AUSTIN, TEXAS — A new era in the sport in St. Louis began deep in the heart of Texas Saturday night, and the result, even if it hadn’t been the team’s first game, would have been one for the books.
St. Louis City SC, in its inaugural game of Major League Soccer, some 3 ½ years after the franchise was announced and what seemed like forever in the mind of a city steeped in soccer history, but from the outside on the Sport saw a revival, scoring twice in eight minutes late in the second half to earn a historic and unexpected 3-2 win over Austin FC at Q2 Stadium.
Tim Parker scored the club’s first goal of the first half and then Jared Stroud, who played for Austin last season, and Klauss scored in the 78th and 86th minutes respectively, which City SC can say has lasted at least a week are leaders of the Western Conference.
Trailing 2-1 and Austin controlling most of the game in the second half, City SC equalized in the 78th minute with the luckiest goals when Austin’s Kipp Keller, the former St Louis University star, inexplicably bounced the ball back into his own end against Stroud, who was alone in the box and only had the keeper to beat, which he did from around 12 yards.
People also read…
Then, in the 86th minute, it was Klauss, the one-name Brazilian striker, who shot from the right after a Niko Gioacchini pass. Klauss lay exhausted or in disbelief on the field.
For added drama, Austin headed a cross into the box off the crossbar four minutes into injury time. 30 seconds later, after the final whistle, there were hugs among the City SC players.
It was a very surprising result against an Austin team who were among the best in the MLS last season.
City SC took the lead in the 24th minute when Parker headed in from an Eduard Lowen corner. City SC had earned the corner kick with a better sequence of passes, which led to a deflected shot by Rasmus Alm. Then Parker got up on the corner over a defender and punched goalie Brad Stuver to the ball and headed it in. Parker then retrieved the ball from the net and tucked it under his shirt as he and his teammates ran over to celebrate in front of the City SC fans.
City SC looked to have doubled their lead to 2-0 with a shot from Jared Stroud in the 44th minute, but the game was called off for a foul. Shortly thereafter, Alm almost scored from close range, but Stuver saved.
Austin equalized four minutes after injury time in the first half. The ball was played from Austin’s end of the field to their biggest offensive threat, Sebastian Driussi. City SC goalie Roman Burki got the ball, but Driussi skilfully controlled the long pass with his foot, pulled it to the left and, putting Burki in no man’s land, heaved it over him from 18 meters into the goal.
City’s starting lineup was basically as expected, with the players who started against Atlanta in the last preseason game, with one change, Indiana Vassilev starting in place of Njabulo Blom, who didn’t have enough minutes at camp after a late start while waiting with it his work permit goes through. Vassilev’s best position is as an attacking central midfielder rather than a defensive midfielder like Blom, but with Blom’s late start the team had looked at other players there including Vassilev and Aziel Jackson.
“Of course it’s maybe a newer position for me,” Vassilev said last week, “but at the end of the day I play football and I really enjoy it. So it’s not a problem.”
It turned out that Vassilev was not on the field for long. Twelve minutes into the game, he went up for a ball and collided with an Austin player and went down. He suffered a broken nose during the game and was also eliminated from the game due to a possible concussion. Blom came on in the 17th minute, but under MLS rules, a concussion substitution doesn’t count against a team’s five substitutions.
And that wasn’t the game’s first change. Austin’s Julio Cascante was injured in the 11th minute and came on for ex-SLU player Keller.
City SC made two substitutions in the 60th minute and made two substitutions in attacking midfield. He brought in 17-year-old local hero Miguel Perez for Tomas Ostrak in midfield and Niko Gioacchini for Rasmus Alm. It will be a familiar scenario for City SC this season and sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel has likened it to Formula 1 racing and the car brought in late in a race for a new set of tires.
About 150 City SC fans made their way to Austin, marched into the stadium an hour before the game and then took seats in the upper rows. Several members of the ownership group, Carolyn Kindle, Jo Ann Taylor Kindle and Jim Kavanaugh made the trip along with front office members, sponsors and even stadium site director Josh McPherson.
Photos: St. Louis City SC beat Austin FC 3-2 in MSL debut in Texas
St. Louis City SC make their MLS debut against Austin FC in Texas
St. Louis City SC forward João Klauss (9) lies on the ground celebrating his crucial goal while teammates Jake Nerwinski (2), left, and midfielder Njabulo Blom (6), right, take part in the second half of the Join party MLS game between St Louis City SC and Austin FC on Saturday February 25, 2023 at Q2 Stadium in Austin Texas. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, [email protected]
Laurie Skrivan
St. Louis City SC make their MLS debut against Austin FC in Texas
St Louis City SC forward João Klauss (9) celebrates scoring his decisive goal against Austin FC goalkeeper Brad Stuver (1) late in the second half of an MLS match between St Louis City Saturday February 25th SC and Austin FC, 2023, at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, [email protected]
Laurie Skrivan
St. Louis City SC make their MLS debut against Austin FC in Texas
St. Louis City SC midfielder Eduard Lowen, left, hugs defenseman Tim Parker to save Parker’s goal during the first half of an MLS game between St. Louis City SC and Austin FC on Saturday February 25, 2023 at Q2 Stadium in Austin to celebrate , texas.
Laurie Skrivan, Mailing
St. Louis City SC make their MLS debut against Austin FC in Texas
St. Louis City SC defender Tim Parker (26) heads the ball during the first half of an MLS game between St. Louis City SC and Austin FC on Saturday February 25, 2023 at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas . Photo by Laurie Skrivan, [email protected]
Laurie Skrivan
St. Louis City SC make their MLS debut against Austin FC in Texas
St. Louis City SC defender Tim Parker (26) runs into the outstretched arms of midfielder Eduard Lowen (10) to save his goal during the first half of an MLS game between St. Louis City SC and Austin FC on Saturday, March 2nd. February, to celebrate February 25, 2023 at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, [email protected]
Laurie Skrivan
St. Louis City SC make their MLS debut against Austin FC in Texas
Kevin Marshall, center, leads the St. Louligans and St. Louis City SC fans in a cheer as they leave the stadium for the team’s debut in Major League Soccer against Austin FC on Saturday, February 25, 2023 at the Enter Q2 Stadium in Austin. Texas. For more coverage, SEE SPORTS, D1.
Laurie Skrivan, Mailing
St. Louis City SC make their MLS debut against Austin FC in Texas
Fans, left to right, father Matt and son Miles McInnis of Wildwood and father Kiron and son Rowen Lahiri, 9, of Town and Country, members of St. Louis City SC enter the stadium for their debut MLS game against Austin FC Saturday February 25, 2023 at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, [email protected]
Laurie Skrivan
St. Louis City SC make their MLS debut against Austin FC in Texas
Fans, from left to right, father Matt and son Miles McInnis of Wildwood and father Kiron and son Rowen Lahiri, 9, of Town and Country, cheer as St. Louis City SC forward João Klauss (9) and defenseman Tim Parker ( 26 ) enter stadium for St. Louis City SC’s MLS debut game against Austin FC on Saturday, February 25, 2023 at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, [email protected]
Laurie Skrivan
St. Louis City SC make their MLS debut against Austin FC in Texas
Austin FC goaltender Brad Stuver (1) makes a save during the first half of an MLS game between St. Louis City SC and Austin FC on Saturday February 25, 2023 at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, [email protected]
Laurie Skrivan
St. Louis City SC make their MLS debut against Austin FC in Texas
St. Louis City SC defender Tim Parker (26) and goalkeeper Roman Burki (1) react to a goal from Austin FC midfielder Sebastián Driussi (10) during the first half of an MLS game between St. Louis City SC and Austin FC on Saturday February 2 February 25, 2023 at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, [email protected]
Laurie Skrivan
St. Louis City SC make their MLS debut against Austin FC in Texas
St. Louis City SC forward Jared Stroud flies in the air as Austin FC midfielder Owen Wolff takes control of the ball during the first half on Saturday, February 25, 2023 at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas obtained.
Laurie Skrivan photos, mailing
Be the first to know
Get local news in your inbox!