CITY SC falls to San Diego FC at Energizer Park

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - St. Louis CITY SC fell 2-1 to MLS newcomer San Diego FC Saturday night at Energizer Park.

The game kicked off at 7:30 p.m. in front of the hometown crowd on a beautiful Saturday evening.

Neither side was able to capitalize on any chances in the first half of the match.

In the second half, in minute 79, CITY newcomer Xande Silva was unable to handle a clear from Kyle Hiebert and gave it away to the San Diego side. This allowed San Diego’s Milan Iloski to get around CITY defenders Josh Yaro and Timo Baumgartl, and ultimately, send a shot into the bottom left corner of CITY’s goal, making it a 1-0 game for San Diego.

In minute 87, Yaro failed to settle a high ball sent into CITY’s defensive end by San Diego. This mistake was capitalized on by Anders Dreyer, who was able to dribble around CITY keeper Ben Lundt, who came sliding out to try to stop the attack. Lundt, who got up quickly after Dreyer got past him, squared off with the San Diego player without the help of the rest of the CITY defense. Dreyer was able to slip a shot past both Lundt and Yaro, who had made it back to CITY’s goal line behind Lundt.

In the 90th minute, CITY earned a free kick outside of San Diego’s box. The free kick was taken by Marcel Hartel, who sent it towards the goal, where Cedric Teuchert got a head on it, but was batted away by San Diego’s keeper. As it was batted away, the ball went to the head of Conrad Wallem, where it hit the right post and bounced back to the feet of Hiebert, who was finally able to put it away one minute into extra time.

The extra time goal wasn’t enough, and CITY could not find their equalizer, earning a loss in front of a packed Energizer Park.

CITY hasn’t earned a win in regular MLS play in eight matches. Their last win came on March 15 against the Seattle Sounders.

CITY did find a win in non-MLS play with a 2-0 win over Omaha Union in Round 32 of the U.S. Open Cup. Unfortunately, that win did not put wind in the CITY side’s sails to pull off a win Saturday night in MLS play.

CITY’s next outing is an I-70 derby rematch against Sporting Kansas City. The last time the two sides met was on April 5, where CITY took a disappointing loss at Children’s Mercy Park. The rematch starts at 7:45 p.m. on Wednesday at Energizer Park.

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