In one of the most unlikely scenarios we could have predicted at the start of the MLS season, St Louis City have a chance to win their first six matches of the year when they host Minnesota United on Saturday at CityPark.
St Louis are the only team in the league with a 100% record after crushing Real Salt Lake 4-0 a week ago, while the Loons gave up a goal deep into stoppage time to draw the Vancouver Whitecaps 1-1.
Match preview
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To say the accomplishments of St Louis have been tremendous would be an understatement, as this expansion franchise have defied the odds and logic to this point of the campaign.
After five matches, it is hard to call their run a case of beginner's luck anymore, as this team have won so many games convincingly, outscoring their previous two opponents (RSL and the San Jose Earthquakes) by a 7-0 margin.
They are only the third team in league history to collect 15 points from its first five MLS affairs, with the Los Angeles Galaxy (1996) and Sporting Kansas City (2012) being the others, while their +11-goal differential is the best-ever mark for any team at the start of this competition.
Two more victories would put them even with the Sporting KC team of 2012 for the longest-ever winning run to start an MLS season in the non-shootout era (seven).
The high-pressing system implemented by Bradley Carnell seems like the perfect recipe for this team, who have had fewer than 50% possession in each of their contests so far but are making the most of their opportunities, producing eight or more targeted efforts in three games.
They are only the sixth club in MLS history to have scored multiple goals in each of their opening five games, the first to do so since Los Angeles FC and Toronto in 2019.
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For a second successive home fixture, the Loons had three points there for the taking but only wound up with one, conceding in the 98th minute against Vancouver.
Because of the international window, there were seven key Minnesota contributors out of the lineup last weekend, and the lack of continuity with the newcomers was evident as the home side were on their heels for large stretches of the game.
Adrian Heath's men will now embark on a two-game road trip, with his side winning their only two away fixtures this year versus Dallas (1-0) and the Colorado Rapids (2-1).
Much of the early portion of this campaign has been a tale of two halves for the Loons, who have never trailed at the interval but have conceded all of their goals (three) in the final 45 minutes.
Despite not having one of the best chance creators in the league from seasons past at the moment, Minnesota are still finding ways to stay in matches and earn points which, although not in the most convincing fashion, says a lot about how well-drilled and disciplined they are, as they are currently one of only three sides without a domestic defeat thus far (FC Cincinnati and St Louis).
The Loons are winless and goalless in their last three debut road matches versus an expansion team playing in their inaugural campaign, with their only such triumph coming at Atlanta United (3-2) in 2017, which was also the first season for Minnesota in MLS.
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Team News
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Last weekend, Tim Parker returned to the lineup for St Louis from a groin strain, Joakim Nilsson is out because of a knee injury, while the club should have Kyle Hiebert and Miguel Perez back from international duty.
Klauss has a goal involvement in all five of their regular-season encounters this year, notching a brace last Saturday versus RSL, while the other goals came from Nicholas Gioacchini and Rasmus Alm, with the latter scoring his first of the year.
Roman Burki has been splendid between the sticks, posting back-to-back clean sheets, including eight stops a week ago, while Eduard Lowen has been a critical contributor as well, currently tied for the league lead with four assists.
One of the top playmakers for Minnesota over the past few years, Emanuel Reynoso, was suspended by the league for not reporting to training and, by all accounts, he is still dealing with a personal matter, while Ryen Jiba has a sore knee and Bakaye Dibassy remains sidelined because a thigh injury.
Dayne St. Clair, Joseph Rosales, Robin Lod, Kemar Lawrence, Bongokuhle Hlongwane, Michael Boxall and Kervin Arriaga were all absent versus Vancouver because of international duty.
Mender Garcia notched his team-leading second of the campaign last week, while Jeong Sang-bin is looking to make his first appearance since signing with the Loons last week from Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League.
St Louis City possible starting lineup:
Burki; Nerwinski, Hiebert, Parker, Nelson; Stroud, Vassilev, Lowen, Ostrak; Gioacchini, Klauss
Minnesota United possible starting lineup:
St. Clair; Valentin, Tapias, Boxall, Taylor; Arriaga, Rosales; Hlongwane, Lod, Fragapane; Garcia
We say: St Louis City 1-0 Minnesota United
It may have started as just a feel-good, fairy tale story, but at the moment St Louis appear to be a legitimate contender, showing consistency in the attacking third while possessing plenty of solid contributors.
Minnesota love to slow the game down to a crawl at times, and although that has kept them unbeaten, we expect the momentum and depth of St Louis will ultimately be too much for the Loons to handle.
How to watch
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Joel Lefevre
