Rafael Navarro's 2nd brace powers CITY SC past MNUFC, 4-2.

St. Louis CITY SC took the pitch Saturday night with what was probably Yoann Damet’s most rotated lineup since the 1-1 draw against DC United on May 16th. The lineup saw Fallou Fall back in the starting XI for the first time since the World Cup break, the first look at Becher and Navarro partnering from the jump, a Rafael Santos start in relief of Tomas Totland, and – maybe most importantly – Dante Polvara in the midfield. 

It’s hard to say this was a pure “rotated” look when the DPs started together for the first time, but with Rafael Navarro disqualified (cup tied) from suiting up on Wednesday, and with the play of both Alex Mǎțan and Totland crucial in recent matches, this was a weaker look compared to Damet’s ideal lineup. 

So, it was then surprising to see a CITY SC that took it to MNUFC from the jump. 

The Loons backed off the press and attempted to bait St. Louis into pressing too many numbers forward, and at first, it worked.

Despite an opening salvo of 3 shots in the first 4 minutes, the Loons perfectly countered in behind Timo Baumgartl and a backline that had pushed all the way into the attacking half. Tomás Chancalay’s finish was simple, and MNUFC looked to continue frustrating a St. Louis attack that would now have to push harder to break down the low block.

Unfortunately for the Loons, the complete lack of pressure on the ball was exactly what CITY SC needed to slice through the open spacing. Carlo Holse, Rafael Navarro, Timo Baumgartl, and Fallou Fall were key to unlocking the dangerous moments.

Holse’s 19th-minute shot from distance was quickly slotted home when Daniel Edelman followed Drake Callender’s juicy rebound, completely unmarked. 

Minutes later, Holse brilliantly scored one of his own with a curling effort past an outstretched Callender. Thanks to the space created by Rafael Navarro’s play to retrieve Fallou’s disruption and find Wallem at the top of the box, Wallem’s pass into Holse was completely unmarked. Fallou Fall’s step-up to cut out a potential counter created the opportunity, and two passes later the ball is in the back of the net. 

The pressure continued to mount, and Holse finished up his brilliant half with a perfectly weighted ball dropped into Rafael Navarro’s path for the Brazilian to chip Callender and net his 3rd in as many matches since arriving from Colorado. 

CITY SC responded to MNUFC’s opening goal with a near-perfect half. 

They kept Minnesota to just 2 touches in the box and just 41 passes inside the attacking half. More importantly, MNUFC looked out of ideas as CITY SC consistently won duels and stepped up to win back possession.

“We conceded early. We shouldn't be conceding those opportunities.” Damet reflected. “I liked our reaction to it, very quickly. The guys were composed, were in control. So very much enjoyed the first half in terms of our performance and how we built it.”

That did not last into the second half.

“I'm a bit more frustrated with our second half because I think putting in the fourth [goal] should then give us the opportunity to breathe and to manage. We finished the game up a man, as well, and I got the feeling that until the end, it was a little bit sloppy at times, which I think we are capable of better in those moments.”

After an early flurry of pressure, Rafael Navarro seemed to ice the win when he converted the PK he won by outhustling Michael Boxall moments earlier. 

However, Yoann Damet made a trio of subs – Alex Mǎțan, Chris Durkin, and Tomas Totland for Carlo Hose, Daniel Edelman, and Rafael Santos – and Minnesota quickly built through a chaotic moment and drew a PK of their own; Yeboah converted and made it 4-2.

As much as Totland was an upgrade over Santos – who, for the record, was mostly fine, and that’s all you really need from the backup wingback – the unfamiliar midfield chemistry made it difficult for CITY SC to regain momentum and control.

“I think it's a matter of understanding that at this time of the year, we need guys that are able to help the team in certain moments,” Damet said of Santos’s involvement over the past week. “At the end of the day, we have got a different profile. Mykhi [Joyner] is very attacking. Rafa [Santos] is more of a defending profile that is coming into fit. And you've got Conrad [Wallem] and Toti; Conrad can play inverted, Toti can play a little bit more out wide and get in behind. So, I think there is a balance there. And we need to understand where the guys are at, how they can perform, and how they can contribute for the rest of the season. I'm very pleased with what I saw in the past two games with Rafa, and also with the way Mykhi came in, in the last game.”

The Loons had chances: Markanich off the crossbar in the 69th minute, Malone off the crossbar in the 78th minute, and a juicy Carlos Harvey header in the 89th minute. Minnesota simply weren’t clinical enough in their finishing, and St. Louis were fortunate not to concede a 3rd over the final 20 minutes. 

It follows a trend: MNUFC haven’t been clinical for a while and have the 8th-best expected goal differential since the World Cup break, but that won’t mean much to the fanbase when they’ve earned just 7 points through those 10 matches. 

The underlying numbers haven’t been as bad as their recent record indicates; the 2nd half on Saturday night was another sign of life amidst a disastrous record. The comeback wasn’t meant to be, however, and CITY SC picked up 3 points while they rotated key minutes to the tune of 16 unbeaten.

“Two different games. I think we had control in the first half. Played a really bad second half.” Carlo Holse said. “We have to go home and look at it. I think we can take some good things from the first half. The second half was difficult. I don't know what happened there. We have to look at the video again.”

Key Performers.

Of course, Navarro’s brace will steal the headlines, and Edelman’s 4th goal of the season is worth highlighting, but the play driving the performance was found in the players responsible for linking play in the first half.

This was the perfect match for Holse to stretch his legs in just his 2nd start since arriving this summer; the Dane was involved in all three first-half goals, and his link-up play was crucial in how CITY SC executed between MNUFC’s spacing. His relationship with Conrad Wallem has also started to come into the spotlight. The pair had worked on that connection before training sessions over the last few weeks. 

“Obviously, we speak the same language, which is always easier.” Holse said, “We can communicate a little bit better. Then it's just a lot of talks, videos, analyzing, speaking, and training. Also, what we can do to hurt the opponent. I think it's only going to get better with time.”

Wallem also hinted about Holse’s ability to cut in for that specific shot across goal, more points for communication, as he sensed Holse in the space to his right: “I had a lot of time and space. I was considering dribbling with the ball or laying it off to him for a one-touch finish. I know he has a very good left foot, so I decided to lay it off to him, and it worked out well.”

CITY SC broke down MNUFC’s defensive block through both long switches and direct balls over the top, thanks in large part to the time and space afforded to the backline. Timo Baumgartl and Fallou Fall both benefitted from the time and space, and while Baumgartl continued to build his resume as one of the best passing CBs in MLS this season, Fallou showcased his athleticism to break up potential attacks while also progressing the attack either with his passing or by picking up his head and striding into space. 

"Timo has been very good all season for us in understanding the game and his tactical abilities," Damet said of his most important CB. "I've been very impressed with his level of consistency. He's been very helpful in onboarding and finding passes on the lines all around. When we go into these games, we know we are going to have to be good with the ball and try to control the game with it."

It’s hard to say if this is the performance that forces Fallou into Yoann Damet’s ideal XI; his tendency to roam was still front and center, but it was a major step forward for a player who is going to have more chances as the matches rack up heading into the final stretch of the season. 

Room for improvement.

Despite the result, and despite the near-perfect first half, no one was satisfied with the performance post-match. Damet was disappointed, Carlo Holse wanted to call the 2nd half “shit”, and both Conrad Wallem and Dante Polvara pointed to a lack of control. 

“We've taken a lot of pride recently in not conceding a lot of chances, so that's a bit frustrating to get away from that.” Polvara said, “And then I think on the ball we could be cleaner and better. To be fair to everyone, obviously, me not playing in the midfield often, I'm sure that changes relationships, changes flow a little bit. But you know, I thought at the end of the day, we score a goal, they score a goal, and we get the win, which is what really matters.”

Yoann Damet ended the night visibly frustrated, heading into the closing moments of a 4-2 win. Ultimately, that’s a good thing for a group that hasn’t lost in months. Winning through adversity can supercharge success if a group is learning from those lessons, and not solely touting the win post-match speaks to the growing mentality within the group and how high the standards have become over the past year.

It has been a pattern this season. 

St. Louis’s 1st half xG differential is much better than its 2nd half differential, which, of course, isn’t occurring in a vacuum, but it is a problem that Damet will need to solve. Some of that is the game state of carrying more leads into the 2nd half – CITY SC have led at halftime 12 times this season; that’s more halftime leads than any previous season, with 9 matches to go in MLS play – and some of that is Damet not having enough trusted depth in the midfield. A good problem to have, but one that they will need to solve if they are to become a serious contender heading into the playoffs. 

Not to sound the alarm, but shot-stopping has also been an issue lately. As much as Roman Bürki’s play on the ball has been a general boon, CITY SC have been vulnerable on dead balls, and when caught in transition, it’s not a coincidence that Bürki has struggled to find stops in those moments. The keeper's best matches this season have come against teams who want to set up shop and try goals from distance. At this point in the season, the picture is of a keeper who can still come up big in moments, but he will only be as strong as the defensive structure in front of him. 

If CITY SC allows a dangerous dead ball or gives up a dangerous transition to an efficient goalscorer, well… it isn’t 2023 anymore. 

Looking Ahead.

St. Louis finished the night in 5th place in the Western Conference but just 2 points behind Houston in 2nd place. It’s tight, but they do find themselves 11 points clear of 9th place, a fact that would have seemed like a pipe dream back in January. 

They’ll return to Energizer Park on Saturday to host Josh Sargent and Toronto FC, but they have more important business in the meantime. 

Wednesday night in Colorado will be one of the most important nights in CITY SC history, just 2 wins away from lifting the US Open Cup. The good news is that Yoann Damet was able to rotate important minutes on Saturday, including a complete rest for Sangbin, who has been a menace against Colorado this season. Short outings for Daniel Edelman, Alex Mǎțan, Chris Durkin, and Tomas Totland will also help CITY SC put their best foot forward against the new-look Colorado Rapids. 

That should also yield another rotated XI vs. Toronto before St. Louis has a few weeks of uninterrupted training that Damet has been dreaming of since the new acquisitions arrived at the end of the transfer window. In the meantime, the club's big acquisitions are performing, and that’s about all you can ask for with limited sessions at their disposal. 

CITY SC is now tied for the 8th-longest unbeaten streak in MLS history, the third-longest single-season unbeaten streak, and no team has earned more points since the start of May. 

Onto the next one.