New York, NY – Saint Louis FC fell 1-0 to New York Red Bulls II in front of 611 at MSU Soccer Park in Week 15 of the USL Regular Season.
New York Red Bulls II were put ahead by team-leading scorer Brandon Allen in the 26th minute and never looked back on a hot and humid day that stifled the STLFC attack. Saint Louis FC will return home to Toyota Stadium on Wednesday, July 5th at 7:00 pm CT to face the Rochester Rhinos in the rescheduled game from May 6th.
The first half started with New York enjoying a majority of the possession and STLFC looking to attack on the counter. The first chance came in the 8th minute as Dragan Stojkov picked up the ball and his shot from outside the box was saved by Rafael Diaz. In the 11th minute, Wes Charpie crossed the ball for Sebastian Dalgaard at the back post but his shot hit the side-netting. New York maintained their pressure and almost found themselves ahead in the 25th minute as Derrick Etienne was picked out in the box but his effort was smothered by Konrad Plewa, a former New York Red Bull II player who received his 2016 USL Championship medal earlier in the day. The goal would arrive soon after, however, as a free kick just outside the box was hit by Vincent Bezecourt and spilled by Adam Grinwis for Allen to poach his team-leading eighth goal of the season in the 26th minute. The last significant action of the half saw Jose Angulo, another former New York Red Bull, head the ball from inside the six-yard box straight at Diaz who made the save.
The second half started with New York on the front foot as Florian Valot was found at the back post by Allen and Grinwis stepped up to make the save in the 50th minute. Saint Louis FC countered through Dalgaard as he cut inside from the left wing and his shot was saved by Diaz in the 52nd minute. The best chance of the night then fell to Angulo in the 65th minute as he was picked out by a Ryan Howe cross at the back post but his effort went across goal and out for a goal kick. Head Coach Preki made a number of substitutions to change the game as Christian Volesky, Ocatvio Guzman, and Tyler David were all put on during the second half. It was Guzman who came closest to equalizing but his shot from outside the box hit the post and went wide in the 87th minute. The game would finish 1-0 and sees Saint Louis FC with only one win since April 12th in league-play to put them firmly in 13th place in the Eastern Conference.
