes (197), is second on the team in successful balls played (202) and is third on the team in successful crosses (3). His 12 key passes lead the team and are tied for the second most in MLS NEXT Pro this year.
Real Monarchs are entering the match looking to rebound after falling 1-0 to The Town FC in their last time out. Friday’s contest will be the Monarchs’ second road game of the season, having lost 5-3 to Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 earlier this year. Forward Matthew Bell has been a focal point of the team’s attack thus far, leading the team in goal contributions (3) and key passes (12).
