Midfielder John Klein scored for the third consecutive match
St Louis CITY2 extended its unbeaten streak to four games with a 2-2 draw against Minnesota United FC 2. Playing on the road, CITY2 came from behind to tie the game just before halftime but could not edge their hosts in the shootouts following the match for an extra point.
After a balanced opening ten minutes, CITY2 broke the deadlock when midfielder John Klein crossed a ball into the box to midfielder Faysal Bettache, who made a quick turn and tucked the ball into the top right corner of the goal for his third goal of the season. Minnesota rallied a few minutes later after turning CITY2 over near midfield, with forward Kameron Lacey firing the equalizer into the goal’s bottom left corner from inside the penalty box
In the 29th minute, midfielder Max Schneider powered a shot from distance on target, but MNUFC2 goalkeeper Fred Emmings dove to his right and pushed the ball away. The back-and-forth contest raged on as halftime approached, with each team slotting another goal home ahead of the break. Forward Molik Khan sliced through CITY2 defenders and buried a close-distance shot to give Minnesota the lead, but Klein brought the teams level moments later after beating a MNUFC2 defender to a long ball that had been deflected into the box.
Klein’s goal was his tenth of the season and fourth in the team’s last three games. His three-match goal-scoring streak is his longest streak this season.
To open the second frame, CITY2 pushed downfield and seemed poised to seize the lead when Bettache found Klein on a run for a tap-in opportunity, but Minnesota’s goalkeeper sprawled out and made a tough save. Midfielder Isak Jensen tested Emmings again in the 70th minute, bending a strike toward the far post, but the goalkeeper laid out and punched the shot wide.
With both teams unable to find the game-winning goal, the match finished as a 2-2 draw and entered shootouts to see who would earn an additional point. Schneider, forward Mykhi Joyner and midfielder AJ Palazzolo netted their attempts from the spot, but a pair of saves from Minnesota’s goalkeeper proved the difference in a 4-3 shootout victory for the home side.
UP NEXT
CITY2 returns home for a meeting with Portland Timbers2 at CITYPARK on Friday, August 18.
STARTING LINEUP
Michael Creek, Sergio Rivas, Michael Wentzel ©, Josh Maher, Ezra Armstrong (Nolan McGuire 81’), Max Schneider, Miguel Perez (AJ Palazzolo 68’), Isak Jensen, Faysal Bettache (Dida Armstrong 81’), John Klein (Wan Kuzain 68’), Caden Glover (Mykhi Joyner 75’)
SUBSTITUTES NOT USED:
Eric Walker, Larsen Hackworth, Tyson Pearce
