CITY 2 News

St Louis CITY2 Announces End of Year Roster Decisions for 2023 Season

CITY2 exercised contract options on forward Dida Armstrong, midfielder Larsen Hackworth and midfielder John Klein. Klein finished the season with a team-leading 17 goal contributions (13 goals, 4 assists) in 2,121 minutes played. With his brace against Real Monarchs on August 6, one of his three multi-goal games during the season, Klein became CITY2’s all-time leading goal scorer.

CITY2 declined contract options on midfielders Faysal Bettache and AJ Palazzolo, forward Stanislav Koval and goalkeeper Eric Walker. Additionally, defender Ezra Armstrong, midfielder Wan Kuzain, midfielder Sergio Rivas are out of contract. Negotiations are ongoing for potential returns in 2024 with Wan Kuzain and Rivas.

Following the 2023 season, Palazzolo announced his official retirement from professional soccer. The former Saint Louis University standout joined CITY2 ahead of the team’s debut campaign in 2022, helping the team win the MLS NEXT Pro Western Conference. Across his two seasons with CITY2, Palazzolo made 43 appearances across 1,944 minutes, recording 24 starts and scoring 3 goals in the process.

https://www.stlcitysc.com/news/st-louis-city2-announces-end-of-year-roster-decisions-for-2023-season

 

The 2024 MLS NEXT Pro schedule is available. The good news is that most of the NEXT Pro matches will be included with the Apple TV+ subscription, and most of the rest will be broadcast on the MLS NEXT Pro website. CITY2's matches generally are late afternoon/evening games.

The disappointing part is that very few matches are scheduled early enough in the day to help avoid afternoon spring thunderstorms/hail/tornadoes and the summer heat.

 

CITY2's third 2024 match is Sunday afternoon at 4:00 CT. Contrary to CITY's website, neither CITY nor CITY2 play in kansas and therefore the opponent is not our "cross-state rival."

Match info:
CITY2 (0-1-1, 1 Point) at kansas, the sequel (1-1-0, 3 Points)
Rock Chalk Park, Lawrence
4:00 CT
Streaming: MLSNEXTPro.com
Here is the Livestream URL.
Here is the mlssoccer.com match URL.

 

CITY 2 v Timbers 2
Sunday April 7, 2024, 6:00 PM (CT)
CITYPARK
Apple TV+ MLS Season Pass (supposedly)

CITY 2: 1-1-1 (0-1-1 home, 1-0-0 away)
Timbers 2: 0-1-2 (0-1-0 home, 0-0-2 away)
All-time head-to-head CITY2 4-0-0 versus Timbers2
Here is the mlssoccer.com match URL

 

CITY2 drew Timbers 2 1-1 but picked up the extra point in the shootout (5-4). Kijima had a stellar left-footed cross to McSorley for CITY2's goal. We won't talk about the defensive lapse a man up to surrender the equalizer. It was the best officiated match I've seen all year.

 

Here's the highlight video from City 2's draw with Timbers 2. Watch the McSorley goal (with the Kijima assist). That is fantastic.

 

The more I watch CITY's young guns, the better I feel about the future.

Nick Bishop is coming up with some big plays in net. He's showing increasingly solid reads on the attacks.

Caden Glover has a bright future. He has so many solid skills and is starting to put everything together. He shakes defenders quickly and creates space in dangerous positions.I enjoy watching his progress and see him playing a first team role before long.

Hosei Kijima was worth everything CITY gave to get him in the draft. My first impression was that he was a bit right-foot-dependent. CITY 2 has been working him on the left to build his left foot skills. He is game smart, has great pace, has a nice touch, and apparently is very teachable. He has an exceptional future.

John Klein has a nose for the net. Some guys have that and some don't. He just *seems* to be in the right place at the right time, and darned near all of the time. That's a great skill. I like what I see with him, too.

Brendan McSorley has been working hard to improve his skills. He's coming along nicely. He easily could have overcooked the goal against Timbers 2, but he dialed it back and netted the soft touch. I like what I'm seeing. He isn't first team ready yet, but he will be, and not far in the future.

Tyson Pearce is becoming a good pest on defense. He nibbles and nibbles away at the ball when opposing players are feeling pressed to pass, and he forces some crazy mistakes by the opponents. He has nice touch on turnovers and finds an open player quickly. His instincts are solid.

Michael Wentzel is a beast on defense. He has the height and strength to defend, and is becoming more assertive in matches. We're going to need him as the long season wears on.

 

CITY 2 at Austin FC II
Friday April 12, 2024, 8:00 PM (CT)
Parmer Field, North Austin
Apple TV+ MLS Season Pass (supposedly)

CITY 2: 1-1-2 (0-1-2 home, 1-0-0 away), 1 shootout point, 6 points, 1.5 PPG
Austin FC II: 1-1-0 (0-1-0 home, 1-0-0 away), 0 shootout points, 3 points, 1.5 PPG
All-time head-to-head CITY2 0-2-0 versus Austin FC II

mlssoccer.com match URL: https://www.mlsnextpro.com/competitions/mls-next-pro/2024/matches/atxvsstl-04-12-2024/

CITY 2 is 1-0-0 on the road and Austin FC II is 0-1-0 at home. Here’s hoping the home-and-away trends continue for this match. The Austin weather forecast looks much better for Friday than earlier this week.

 

Nice 1-0 road win for CITY 2. McSorley's goal stood up and Olivares had a rock solid match for the clean sheet. This was CITY 2's first win over Austin FC II.

 

CITY 2 v. Real Monarchs
Friday April 19, 2024, 7:00 PM (CT)
CITYPARK
Apple TV+ MLS Season Pass

CITY 2: 2-1-2 (0-1-2 home, 2-0-0 away), 1 shootout point, 9 points, 1.8 PPG
Real Monarchs: 1-2-1 (1-1-1 home, 0-1-0 away), 1 shootout point, 5 points, 1.25 PPG
All-time head-to-head CITY2 4-0-0 versus Real Monarchs

Here is the mlssoccer.com match URL

CITY 2 is looking for the first home win and the Real Monarchs are winless on the road. The CITYPARK weather forecast looks much better for Friday than tonight, mid-to-upper 50s, dry, and a light breeze.

 

CITY 2 at MNUFC 2
Friday May 3, 2024, 6:00 PM (CT)
National Sports Center Stadium, Blaine MN
Apple TV+ MLS Season Pass

Here is the mlsnextpro.com match thread.
CITY 2
3-1-2 (1-1-2 home, 2-0-0 away), 1 shootout point, 12 points, 2.00 PPG, 8 GF, 5 GA, Net +3

MNUFC 2
1-3-0 (0-0-0 home, 1-3-0 away), 0 shootout points, 3 points, 0.75 PPG, 7 GF, 13 GA, net -6

All-Time head-to-head: CITY is 1-2-2 versus MNUFC 2.

Forget MNUFC's season record. This is their first home match. They have a nice stadium for their matches. It's also the current home of the UFA's Minnesota Wind Chill.

 

The CITY 2 match at MNUFC is on mlsnextpro.com livestream. Here's the YouTube URL:

 

Match highlights of CITY 2's win over MNUFC 2:

 

CITY 2 v. Austin FC 2
Sunday May 12, 2024, 6:00 PM (CT)
CITYPARK
Apple TV+ MLS Season Pass (maybe) or maybe the MLSPro feeds on the MLS YouTube channel – your guess is as good as mine

Here is the match thread

CITY 2
4-1-2 (1-1-2 home, 3-0-0 away), 1 shootout point, 15 points, 2.14 PPG, 10 GF, 6 GA, Net +4

Austin FC 2
2-2-2 (0-2-1 home, 2-1-0 away), 0 shootout points, 6 points, 1.00 PPG, 6 GF, 7 GA, net -1

All-Time head-to-head: CITY is 1-2-0 versus Austin FC 2 (0-1-0 home, 1-1-0 away).

CITY 2 defeated Austin FC 2 1-0 in Austin last month. CITY 2 currently is fourth in the West. Austin 2 is ninth. All three head-to-head matches have been shutouts. Both teams have better road records than home records.

 

Here are the CITY 2 match highlights, another 2-1 win on an early Joyner goal and a Kuzain dagger at the death. CITY 2 moved into first place in the West, with 18 points (5-1-2 plus 1 shootout point). CITY 2's next match is Wednesday May 22, in Houston.

 

CITY 2 v. Houston Dynamo 2
Wednesday May 22, 2024, 7:00 PM (CT)
SaberCats Stadium, Houston

Apple TV+ MLS Season Pass (maybe) or maybe the MLSPro feeds on the MLS YouTube channel – your guess is as good as mine

Here is the match thread

CITY 2
5-1-2 (2-1-2 home, 3-0-0 away), 1 shootout point, 18 points, 2.25 PPG, 12 GF, 7 GA, Net +5

Houston Dynamo 2
1-4-2 (0-2-1 home, 2-1-0 away), 1 shootout point, 6 points, 0.86 PPG, 8 GF, 14 GA, net -6

All-Time head-to-head: CITY is 1-1-0 versus Houston Dynamo 2 (0-1-0 home, 1-0-0 away). CITY 2 defeated Houston Dynamo 2 in Houston 3-1 and lost at home to Houston 3-1 in 2023. CITY 2 currently is fourth in the West, riding a four-match winning streak, and is 3-0-0 on the road. Houston Dynamo 2 is fourteenth in the West.

Note: CITY 2 has two matches this week. They will be in action again on Sunday evening at CITYPARK, against The Town FC.

 

Here is the information for this week's second match:

CITY 2 v. The Town FC
Sunday May 26, 2024, 6:00 PM (CT)
CITYPARK

Apple TV+ MLS Season Pass (maybe) or maybe the MLSPro feeds on the MLS YouTube channel – your guess is as good as mine

Here is the match thread

CITY 2
5-2-2 (2-1-2 home, 3-1-0 away), 1 shootout point, 18 points, 2.00 PPG, 12 GF, 9 GA, Net +3

The Town FC
3-2-4 (1-0-3 home, 2-2-1 away), 2 shootout points, 15 points, 1.67 PPG, 10 GF, 8 GA, net +2

All-Time head-to-head: CITY is 1-1-1 versus The Town FC (1-1-0 home, 0-0-1 away, 4 GF, 4 GA, net 0). CITY 2 defeated The Town FC 3-1 at home, lost to them 0-2 at home, and drew them 1-1 on the road in 2023. CITY 2 currently is fourth in the West, coming off an 0-2 loss in Houston. The Town FC is three points behind CITY in the West, coming off a nil-nil at home against LAFC 2.

 

Here is the highlight video from CITY 2 v. The Town FC:

 

CITY 2 at Colorado Rapids 2
Sunday June 2, 2024, 9:00 PM (CT)
University of Denver Soccer Stadium

Maybe the MLSPro feeds on the MLS YouTube channel or possibly Apple TV+ MLS Season Pass– your guess is as good as mine

Here is the match thread

Here is the YouTube link for the live webcast.

CITY 2
6-2-2 (3-1-2 home, 3-1-0 away), 1 shootout point, 21 points, 2.10 PPG, 13 GF, 9 GA, Net +4

Colorado Rapids 2
2-7-1 (1-4-1 home, 1-3-0 away), 0 shootout points, 7 points, 0.70 PPG, 13 GF, 23 GA, net -10

All-Time head-to-head: CITY is 0-2-1 versus Colorado Rapids 2 (0-2-0 home, 0-0-1 away, 1 GF, 3 GA, net -2). CITY 2 is third in the West. Colorado Rapids 2 is last in the West.

 

Colorado Rapids 2 2-3 CITY 2
Match highlights:

 

I don't have time to do a regular match thread, but here's tomorrow night's match:

St. Louis CITY 2 (7-2-2, second in West) at Tacoma Defiance (5-5-1, sixth in West)
Thursday, June 6, 2024, 9:00 PM (CT)
Starfire Sports Complex, Tukwila WA

Livestream on MLSNextPro.com
Here is the match thread
We're still waiting for the YouTube livestream URL