The top story: no Hartel due to illness.
A bit of rotation but as the XI has seen some recent changes, it’s not as drastic as it once may have seemed - also a commentary of the depth @stlCITYsc has.
Fallou Fall w/his 1st start of the yr playing LCB. Teuchert back in the XI for the 1st time in a month & Hiebert makes the roster as MacNaughton rests. #AllForCITY
Massive credit to Simon Becher for drawing that red card at 52’.
Some call it shoulder to shoulder or incidental contact but damn if Becher doesn’t do everything to keep his arm inside & goto ground convincingly to make that a red as a last man back situation. #AllForCITY
Here’s the scenario @stlCITYsc fans. Everyone’s available minus Célio. I’m going to list a possible XI w/subs and let’s see who Damet leaves off the roster entirely:
Bürki
Polvara, Baumgartl, MacNaughton
Totland, Durkin, Edelman, Wallem
Hartel, Löwen
Córdova
Bench: Lundt (must roster), Orozco, Mbacke, Fallou, Joyner, Santos, Perez, Ostràk, Teuchert, Sangbin, McSorley, Becher
3 of these bench players will be left off the matchday roster entirely. My guess from watching Damet’s selections so far: Fallou, Ostràk and Sangbin.
How does everyone think it shakes out?#AllForCITY
I still insist.. Why didn’t Bruno make the pass to Mbeumo instead?? He was very clear and would have scored as well.
It would have been a big booster for him. Look how isolated Mbeumo has become lately. A shadow of himself!
Mbeumo cannot end the season feeling this way please.
Finally, let's look at the Werner game-winner. Ousseni Bouda breaks down the right side with Polvara, Timo, MacNaughton, and Durkin in position. I didn't say good position, just "position" - MacNaughton was ball watching and completely forgot that Timo Werner existed, leaving him wide open as a trailer streaking down the left.
You can see a slight head movement from Bouda as he locates Werner calling for the ball and slings a well-placed cross over the entire CITY backline to a waiting Werner, who bangs home an easy finish (for him) to give San Jose the lead and eventually, the win.
Werner closed about 35 ft while the ball traveled in on the cross, putting himself in prime position to score behind a totally lost MacNaughton, who was in no-man's-land and unable to contest the cross or the shot.
HT and its 1-0 San Jose. We knew it was urgent to get out in front early w/the rotated Quakes lineup. @stlCITYsc is up against it again, at home.
A game not without excitement though, and therein lies a different frustration. 3 separate 1v1 opportunities against the SJ keepers, leading 1.44 to 0.30 in xG and 13 to 4 lead in shots.
There’ve been some frustrations in the build up with Córdova struggling to wrangle balls out wide and the midfield touches not landing consistently but this one should have CITY leading and in control, and it’s not through not fault of the chances created… it’s not. #AllForCITY
Trick Williams beats Sami Zayn to win the US Title in Trick's WrestleMania debut match. Zayn was working as the heel here and Trick got the win with the Trick Shot. Good match, but also was hoping they would get more time. Happy for Trick! #WrestleMania
Oba Femi beat Brock Lesnar clean with the Fall From Grace. Lesnar hit an F5, but Femi was able to get back up, hit a Chokeslam and Fall From Grace. Crowd was going crazy for this! Femi is a huge star and the fans know it. Love it. So happy for Oba. #WrestleMania