With his brace, midfielder John Klein scored for a fourth consecutive match
St Louis CITY2 picked up three points in commanding fashion, trouncing visiting side Portland Timbers2 4-1 on Friday, August 18. The home team added to their lone first half goal with three goals in the second frame to seal their season-high third straight home victory.
In the early going, CITY2 pinned the visitors deep in their defensive third and generated numerous scoring chances but were unable to convert any of their opportunities. Later in the frame, the home side raced downfield on a counterattack and sent a cross into the eighteen-yard box, but the ensuing header from airborne forward Caden Glover was nudged out of bounds.
But it didn’t take much longer for the home team to put one in the back of the net. After intercepting a heavy touch by a Portland defender, midfielder Isak Jensen dribbled around two defenders before burying a shot into the middle of the goal in the 35th minute. It was Jensen’s first goal this season.
Minutes out of the halftime break, a corner kick service from midfielder Faysal Bettache bounced off a Timbers2 defender and defender Nolan McGuire cleaned it up to double CITY2’s advantage and score his first goal of the season. Portland responded in the 55th minute, sneaking one between a crowd of players after a ricochet rolled in front of the goal.
In the 64th minute, CITY2 pushed their lead back to two goals. Midfielder Max Schneider curled a corner kick into the middle of the box, and after an initial shot attempt was blocked, midfielder John Klein scooped up the ball and blasted it past Portland’s goalkeeper. Klein finished off his brace in the 72nd minute, netting his twelfth goal of the season off a centering pass from midfielder Wan Kuzain.
CITY2 extended its unbeaten streak to five matches (3 wins, 2 draws). With the goals from Jensen and McGuire, fourteen (14) different players have now scored for CITY2 this season.
UP NEXT
CITY2 remains in town for a showdown with San Jose Earthquakes II on Sunday, August 27.
STARTING LINEUPS
Eric Walker, Nolan McGuire, Michael Wentzel ©, Lucas Bartlett, Selmir Pidro, Max Schneider (Tyson Pearce 84’), Miguel Perez (AJ Palazzolo 68’), John Klein (Dida Armstrong 76’), Isak Jensen (Wan Kuzain 68’), Faysal Bettache (Mykhi Joyner 76’), Caden Glover
SUBSTITUTES NOT USED:
Nick Bishop, Ezra Armstrong, Josh Maher, Larsen Hackworth
