CITY2 has now earned points in five consecutive matches
On the back of two early goals and an impressive defensive showing overall, St Louis CITY2 knocked off Tacoma Defiance 2-0 to secure the team’s second road win and third win overall on the season.
Tacoma challenged CITY2’s backline early with a run deep into the visitors’ half, crossing the ball to an unguarded attacker in the middle of the box, but a kneeling deflection from defender Fritz Volmar stopped the ensuing shot. Just minutes later, CITY2 launched an attack of their own, and after a shot by midfielder John Klein caromed off the Defiance goalkeeper, forward Caden Glover cleaned it up to put CITY2 up 1-0 in the 10th minute.
With Tacoma reeling after allowing the early goal, crisp passing from CITY2 allowed the away side to increase their lead in the 14th minute. Midfielder Wan Kuzain pirouetted around a challenge and laced a pass between multiple Defiance defenders, hitting Klein in stride on a run into the box for what became Klein’s sixth goal of the season. Not satisfied, the away side built up another dangerous chance later in the half that culminated with multiple shots on goal, but the Tacoma goalkeeper stood his ground and kept CITY2’s lead at two.
In the 51st minute, Tacoma put the CITY2 defense to work after establishing a presence near the away side’s goal. With goalkeeper Christian Olivares making a save that forced him off his line, CITY2 defenders stepped up and blocked the strike sent in off the rebound before heading a third shot away. Later, after CITY2 intercepted an attempted cross by Tacoma in the 62nd minute, Glover recovered the ball and floated it ahead to midfielder Faysal Bettache for a fast break, but Bettache’s eventual shot to the near post was swallowed up by the opposing goalkeeper.
Olivares made another key save for CITY2 later in the half, diving to his left and swatting the ball out of the box after a Tacoma attacker flicked it on goal from in close. In the 79th minute, a CITY2 foul set up a Defiance free kick inches outside of the box, but Olivares denied the on-frame service off the set piece to preserve the two-goal lead. It was all CITY2 afterwards, allowing Olivares to pick up his second clean sheet of the season in the 2-0 victory.
UP NEXTÂ
CITY2 remains on the road for a showdown with Huntsville City FC on Sunday, June 11.
STARTING LINEUPÂ
Christian Olivares, Sergio Rivas, Michael Wentzel ©, Fritz Volmar, Ezra Armstrong, Max Schneider, AJ Palazzolo (Larsen Hackworth 76’), Faysal Bettache (Dida Armstrong 69’), Wan Kuzain (Josh Maher 89’), John Klein, Caden Glover (Ryley Gibbs 69’)
SUBSTITUTES NOT USED:Â
Nick Bishop, Nolan McGuire, Stanislav Koval
