Preview: MNUFC travels to St. Louis CITY SC

Image: Minnesota United

Minnesota United FC travels to St. Louis CITY SC on matchday six, with two of the three remaining undefeated Western Conference sides set to go head-to-head Saturday evening at CITYPARK (7:30 p.m. CT/MLS Season Pass).

The match is set to be the first-ever meeting between the two sides, and surely one of the most exciting matches of the weekend.

Preview

St. Louis CITY SC:

St. Louis sits atop the Western Conference with a perfect record to begin the season with five wins in as many matches. Their 15-points are the most an expansion side has achieved through their first five games as a club in MLS history. They’re only the second team in MLS history (post shootout era) to win their first five matches of the campaign.

Through five games, they’ve obtained two clean sheets while sporting a goal differential of +11, the highest across the league.

Designated players Eduard Lowen and Joao Klauss have led the way, with the latter scoring five goals on the season already. Lowen, on the other hand, has four assists and one goal to his name so far this season. The dynamic duo have led the club in both goals and assists and will be two formidable opponents for the Loons Saturday.

Fun stat: City have more than DOUBLED their XG with goals scored this season.

Storyline: former MNUFC academy prospect Aziel Jackson was traded to City in November, 2022 and will look to show his former club why it was a mistake to let him go.

Predicted XI:

City are at full-strength and I would expect them to roll out the same XI as they did in Week Five.

Minnesota United FC:

The Loons sit 4th in the Western Conference and already have two impressive road wins under their belt in both Dallas and Colorado. Two-straight draws at home have seen the team frustrated, but they still remain undefeated on the campaign.

The Loons have the best defensive record of any team that City have gone up against this season and there is an expectation that this will be the hardest match the hosts will have played yet in their debut season.

Forwards Luis Amarilla and Mender Garcia have both found the back of the net through their first four matches of the season, with no set starter being determined yet. Versatile midfielder Robin Lod and veteran defender Michael Boxall are both questionable going into the contest as they both fell ill with a stomach bug after returning to Minnesota from the International break this past week. 

Fun stat: The Loons have won four out of their last six matches against expansion sides.

Storyline: Newcomer and highly-touted 20-year-old prospect Sang Bin Jeong is set to join the Loons in St. Louis Saturday after obtaining his passport Friday afternoon. The Koren youth international could debut off the bench in St. Louis, with head coach Adrian Heath saying it may be “a bit early” to see him inserted into the starting XI.

Predicted XI:

The Loons are expected to roll out in a 4-3-3 formation Saturday, but without a key missing piece. Robin Lod does not look set to start the match, so I have Joseph Rosales sliding in.