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MLS St. Louis City SC

Match Report: St. Louis CITY SC Hits Four Past Sporting KC for the Second Time at CITYPARK

September 30, 2023 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
St. Louis City SC News Release


ST. LOUIS - St. Louis CITY SC rattled home four goals in the last 17 minutes to record a huge 4-1 win over Sporting KC. After a quiet first half by both teams, Sam Adeniran headed CITY SC into the lead in the 73rd minute before Jared Stroud doubled the score two minutes later. CITY SC Designated Player João Klauss scored a brace to put the match out of reach before William Agada scored a consolation goal for Sporting KC in the dying moments of the match.

Expansion Team History

With the win against Sporting KC, St. Louis moved to 17 wins, setting the record for most wins by an expansion team in MLS history. CITY SC earned its 11th home victory of the season, tying Atlanta United for the most home victories by an expansion team in their inaugural season in MLS history (excluding the shootout era).

Birthday Goal

Sam Adeniran continued his hot streak in front of goal, scoring on his birthday. The striker scored the opener against Sporting KC, the fifth time he has scored the opener this season. Adeniran now sits on eight goals. His goal tonight marks his fifth goal in his last seven games.

Postgame Notes

The win was CITY SC's ninth home victory in which the team scored three or more goals this season

CITY SC have scored at least 3 goals in nine of their 11 home wins this season in MLS (3-1 vs Charlotte, 3-0 vs San Jose, 5-1 vs FC Cincinnati, 4-0 vs Sporting KC, 3-1 vs Vancouver Whitecaps, 3-0 vs Houston Dynamo, 3-0 vs Inter Miami, 6-3 vs Austin FC, 4-1 vs Sporting KC)

CITY SC extended its unbeaten streak to five consecutive matches in MLS play

CITY SC extended its home unbeaten streak to six consecutive matches, which dates back to the team's 2-0 victory over Colorado Rapids on July 1

With the win, CITY SC has now earned 35 points in home matches this season, good for the second most home points by an expansion team in their inaugural season in MLS history (excluding the shootout era)

With CITY SC picking up its 56th points of the season, head coach Bradley Carnell is tied with Bob Bradley (Chicago Fire, 1998), Domènec Torrent (NYCFC, 2018) and Jeff Cassar (Real Salt Lake, 2014) for the fifth-most points earned by a first-year head coach in MLS history

With his brace, forward João Klauss now has ten (10) goals this season

Eduard Löwen recorded a hattrick of assists, the second time he accomplished such feat this season (the other match was against Austin FC on August 20).

Goal-Scoring Plays

STL - Sam Adeniran (Eduard Löwen), 73rd minute: Samuel Adeniran header from the center of the box to the top right corner.

STL - Jared Stroud, 75th minute: Jared Stroud left footed shot from the center of the box to the bottom right corner.

STL - João Klauss (Eduard Löwen), 80th minute: João Klauss right footed shot from the right side of the six-yard box to the bottom left corner.

STL - João Klauss (Jared Stroud, Eduard Löwen), 85th minute: João Klauss right footed shot from the center of the box to the top left corner.

SKC - William Agada (Dániel Sallói), 90+3rd minute: William Agada header from the right side of the six-yard box to the bottom right corner.

Next Game

CITY SC head north of the border for a meeting with Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday, October 7.

September 30, 2023 - CITYPARK (St. Louis, Missouri)

Goals by Half 1 2 F

St. Louis CITY SC 0 4 4

Sporting Kansas City 0 1 1

Scoring Summary

STL: Sam Adeniran (Eduard Löwen), 73

STL: Jared Stroud, 75

STL: João Klauss (Eduard Löwen), 80

STL: João Klauss (Jared Stroud, Eduard Löwen), 85

SKC: William Agada (Dániel Sallói), 90+3

Misconduct Summary

STL: Anthony Markanich (caution), 41

STL: Tim Parker (caution), 87

Lineups

STL: GK Roman Bürki ©; D Jake Nerwinski, D Joakim Nilsson, D Tim Parker, D Anthony Markanich (Kyle Hiebert 90'); M Njabulo Blom, M Eduard Löwen (Tomáš Ostrák 90'), M Indiana Vassilev (Jared Stroud 64'), M Aziel Jackson (Niko Gioacchini 65'); F Sam Adeniran, F João Klauss (Nökkvi Thórisson 89')

Substitutes Not Used: GK Ben Lundt, D Akil Watts, M Célio Pompeu, M Rasmus Alm

TOTAL SHOTS: 21; SHOTS ON GOAL: 8; FOULS: 7; OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 7; SAVES: 6

SKC: GK Tim Melia; D Andreu Fontas, D Dany Rosero (Robert Castellanos 86'), D Jake Davis, D Logan Ndenbe, M Nemanja Radoja (Gadi Kinda 77'), M Felipe Gutierrez (Remi Walter 67'), M Erik Thommy (Willy Agada 86'); F Alan Pulido ©, F Khiry Shelton, F Daniel Salloi

Substitutes Not Used: GK John Pulskamp, D Robert Voloder, D Graham Zusi, M Roger Espinoza, F Marinos Tzionis

TOTAL SHOTS: 18; SHOTS ON GOAL: 7; FOULS: 11; OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 4; SAVES: 4

Referee: Armando Villarreal

Assistant Referees: Andrew Bigelow, Diego Bias

Fourth Official: Alexis Da Silva

VAR: Rosendo Mendoza

AVAR: TJ Zablocki

Venue: CITYPARK

Weather: Cloudy, 81 degrees

ST. LOUIS CITY SC POSTGAME QUOTES

Video: Players and Coach (password: #3pDssH9)

Audio: Recordings

Head Coach Bradley Carnell

We started this journey nearly two years ago. To get to this moment and I think there's been a lot of work behind the scenes, and to get a game with this opponent, with so much on the line, you know what it means to the fans what it means to everybody here individually, personally, whatever their go-to is, whatever their motivations are to get it to this point.

Just extremely proud of the group and to call that spot our own. We can't buy anything with it. We can't celebrate anything with it. There's no silverware with it but it's there, right.

And for that, I'm proud but that should just give us more motivation and the players are really upset. If you go in, there it's quiet because they know they don't want to concede late goals. They know everyone who comes in has great amounts of energy. We make game-changing substitutions and what have you. And we bring in a new set of energy, right. So unfortunately the boys are still a little bit disappointed with the end of the last minute there.

Again, incredibly proud of these guys, and I don't think we want to stop any time soon.

Q. Early in the week, you talk about games at this stage of the season being tight games and small margins. What was the message for the team at halftime?

The message was to be a little bit patient. Even in our press, we got a little stretched a few times and made a few tweaks and with the changes, we changed the system as well. I thought we had a lot more impact with the sort of fresh legs and the system changed.

We had to manage the rhythm of the game. You could see there was getting an edginess to it with Sam's [Adeniran] tackle, and then all of a sudden Anthony [Markanich] is on a yellow card.

So we just had to manage the game and get to that point. Obviously we see Roman [Bürki] comes up with two big saves. I think [Tim] Melia had a great day between the goals as well.

And yes, these moments change games, and fortunately today we got the first one and we know when we get the first one it could be a flood in terms of CITYPARK atmosphere and what it does and what it does to the opponent.

So four goals in 12 minutes, I believe, was some finish, and like I said just a bit gutted about the final goal that we let in.

Q. The first three goals, thinking about that seven-minute span going from Sam's goal to Jared to Klauss's, and it just kept building and building. What did that feel like as it just kept coming?

You could see in transition we picked up certain spots, so Sporting KC were not able to go back around and reset their play.

So with the two strikers that we put out there, it helped us get more pressure on the ball and helped guys defend forwards and helped us connect to the back. There were just a lot of things there that I thought that the players did right. It's not easy to adapt systems in-game, and it's not easy to have that effect.

We trust the process and I think the guys have had multiple reps. I think we have always been brave with our substitutions, and there's been some growing moments, too. So obviously our hop on the goal that we concede.

But we get it to a point where almost -- yeah, I'm so happy to be on the sidelines when it goes that way, because it almost falls into place exactly how you thought it could go and it did go.

And now credit to the players for being disciplined enough to get to those spots and making sure that they stick to their principles.

And again, transition is our first weapon. I thought we had way too much of the ball in the first half. So second half, we started running the line more, we started counter pressing more and started playing vertically in transition more, we started being brave and then good things happened, I believe, in our system and I think we displayed that.

Q. The crowd just keep going nutsier and nutsier.

Yeah, it's pretty incredible.

Q. Because you obviously have so many good options off the bench, it's probably not easy to choose someone specifically but what stood out about Stroud, and what made you think he was the moment to bring in at that time because he made such a big difference?

Yeah, I just knew we needed to get -- you could see Ndenbe is a real quality going forwards, and he's a real sort of injection in their final third play. So that's always difficult to track and I just saw we were getting tired in the tens with AZ [Jackson] and Indy [Vassilev].

So strategically obviously Jared [Stroud], where he normally plays down the left side, you know, we call those three guys in tens and we needed to get pressure on Ndenbe. And I thought with the change of system and the energy Jared brought -- and he was brave. He took a few risks in the pressing moments.

And if you read the timing of the pass right and if you read the connection and if you see the pressure from Sam [Adeniran] and [João] Klauss this then he can get on the jump, [Niko] Gioacchini played a massive role in that, too. I always told the three strikers -- I had a meeting with them early in the week and I said: One of you are going to play, two of you are going to play, I'm not sure if all three of you are going to play but I'll do my best to try and get them on the field.

I think you can see, I'm trying to make everyone happy and I'm trying to give everyone minutes that I can, but to see a response like that is credibly humbling.

Q. Klauss been very open about his confidence level coming back from injury, scores two tonight. What did you think of his confidence and continuing off your strikers?

Yeah, strikers ooze when they are feeling -- when they are in the groove, they are difficult to stop.

But what you will notice about Klauss, he's the first one to get his head down and recover. He's the first one to help out in a defense. He's the first one to first point fingers at his friends and get them all together and get them re-energized. And he brings a lot of energy and he holds a lot of people accountable, right. Myself as well.

Everyone, we are all on our toes because Klauss is a winner by nature, you can just see, he breaths and his heart beats for points and goals. I even said to him, "Klauss, do you want to go for three or do you want to come off?"

He said, "No, Coach, it's okay, you can decide." We made a choice, and we kept the birthday boy, Sam, on the field and that's what it was, right. But he's a good teammate as well. So you know, yeah, gives the best hugs every morning in the breakfast room to everybody, so we love Klauss around here.

Q. What's it feel like, you're watching the game, you're thinking, okay, if I make these changes, this might happen, then you make those changes and I'm guessing that's what happened. What's that feel like?

I just want to give guys opportunities. You want to feel the right moment, you have to feel what the games needs, and I think that's part of my learning process as well as a rookie coach, just leading myself down my individual development plan and when to do what and how to do it.

I feel pretty confident and I've always been brave to make changes and I've always held my head up to say if I got it right, or I got it wrong and sometimes I do both. You can get it right and you get it wrong, and I'm fine with that because we learn and we grow and we go next week again.

Totally fine with it, but yeah it's a great feeling when you know that you got a team to a certain point, and then you can feel a sense of energy and then the complexion of the game change, and then we score. It's a great feeling for sure.

Q. A lot of players are contributing. Anthony is a young player, has really been contributing and battling. What does that do for the rest of the club what young guy is sticking to the principles like he does?

Normally young guys, they are brave, right. The saying, once bitten, twice shy, Anthony [Markanich] has not been bitten yet. He's playing brave on the front foot, sticking to the principles because he's got a point to prove.

He came from a club where he wasn't playing, and now he's playing at the top team in the West and not just playing, contributing. We are guiding him along this. And we said at halftime: "Just watch, keep your nerve, suffer with a smile," I said to him. "So enjoy this game but keep your head on your shoulders."

And he's done a great job with that, too. He managed the game in the second half really well.

Q. You can't point to many spots in the season where you guys maybe had lulls but if there was a mini one it was maybe before the first time you guys played Sporting KC. What did the rivalry do for your team, what has it done for this season and has it been an important factor?

It's been something budding. I said it after the first game. Something needs to grow and you can't just create a rivalry all of a sudden, right. So there needs experiences. There needs results. There needs edgy moments, and I think each game has that critical moments or edgy moments to create tension, and that's what a rivalry is about.

Then if you see the way that our fans went to Sporting, wow that, was incredible, right. So dominating that stadium and then doing it again tonight. And again, just setting an I am appropriate, like Sam's tackle was a kind of catalyst for our second half performance, right, so just before the halve, he makes that tackle, we go in, everybody has got a different buzz, a different energy and that was great. That's what we needed.

We live and die by those principles of being aggressive but fair. I think that's what we were today but yeah, for sure, these moments help us. For sure there's something on the line.

We said to the players, whatever is your why, you know, whether it's the fans, whether it's individual, family and what-have-you, you know, just keep a moment for this what's going on around here, and this is something to behold, I think to cherish for a long time.

Q. Can that help in a playoff set to go have games that feel like this?

100 percent. You felt now, we've played three times Sporting KC, it could have been that they could have been in a playoff spot tonight if we had lost that game, right, and then we could have had them six times potentially this season, and we didn't want that. We didn't want that because yeah, it's just sometimes it's not easy playing against the same team six times in a season, understandably so.

But again, credit to our boys for resetting and applying the principles and being aggressive from the go.

Q. You don't get here without preparation and without being in the moment. We've talked about making history throughout the season. Now that you've made history of this significance, potentially, becoming the first seed and then obviously with the win total, when you reflect on that as far as your career is concerned, where does that rank?

I think I've always been able to be pretty even-keeled, and one of the wisest words I heard when I came to this league, never get too high, never get to low because there's going to be bad moments, there's going to be great moments.

And as a coach whether at my University of Johannesburg, winning some mini silverware, I would say, nothing to write home about, but these are growing steps in a pathway, right, and I've never -- the coaching has never been about me. It's never been about what I want and what I want to achieve.

For sure I'm hungry and for sure I can swim in deep waters and adapt and evolve and get better and drive myself to high standards. But it's about the people around me. You know, if I can see people grow around me and if I see how the squad has developed and grown and everybody, whether their values and all these types of transfer values and what-have-you, if they get new contracts or if they get just one step better every day, that's gratification for me.

I'm really grateful for these moments to help kids and to help young men develop into young men, and better players and people around me.

So if I can make an impact like that, then that's all worth it for me.

Q. Any plans for Sunday night maybe with the team?

Not as yet. Not as yet. We'll just have to see. Obviously we don't want to get too ahead of ourselves. Yeah you can check these boxes now. You can check a few things off the list, but we want to keep on going now. We need a couple more points to make 58 points, I believe, to make it all of our own. Because 17, and not 58 points, is it the best expansion year? I'm not sure. But again we are just trying to get the next three points and Vancouver comes around pretty quickly.

Q. We have seen a difficult second half -- they could have scored but it ended up 0-0 at halftime. What did you tell the players at halftime for them to come completely looking like a different team and dominating thor tine game?

I think both teams had good chances in the first half. I think Anthony [Markanich], across the face goal with [João] Klauss, with the tap-in, that was a massive chance for us. I think both goalkeepers had a good game.

But again it was just to get a few details right. We had to have some look at film in the halftime. But again we changed the shape, we changed the structure. We get a little bit more aggressive in our press, a little bit more proactive in the forward defending moments.

But you know, it's the first time in the stadium year but you see when we score the first goal, it's hard to contain us here at home, right. We just had to remain disciplined. I just told the boys, be patient, it will come. Happy the patience paid off and happy we could take a stranglehold and tighten the screws when we did, and four goals in 12 minutes is excellent.

Q. Back in the LAFC game, you had the same four midfielders but you deployed them a little differently. What was the plan and thought process sign switching Löwen back in the middle and kicking AZ off to the far left?

There was a short-term solution doing that. I just thought that we lost a bit of shape with Erik Thommy and Gutiérrez; our sixes were over-connecting, and then if they broke that, then they were free on the weak side. Erik Thommy is a good player, and he finds positive space. I thought we would get Edu [Löwen] in the ten when we went to the diamond and we had AZ [Jackson] just shooting out to the fullback in that deeper eight role.

That was the thinking behind it, to give Edu a little more freedom, because we know we have certain qualities on the ball.

And yeah I just thought maybe in the transition, AZ could get the ball a little deeper and then find he due. It was the catalyst and start to make those other changes that came on.

Q. Subs, you kind of then Edu gets back out on the left side --

Exactly --

Q. -- and Nico takes over at the ten. What do you think that going back to that diamond and Nico being at the ten, Edu being back outside, how do you think that changed --

It's a tough role to play, the eight and if you're all out pressing, it's long distances to go, long distances to recover. So we try to be strategic in how we deploy that press and when we deploy it.

Again, Edu [Löwen], actually sometimes gets better as the game goes on and he starts covering more ground in the second half. So you know, we know he can cover tons of ground.

Yeah, and he's a weapon in our transitional game and final third possession progression, you know what I mean, getting into the final third, he's dangerous with us. So he has the ability to connect that next pass and usually in those eight pockets, you find a bit more time and space.

Q. 12 of your last 16 goals have been in the 70th minute or later. What does that say about this team and what does that say? How do you feel when you get to that stage of the game?

We play to win games, and before the last three away draws, I think our record showed that with only two ties across 28 games or something.

So we played to win games, whether it's to score in the first minute but we always know it's a race to the first goal and that's how we play. So more often than not, we have been on the goal-scoring side, and we've also conceded late as well.

These are always moments for us with a young team, with a first year team, first year coach, these are all growing moments for us and we'll analyze. Every week we have a look, why, how and then try and we develop like that and grow and see if it takes us next week. Yeah, if we can score one more than the opponent, it's three more points.

Q. Do you feel like you're wearing teams down?

We have an intense style of play, and if we can maintain that intensity and not fall into the trap or get lured into the lull of being in a game where it's slow, you know, because then it's comfortable; then, yeah, I could still play and do that, right.

So we want to try and do something different. We want to proactively win the ball and be aggressive in our principles. We don't want our players to fall into that trap of complacency. That's why I don't have a voice usually after 90 minutes, and yeah.

Sam Adeniran

On the feeling after scoring...

Feeling great. It's always great to score in front of the CITY fans because they get so loud. So, I mean, yeah, it was a surreal moment.

On if this game felt like a playoff game...

Definitely. 100 percent, it felt like a playoff game. We have to get ready for that. Obviously, our first time in the league, first time in the playoffs, we have to be ready to fight in those tough games when, you know, 60, 70th minute rolls around and it's still a tough match. That's how playoff games are in the MLS. We have to be ready.

On the team scoring 3 goals so quick...

That's just how it is in CITYPARK. When we get one, like, the floodgates just open. Credit to our team and credit to our staff for the style of play that we want to play. It's a difficult style. Once we got the first goal, Kansas was forced to go forward. They can't just sit back like they were doing. After the first goals, they had to start taking risks.

Roman Bürki

On how it feels to be in the MVP race...

I'm happy that I can help the team, you know. I think overall we did a really good job as a team. Of course, sometimes you need a goalkeeper who's here in the right situations and presents situations where maybe the other team has the upper hand, and I'm glad I can help. I'm glad I can be the goalkeeper here in St. Louis that is also used, you know, the right way. So, I'm happy to be here with all the guys, and it was a whole team performance, I would say. And I'm just doing my job.

On being frustrated with the goal let in...

Yeah, it's just not me. I saw Tim angry, too. Joakim disappointed, too, because we worked really hard for a clean sheet. It is something special for the whole defensive line and for me too, obviously. And I just -- I think if you have this mentality that it bothers you, even though we are four goals up, that when we are not concentrated or focused enough to keep a clean sheet because to be honest, it was unnecessary to concede that goal. We lose the ball and then with the transition we concede that goal in the last action of the game where we just have to be smarter, and I think that shows that the whole team and the defensive line has the right mentality to go really far in this season. If we keep working like this with this mentality, we're going to be even better next year.

On how it feels to make history as an expansion team...

I will maybe be a little bit more proud of that record tomorrow. I'm still a little bit disappointed about the goal we conceded, but I mean it's a great thing, you know, to break records. But at the moment, I'm happy that we won, that we sit on first place and a little bit disappointed about the goal we conceded.

Joakim Nilsson

On how historic of a night it was...

Yeah, I mean, we made history. Absolutely. But like I said last time, we're not done yet, and we want more wins. We got two more games and, yeah, happy with victory. We are doing fantastic and creating club records.

On Bürki's play...

Yeah, he's been very good for us this season already. We know he's a big part of why we've been so successful. I think he and the whole team helped each other to really get that clean sheet mentality. We didn't get the clean sheet in the end, but still parts of the game where we felt like they had possession, they created a little bit, we help each other to really find ways through those moments. And yeah, he's a fantastic goalkeeper and love to have him back there.

On the quality of the team preseason...

I noticed the quality in the preseason. The quality was very good. Obviously, it's hard to know how good an expansion team will be, but we saw in the first five games how we performed and got the confidence from that, and we know our role. I think we have one of our biggest strengths in this league, like, we know our role whether it's left back, right back, striker, goalkeeper. We know our role, and we fight hard for each other, and then collectively you can achieve big things with that.

Eduard Löwen

On how it was like scoring 3 goals in seven minutes...

Yeah, to be honest it wasn't so predictable because in the first half I think Kansas overall made a pretty good game that had some chances. We were in the game, so good. We were reacting too much, I would say. I think we could have done more for the game. But I mean the moment to score that goal was perfect when Sam scored it, and then we scored right after that we scored the second one, and then it almost felt like they stopped playing a little bit because then, you know, it's going to be tough. And then the third goal and the fourth goal, I think they were very good. Except, conceding in the end of the game, conceding another goal -- that was unnecessary. I think we should have kept the clean sheet obviously there.

On Klauss giving him praise after his second goal...

Yeah, yeah. I mean, that speaks for himself already. You know, there's nothing, nothing much to say. So, I think that's just a great, great mentality. And I think we need that in the whole team, and everybody can look up to that. Because at the end of the day, that's how we're going to be successful. You know, when it's not about yourself and not about us scoring, you know, sometimes you might try to take, take a shot, or take it on your own. That's totally fine. But I mean, the mentality should be first, 'How can I serve my teammate?' instead of 'How can I serve myself?,' you know, 'How can I score the most goals?' And I think then the success will come, you know.

On being an expansion team that has done so well...

I mean, yeah, obviously it says a lot for this team, how hard we were working and how much effort we put in the whole season and what kind of group we are, you know. And that's what I'm always saying. It's not like -- people just see the team, people just see you know, us winning on the pitch, but it's like around the whole team, you know, the staff members. Even guys, I don't know, like Kash and Gaspi who are involved with the guys playing games and stuff. Like, I don't know Brendan, Turner, you know, our kit men. So, I think I could like go around the whole staff team, you know, so many great people who are just making this team better, you know. And Benji and Bomi, who are doing everything for a guy, so if I've never seen something like that, you could really literally give them everything. They would completely run your life with bills and stuff. Coming to a foreign country, you know, it's incredible, and I'm very thankful for that. And I mean at the end of the day, as I always say, I give all glory to God, and I can see that he's faithful, you know, giving me those people who are helping me like that, you know, and that I can, you know, get settled in a foreign country so far away from my family and everything. So, that means a lot and I'm really, really thankful for that.

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