It was a night to remember for many St. Louis soccer fans as they got to see St. Louis City SC face Charlotte in their first ever home game.
The team was in the works since August 2019, and fans from all over the area eagerly awaited kickoff. The team was initially announced to start in the 2022 season, but due to COVID, the owners pushed it back a season.
Soccer is a huge part of St. Louis, with players such as Pat McBride, Al Trost and Becky Sauerbrunn being a few of the world class all stars that were born in the gateway city.
The team’s roster is much less known, as the owners intended to build the squad from its roots. They did however spend big acquiring Swiss goalkeeper Roman Burki who spent 12 years in multiple European leagues with the most famous being the German Bundesliga where he played for Borussia Dortmund.
There were a few preseason games hosted in St. Louis, one of which was against Bundesliga team Bayer Leverkusen, where City lost 3-0. Then, the first ever MLS game was hosted away in Austin where St. Louis played Austin FC and managed to win 3-2.
Finally on March 4, it was the day every single St. Louis soccer fan was waiting for. There were a total of 38 watch parties hosted in the city and metro areas. When you walked through Union Station and by the stadium, the energy was electric.
When the game kicked off, you could feel the excitement of all the fans as the entire stadium roared. Throughout the entire game, it was rare to see someone sit down and take a break as the anticipation of the first ever home goal rose higher and higher.
Then, in the 41st minute of the game, Charlotte defender Bill Tuilomawas defending a cross and accidentally kicked the ball into the net, giving City their first goal at CityPark. Even though it was an own goal, fans still erupted and celebrated like never before as City tied the game 1-1.
In the fifth minute of added time in the first half, Charlotte’s Karol Swiderski had a hand ball in the penalty box, meaning St. Louis had the opportunity to take a 2-1 lead. As midfielder Eduard Lowen went up to take the kick, the entire stadium went quiet and all eyes were on Lowen. He then nailed the ball in the top left corner and yet again, the stadium roared and cheered.
St Louis’s striker Klaus then scored the final goal of the game in the 71st minute off a bad pass from Charlotte’s goalkeeper Pablo Sisniega. All of those goals would lead to City SC getting their first win at home on their first home game.
Even after the final whistle blew, nobody left as they waited for the players to round the field and show the fans their love for the team. City will be back in action March 11 in Portland, Oregon where they face the Timbers.