It’s been a long 2 weeks for Saint Louis FC fans to get back to World Wide Technology Soccer Park after the bye week left them with no game since Saint Louis returned victorious from Oklahoma on April 25th.
That 2-1 come from behind win was a much needed tonic to give the season a boost after only taking 1 point from two previous home games. Saint Louis now play 4 home games in a row which could set up the season perfectly for the rest of the summer. Wilmington Hammerheads, a storied USL franchise enter WWT Park on Saturday fresh from a 4-0 home loss humiliation at the hands of Harrisburg City Islanders last week.
In a season that has seen the long time USL teams use their experience to pull ahead in the Eastern Conference, Wilmington are the exception with three losses so far on the season and only a lone victory at a very unstable New York Red Bull II team. They do pose a threat however with forward Nick Zimmerman having scored 3 goals this year and has had experience in MLS and NASL.
Saint Louis coach Dale Schilly rang some changes in preparation for the Oklahoma City Energy game moving Ambersley and Hardware around in the front after Jermie Lynch had rolled his ankle in training. Schilly may have to work his magic again as Lynch is suspended after a late red card and Hardware came off in the game with hamstring issues.
The changes in the back line also proved fruitful, After Richard Dixon and Brandon Barklage were injured in the Rochester loss, Oskar Gasecki and Greg Cochrane came into the team and never missed a beat. Gasecki, a Western Illinois standout spent time at the Borussia Dortmund academy system and Cochrane was loaned down to STLFC from Chicago Fire. Despite the conceding the early Oklahoma City goal to Chuy Sanchez, the defense looked solid for the rest of the game and it was defenders Sam Fink and Gasecki whom provided the assists to both goals.
Saint Louis FC (2-1-2 7 points) v Wilmington Hammerheads (1-2-3 5 points) 7:30pm tickets may be bought here.
Doubts for Saint Louis, Brandon Barklage (foot) Richard Dixon and Jamiel Hardware (hamstring) Jermie Lynch (suspended 2 games)
picture via Mark Guthrel
