St. Louis CITY SC recorded a 3-1 win over Vancouver Whitecaps FC to move up to second in the MLS Western Conference standings, tied on points (25) with LAFC. Midfielder Eduard Löwen opened the scoring the in the 10th minute before CITY SC doubled the lead in the 45th minute through an own goal from Tristan Blackmon. Vancouver’s Brian White threatened with a late goal but CITY SC’s Homegrown midfielder Miguel Perez put the game to bed in stoppage time.
First MLS Homegrown Goal
Just days after graduating high school, Homegrown player Miguel Perez scored CITY SC’s third goal against Vancouver Whitecaps to secure the team’s eight MLS win of the season. The 18-year-old midfielder continues to make history, becoming the first Homegrown player to start a game for CITY SC, the first to score in the U.S. Open Cup and now the first Homegrown player in club history to score in MLS.
Expansion Team History
CITY SC started life in MLS with a bang, becoming the first expansion team in history to start the season with five straight wins. With the win over Vancouver Whitecaps, CITY SC became the first expansion team to total 25 points within their first 13 MLS matches.
CITY SC’s No. 10
St. Louis CITY SC midfielder Eduard Löwen found the back of the net for the second straight match. CITY Sc’s number 10 opened the scoring last week against Sporting KC with a penalty, and followed up this week with another set-piece after curling a free-kick in the top corner of the net. With the goal, the midfielder took his goal tally to five across all competitions.
Postgame Notes
- Miguel Perez scored his first career MLS goal in second-half stoppage time
- CITY SC remains undefeated (6-0-1) in MLS action when they score first
- With his goal, Löwen ties Klauss for most MLS goal contributions on the team with 9 (four goals, five assists)
- CITY SC has only trailed just 52 of 720 minutes at CITYPARK.
- CITY SC has scored at least three (3) goals in every home win this season (3-1 vs Charlotte, 3-0 vs San Jose, 5-1 vs FC Cincinnati, 4-0 vs Sporting KC, 3-1 vs Vancouver Whitecaps)
- Löwen has now scored the most goals at CITYPARK this season across all competitions with five (5) goals
- Miguel Perez became the 11th different goal scorer for CITY SC in MLS
- St. Louis CITY SC has scored 24 goals at CITYPARK across all competitions (19 in MLS and 5 in the U.S. Open Cup)
- CITY SC is now 7-2-0 at CITYPARK across all competitions and 5-2-0 at home in MLS play
- CITY SC’s 29 goals on the season are tied with Atlanta United for most in MLS
- CITY SC’s plus-15 goal differential leads MLS
- Eduard Löwen scored his fourth goal in MLS play, tying Niko Gioacchini for second-most on the team
- Löwen’s two-game goal streak ties João Klauss and Gioacchini for the longest streak by a CITY SC player this season
- Midfielder Tomáš Ostrák recorded his third assist of the season
- Jon Bell made his first appearance for CITY SC in MLS play after coming on for Niko Gioacchini in second-half stoppage time
- Head Coach Bradley Carnell repeated a starting lineup for the first time this season.
Goal-Scoring Plays
STL – Eduard Löwen, 10th minute: Eduard Löwen from a free kick with a right footed shot to the top right corner.
STL – Tristan Blackmon, 45th minute: Own Goal by Tristan Blackmon.
VAN – Brian White (Julian Gressel), 83rd minute: Brian White header from very close range to the centre of the goal.
STL – Miguel Perez (Tomáš Ostrák), 90’+4 minute: Miguel Perez right footed shot from the centre of the box to the top right corner.
Next Game
St. Louis CITY SC plays at CITYPARK for the third consecutive week, hosting Houston Dynamo on Saturday, June 3.
May 27, 2023 – CITYPARK (St. Louis, MO)
Goals by Half 1
St. Louis CITY SC 2 1 3
Vancouver Whitecaps 0 1 1
Scoring Summary
STL: Eduard Löwen, 10
STL: Tristan Blackmon (own goal), 45
VAN: Brian White (Julian Gressel), 83
STL: Miguel Perez (Tomáš Ostrák), 90’+4′
Misconduct Summary
STL: Jake Nerwinski (caution), 20
STL: Tim Parker (caution), 22
VAN: Sebastian Berhalter (caution), 49
STL: Jared Stroud (caution), 60
STL: Njabulo Blom (caution), 85
VAN: Julian Gressel (caution), 90’+3′
VAN: Ryan Gauld (caution), 90’+4′
Lineups
STL: GK Roman Bürki ©; D Jake Nerwinski (John Nelson 63′), D Kyle Hiebert, D Lucas Bartlett, D Tim Parker; M Njabulo Blom, M Jared Stroud (Tomáš Ostrák 72′), M Eduard Löwen, M Célio Pompeu (Miguel Perez 72′), M Indiana Vassilev (Aziel Jackson 90’+3′); F Niko Gioacchini (Jon Bell 90’+3′)
Substitutes Not Used: M Akil Watts, D Josh Yaro, M Isak Jensen, GK Ben Lundt
TOTAL SHOTS: 16; SHOTS ON GOAL: 7; FOULS: 11; OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 7; SAVES: 1
VAN: GK Thomas Hasal; D Ranko Veselinovic, D Tristan Blackmon, D Luis Martins, D Javain Brown (Sergio Cordova 65′); M Alessandro Schöpf, (Levonte Johnson 83′) M Sebastian Berhalter (Deiber Caicedo 57′), M Julian Gressel, M Ryan Gauld ©, M Pedro Vite (Andres Cubas 65′), F Simon Becher (Brian White 57′)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Mathias Laborda, GK Yohei Takaoka, D Ryan Raposo, M Russell Teibert
TOTAL SHOTS: 12; SHOTS ON GOAL: 2; FOULS: 12; OFFSIDES: 3; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 5
*All stats here are unofficial
Referee: Sergii Boiko
Assistant Referees: Corey Parker, Chris Wattam
Fourth Official: Ismail Elfath
VAR: Edvin Jurisevic
AVAR: Benjamin Wooten
Venue: CITYPARK
Weather: Clear, 67 degrees
ST. LOUIS CITY SC POSTGAME QUOTES
Audio: Recording
Bradley Carnell
Obviously sitting here elated, right. The way we showed a gritty performance, right. We get two goals, goal one, call one a bit of brilliance and one a bit of fortune that we generate an attacking moment and a vertical moment and create a bit of chaos on the back line.
But we are coming up against a team that is very resilient and defensively sound and organized and very well managed and coached by Vanni and in a good run of form.
So knowing all that, we knew what was coming on our doorstep, despite the game that they had on midweek and despite the travel and what-have-you, we knew it was going to be a game to be taken seriously and reckoned with. And we knew it was not going to be the most beautiful game, I would say, and we had to be scrappy and go about it and apply our principles.
A little bit disappointed that we let 10 to 15 minutes of the second half get way from us where we lose our principles and our identity a little bit.
So I can sense the frustration from the boys and understand the frustration a little bit because we let another clean sheet go away from us.
But yeah, credit to the boys for keep on punching above their weight and keep on doing things that no one expects. So really happy about tonight.
Q. We’ll talk, I’m sure, a lot about the game as a whole but Perez’s goal looked like the place goes nuts, you looked like a proud father. What was the feeling and the emotion when Miggy does that?
BRADLEY CARNELL: Yeah, I think it’s the moment, right. I think it’s the moment that we were searching for something because we knew we were quite a bit under pressure. Whether it was Miggy in the moment or it was getting a two-goal lead again, I think the lead outweighed the emotion for Miggy and me right there in that moment.
But now reflecting after the fact what a moment for him, right. You can see what it meant for him. He’s got one in the Open Cup and now he’s got one in the MLS. These are incredible moments as a young man, and he keeps on growing with us every single day.
Yeah, it’s a nice graduation gift for him this great weekend. Again, we have said a lot about Miggy and we haven’t said enough about Miggy, and we’ll continue to write great things about Miggy, I’m sure.
It’s our job now as coaches, as parents, as people, teammates around the locker room to keep him guided and focussed as he continues his journey, and who knows where his ceiling is. But we are excited to be around Miggy and to guide Miggy along this pathway.
Q. And Löwen’s first goal, was he trying to do that or he put the ball in the box and it just kept on going?
BRADLEY CARNELL: Anyone set piece taker and anyone with a game knowledge and understanding would if you whip it in as hard and precise as Edu aiming for a target player Tim Parker, Lucas Bartlett, Kyle Hiebert, and no one gets on the end of it, it’s going in the side netting.
I think have seen these enough throughout the season. We scouted him doing these great things, especially with corner kicks. He puts a lot of pace and whip on the ball and makes it a tough decision for the goalkeeper to come out or not, and the keeper chose to stay on his line this time, and fortunately we did score on that one.
It kind of broke the ice. We needed this one.
Q. Along those Löwen lines, can you describe his role in general being a general in the middle of the field there?
BRADLEY CARNELL: There’s no doubt, I challenge Edu all the time that as much as we see great things with Edu on the ball I challenge him against the ball as well. Our principles for me first and foremost, Edu is a difference-maker with the ball; can I assist him and guide him to be a difference-maker against the ball, because if he can get that right, he’s a real candidate in this league to achieve great things.
And again, so that’s the constant chat between Edu and myself and the constant guidance I give him because he’s a great person, a great teammate, willing to learn and listen, all right.
So sometimes we challenge each other, which is really good. It’s healthy conversations and it’s healthy challenges, but you can see just by his stature, his dominating performance, his touches on the ball and bringing others into games and bringing final plays forwards.
And again, that’s why we got Edu Löwen. We understand his game profile, and we understand we need to build a team around him and make sure we can bring out the best in him.
Q. Do you know what Edu had for lunch, and can you keep making him eat, whatever? He was phenomenal today, right?
BRADLEY CARNELL: Yeah, I mean, I think the nutrition is like five percent sleep, he’s another — what-have-you, every piece of his puzzle that makes him do great things. No one deserves it more than Edu because I know he’s a really good teammate. He cares for everyone in that locker room.
Before he’s a good soccer player, he’s just one of the best human beings off the field, as is a lot of our guys on our roster, right. Strategic, targeted scouting, I would call it. We did an extensive search to find players of that calibre, that profile, that character.
So for us, it all comes together to one and nobody can flick the switch on game day, right. You have to do it during the week and you have to commit to the process, and Edu does that.
Q. Along that line, can you speak a little bit about the relationship that he and Indy are developing?
BRADLEY CARNELL: Yeah, it’s cohesive, right. It’s fluid. It’s cohesive, and I think I could add flexible, right.
So you could see Indy floating around the field and then Edu occupies his space and then they get this nice little rotation going and I think that just gets better over time.
You know today we ran the same lineup twice within the last two games, so for us it’s about building a form of consistency, resiliency and we are going to be pushing this home stretch. We knew this is a big, big massive stretch for us having all these games at home with a little dart to Dallas and then to Nashville.
Yeah, we have got unfinished business here at home.
Q. When you guys went to the back five and switching out Blom at the wingback, as opposed to maybe switching Löwen up and keeping Perez in the middle to go with Blom. What went into that decision to go to the odd back?
BRADLEY CARNELL: Yeah, we knew, if you could see where Gressel was hanging out. He’s the supplier of the deliveries, right. So we tried to flatten out in the five. Which means by me and our principles and my profile as a coach, never means passive, and that’s some of the frustration that the boys are sharing right now.
So for us it’s always about releasing with the outside backs, the wingbacks. Now so it’s no longer in a four-back line with the out so I had back, it’s a wing back job now. The wingback has to defend forwards and block crosses and that’s the one thing that gave me a little bit of frustration; that we’re a little bit too passive and not relying on our principles and not being brave enough to defend forwards and thinking that we can just defend a 2-0 score line. In this league, the teams are too good, the quality is too high, and you’ll get punished.
Q. This is the first team to get to 25 points so quickly as an expansion team. What does that tell you about this group, this direction? We’re not just talking about an historic start anymore. We are talking about some deeper marks that you guys are setting history in.
BRADLEY CARNELL: Yeah, we have had some hurdles, too, along the way. It shows just how good this league this and how tough it is, traveling east, travelling west, what-have-you. We just know the ups and downs of this league.
And then you get to match day 13, where we are, and just to think that we still achieved that. And there’s been great teams, the Chicago Fire team of ’98 what a team that was. You go through the roster there and those are American game[changers and defining coaches now that have progressed through the ranks as well.
Again I’ve always it from day one. This is part of our journey. We want to be competitive, and the next game is on the horizon and we just want to be competitive.
Yeah, we should sit back and reflect these moments, too, because yeah, it oftentimes you pinch yourself that, yeah; this really happening, right. We believe it internally. We keep on proving people wrong. We keep on having a chip on our shoulder. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. We didn’t say we were going to go through the season, unbeaten and we didn’t say we were going to be world beaters but then we are competitive.
Q. Can you share with us some of the conversations you’ve with Indy about a more attacking role and how well he’s met those expectations?
BRADLEY CARNELL: I don’t think I need to give Indy a lot of guidance and direction. That’s his position by trade and he really enjoys playing up there.
So he’s a guy that commits to the team if he needs to be playing the six, sometimes we roll out the diamond and he’s the eight and then he’s the 10 in this formation. But Indy is a part enough soccer player.
He comes from a high-calibre team and played in a big league overseas and had reps in the MLS with Inter, and now he is with us and I hope we are bringing out the best in him.
It’s all about us challenging each other every day. I’m open to criticism and challenging and sore my players. We have a very open relationship with each other and I think that’s the best recipe and remedy for a successful team.
Q. Kyle Hiebert, his second straight game, 90 minutes at left back, but he’s very solid defensively. Is that something you see in the future him staying at or something that’s working for now?
BRADLEY CARNELL: Yeah, we feel that as long as we are creating chances, scoring goals, and you look at the last two games, we have scored seven goals, given up one, right.
So just thinking about some stability tonight. We give two shots on target away and the whole back line plays, you know, a massive part in that, right. So as do the sixes, do the tens and guy oh the striker.
So credit to the whole group, right, and I’m just assisting Kyle in his journey now as a first-year pro, right, in the MLS. And there’s a lot that’s happened to him over the last few months and you first have to absorb that, acknowledge that and take it in and then get to that point of like, all right, I’m here to stay.
Just assisting all my players in being the best versions of themselves and if Kyle needs to be playing right back, I had him at right back at the end there. He’s a very versatile guy. We know attacking is not his biggest profile and positional trait, but he gets enough done going towards, and even if he goes forwards, he occupies the opposition because the opposition has to defend a little bit deeper. He does fulfill a job there. We just keep guiding Kyle along his journey as well.
Q. What do you have to say about your team after a good result in the —
BRADLEY CARNELL: We knew that. You know, like I said in the opening statement, we know Vanni’s teams, we played against them in preseason. They are very difficult to break down and that one ended in 0-0. Watching his team play, there’s every metric in the League in the data that they are in the top three or four: Shots taken, shots against, tackles won.
So this is a very combative team, a very uncomfortable team to play, a very unorganized team to play. So yeah, again, just we don’t have to downplay this result. This is massive for us as a club and as a team and to make sure that we keep on progressing and again credit to the boys. Sometimes you have to win ugly.
Q. Same lineup by design for you —
BRADLEY CARNELL: No, I think this one was a bit of momentum. You know, we spoke about momentum. We spoke about energy. We spoke about our principles and we felt that, yes, this did match up against us. We stayed in — normally we change up in a defensive formation and then an offensive formation.
This time around, we rolled it back with the same lineup, same formation, and we felt that was enough to get the job done. But yeah, Gressel is clever player. Schopf if a clever player. They find pockets on of space. Vite is always dangerous on a turn and a dribble. So is Gauld.
So yeah, these guys, we knew that this was going to be a tough game, and it proved us right. And for us to come away with a win at home, I mean, we knew we’re playing at home and we want this to become a fortress but yeah, sometimes the results are harder to come by and proud of my boys.
Q. Roman play on the play after you guys go up 2-0, they get the ball in deep. They only had a couple of shots but looked like Roman stopped a few before they got into that situation..
BRADLEY CARNELL: Yeah, Roman, he reads the game really well. Again, we want to be brave defending forwards, which the obvious thing is we give up space behind. Are we comfortable with Roman; we know we signed a goalkeeper that’s comfortable playing his feet out the back and comfortable defending from the front and releasing from his lines. He’s good coming off of crosses. And everything we’ve scouted, Roman has proved us right.
So yeah, Roman is doing his job.
Miguel Perez
On his emotion when he scored the goal…
Yeah, I mean, first goal, I didn’t know what to think. I mean, I went to the left and my parents were to the right side, so I run over there real fast.
On his thoughts about the game…
Yeah, they’re a good team. I mean, Vancouver. They came here, but I think with the support from our fans and amazing teammates, I think we worked hard together, and we got the win.
On his next goal in mind…
Yeah, I think I just focus on training. I don’t have anything in mind. I think just going in training every day and just working harder and harder.
Eduard Löwen
On the approach with his goal…
I mean, I always — like every single one from the left side wing, I always try to target the far post, and if no one touches it, it still goes in. That is always my goal, and when the goalkeepers make one step, it goes over.
On overcoming the rough spot before Kansas City…
It’s always very good to play in that stadium at home and always much, much nicer with these fans and this atmosphere. We enjoyed it a lot. And I think it’s it was very important to win the second game in a row. And of course, we are trying to win the next game as well and to go on a winning streak again.
On his ability to put the ball in the right place…
I mean, of course, I’m putting a lot of effort into it. I did it for years, I always trained a lot. There’s a lot of extra time you know, for set pieces. But at the end of the day, as I always say I always give the glory to God. So I’m very thankful that it could work out today that well because I mean obviously the second goal for example, yeah, I mean, I want to get a good pass to Jared. I was very surprised about that goal, but I mean, I’ll take it you know.
Indiana Vassilev
On getting a win tonight…
Edu’s first free kick was amazing. It was stunning. I’m going to give him the benefit of doubt and said he meant to do that. The second goal was a bit of luck, obviously miscommunication. We’ll definitely take it. Luck was on our side tonight and even with two zero into halftime we still didn’t really feel too good about it. As a team, we felt we could have done things better. The second half was about grinding out a win. It feels good, we definitely have stuff to work on, but it does feel good to have three points.
On the win not being luck but instead created by the team….
I definitely do think that we create our own luck. It just all came from playing vertically instead of playing the short pass, which is just something that we talked about during the past week. Obviously, the center back headed into his own goal, and it ultimately was a miscommunication. I think we definitely create our own luck, and it feels good to get three points at home.
On moving up to a more attacking spot…
It is a more familiar position to me, so I do enjoy it more. Having said that when I was playing six, I still enjoyed playing the stakes and helping the team and always tried to do the dirty work. I’ll play anywhere for this team. I just try and give it my all, all the time. I try to come off the field exhausted and like knowing that I gave it my all.
