After picking up a point in their first three matches, St Louis CITY2 hopes to earn their first win as they head on their first road trip for a contest against Austin FC II at Parmer Field at St. David’s Performance Center on Sunday, April 16. Kickoff is at 6:00 p.m. CT, with the match being televised on MLSNEXTPro.com.
With this season being Austin FC II’s first foray into MLS NEXT Pro action, Sunday’s match will be the first-ever meeting between CITY2 and the home side. The two sides have, however, already played two common opponents: Tacoma Defiance and Houston Dynamo 2. CITY2 drew against Tacoma and lost to Houston, while Austin FC II picked up a pair of wins in the two contests.
A late-game equalizer from Mykhi Joyner helped CITY2 earn a point in their first match, but the following week the team went down a man and allowed Minnesota United 2 to come back and win after trailing early. Last week, CITY2 once again took an early lead after John Klein netted his first goal of the season, but Houston Dynamo 2 responded with three unanswered goals on the way to their first points of the season.
In addition to having scored his first professional goal, Klein is currently tied for the fifth-most key passes in MLS NEXT Pro with six. Defender Michael Wentzel has been another key contributor, anchoring the backline and leading CITY2 in accurate passes (83) while having just one turnover on the season. And when CITY2 has created offensive opportunities, they have often found ways to put shots on frame, with their 52.6% accurate shooting percentage good for third-best in the league.
Meanwhile, Austin FC II enter the match still undefeated on the year and in fourth place in the Western Conference. In addition to their wins over Tacoma Defiance and Houston Dynamo 2, they earned a point against Sporting KC II after playing to a 1-1 draw before dropping the ensuing shootout. With CITY2 playing for their first win and Austin FC 2 playing to remain undefeated, fans should look forward to an exciting matchup.
