This story was produced in partnership with the River City Journalism Fund.
No Major League Soccer experts predicted expansion team St. Louis City SC to make the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs. But City SC became the first Western Conference team to clinch a spot in the playoffs after a 0-0 draw against Los Angeles FC (the reigning MLS Cup Champions) at Citypark on Wednesday, September 20.
“It's a testament to what a great year that we've had,” vice-captain Tim Parker said in a post-match press conference. “This is kind of the end of the year where you want to start to play your best stuff.”
The two teams first met on July 12 in Los Angeles, a match LAFC won 3-0. Interestingly, only three players (Roman Bürki, Njabulo Blom, and Indiana Vassilev) started both matches for City. Both teams entered the Wednesday night match with healthy rosters and fielded strong lineups in front of a sold-out Citypark.
The intensity of the match and atmosphere at Citypark will prove valuable for City as the postseason nears. “I think this is what a tight playoff game could look like down the stretch,” head coach Bradley Carnell said.
A Tactical Battle
LAFC is one of the best teams in MLS and Carnell responded accordingly by fielding City’s strongest starting XI. Carnell deployed a diamond 4-4-2 formation with midfielder Njabulo Blom playing as “the six” — the holding midfielder in front of the defense.
Midfielders Eduard Löwen and Vassilev played as “eights” in front of Blom. A midfield “eight” is a box-to-box midfielder who attacks and defends. Löwen and Vassilev occupied the half spaces in the midfield as well as the wide space alongside fullbacks Akil Watts and Markanich.
Utilizing two eights rather than two wingers allowed City to create overloads — numerical advantages — in different areas of the pitch. These overloads help City progress the ball forward and result in crosses or shots.
But utilizing two eights was also indicative of City’s defensive gameplan: to deny LAFC space in the midfield. Control of the midfield is crucial for a possession-based team that scores most of its goals off passing sequences or in transition like LAFC.
LAFC favors a 4-3-3 formation to create a three-man numerical advantage in the midfield. But City’s four-man midfield hindered LAFC’s ability to dominate possession, which led LAFC to focus on another point of attack: its wide play. LAFC utilized the speed and 1v1 ability of wingers Dénis Bouanga and Cristian Olivera to create dangerous opportunities. Bouanga and Olivera accounted for 11 of LAFC’s 14 shots.
Matches between two top teams can be decided by small margins. Both teams attacked methodically and made no defensive errors.
“When good teams get together in a perfect stadium and a perfect evening, if you give away a critical moment, you lose the game. I think both teams played a tight, cagey game, giving nothing away to each other,” Carnell said.
The stat sheet proves how close the match was. City managed 12 shots compared to LAFC’s 14. LAFC won 53 duels while City won 55. Possession was nearly 50-50. It was the first 0-0 scoreline in City history.
“I think it was a very balanced game. I think we had no big chances, and they had no big chances,” Bürki said.
Almost Playoff Time
City boasts 50 points after 30 MLS matches, and ironically, it’s LAFC that holds the record for the most points accumulated in an inaugural season for an expansion team, with 57. With a possible 12 points up for grabs in its final four matches, LAFC’s record is within reach for City.
City SC holds a five-point lead over second place Seattle Sounders. City SC will host the final match of the regular season against Seattle on October 21 — a match that could see the winner crowned as Western Conference champion.
Parker hopes City can continue to pick up points, which would allow the team to earn home field advantage in the playoffs. “Home field advantage is definitely something that we've had our eye on now with the position we've been in, because we know how hard it is to play here at Citypark [for other teams] and we know how we're able to play here. So, to get the fans here in St. Louis a home playoff game is big for us.”
Julian Trejo, a sophomore at Washington University in St. Louis, is a native of Arkansas, and a former goalkeeper for several state championship teams. His work is supported by the River City Journalism Fund.
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