CITY2 will close out their road trip against Colorado Rapids 2 next weekend
In their fourth match of the MLS NEXT Pro season, St Louis CITY2 lost 2-0 to Austin FC II.
Neither team could gain a foothold early in the match, with the teams battling defensively to keep the action around midfield. In the 14th minute, Austin FC II found a crease to get behind CITY2’s backline and strung together a couple crosses to set up a volley from inside the box, but CITY2 goalkeeper Christian Olivares made a spectacular diving save to keep the teams knotted at zero.
After that close call, CITY2 found its groove. The team’s aggressive pressing wreaked havoc for Austin FC II, forcing turnovers and pushing the home side increasingly deeper into their half. CITY2 generated dangerous offensive chances, including a shot from forward Aziel Jackson from outside the box and a wave of corner kicks as halftime approached, but they were not enough to break the scoreless tie heading into the break.
Coming out of halftime, a CITY2 turnover set up a close-range Austin FC II chance, but a lightning-fast reaction from Olivares to flick the shot out of play kept the match 0-0. The home side eventually took the lead in the 66th minute when an unlucky deflection off a CITY2 free kick set up an Austin breakaway that ended with a shot chipped into goal.
CITY2 got their best chance to equalize in the 80th minute off a strike from midfielder Faysal Bettache on goal, but Austin FC II’s goalkeeper calmly corralled the shot. The home side tacked on to their lead in the 88th minute and took control the rest of the way, winning 2-0 to remain unbeaten on the season.
UP NEXT
Wrapping up their first road trip of the year, CITY2 will head west for a clash against Colorado Rapids 2 on Sunday, April 23.
STARTING LINEUP
Dida Armstrong (Caden Glover 75’), Sergio Rivas (Mykhi Joyner 75’), John Klein (Aaron Heard 75’), Faysal Bettache, A.J. Palazzolo (Wan Kuzain 63’), Max Schneider, Aziel Jackson, Michael Wentzel ©, Josh Maher, Fritz Volmar (Owen O’Malley 56’), Christian Olivares
SUBSTITUTES NOT USED:
Larsen Hackworth, Nolan McGuire, Eric Walker, Ryley Gibbs
GOALS
ATX: David Rodríguez -- 66’
ATX: Micah Burton – 88'
