Pre-match Preview: CITY SC looking to break four-match winless streak

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (Matrix Midwest) - St. Louis CITY SC will travel west to face Real Salt Lake this weekend, looking to break a four-match winless streak that overshadowed the month of June.

Last weekend, CITY SC failed to come away with points for the third time in four matches, ending the month gaining just one out of a possible 12 total points.

Out with the old and in with the new?

David Critchley’s side has won only once since he took over as interim manager; however, his impact on the team is as evident as ever.

St. Louis has scored eight goals in five matches under Critchley. In comparison, the first 15 bouts under the direction of Olof Mellberg yielded only 11 goals.

Of course, there are two ways to view this, given that the club has also conceded more than half the number of goals it did with Olof in a third as many games with Critchley.

Whichever way you lean, one thing remains constant: a lack of wins.

CITY SC is still second-to-last in the Western Conference with 15 points, 11 points out of a playoff spot. It is one of three clubs with fewer than five wins, and is third-to-last in MLS in points per game.

The season has been a bumpy one, to say the least. But, if St. Louis wants to regain even a sliver of hope for a potential playoff run, it will need to finish off the summer with a significant addition of points. And that all starts with its July match-up against Real Salt Lake.

Claret and Cobalt

Fortunately for CITY, Real Salt Lake’s 2025 campaign has been similarly disastrous.

RSL is 13th in the West with 19 points, one place above St. Louis and four points ahead. In its last five matches, RSL is 1-2-2, with its win coming against DC United.

Diego Luna is by far the standout performer for the club. Luna has eight goals and four assists this season. He recently scored a crucial goal for the USMNT that eventually led to its win over Costa Rica in the CONCACAF Gold Cup Quarterfinals. But, with the U.S.’s upcoming mid-week match (in St. Louis) against Guatemala, Luna’s status for Saturday’s MLS match is not certain.

When putting the two clubs side-by-side, it’s a matter of who has been less impressive, as neither has made much of a case for itself this year.

Here are the numbers:

• Points Per Game: STL (0.75), RSL (1.00), League Average (1.37)
• Goals Scored/Conceded Per Game: STL (0.95/1.55), RSL (1.00/1.37), League Average (1.46/1.46)
• Percent of Games Opponent Scores First: STL (40), RSL (37), League Average (46)
• Points Per Game When Opponent Scores First: STL & RSL (0.00), League Average (0.60)
• Percent of Home/Away Wins: STL (20, 10), RSL (38, 18), League Average (44, 31)

There are two takeaways from these notes: both teams fare better when they are home, and both teams struggle when their opponents score first.

Due to RSL having the home-field advantage, St. Louis’s path to winning could simply be to score the first goal. However, it’s also important to note that each side has conceded the majority of its goals in the second half. So, for two clubs looking to score first, they’ll also be looking to have a defensive-minded second 45.

Statistically speaking, CITY SC must win 10 of the remaining 14 matches in the 2025 schedule to have a ‘chance’ at making the playoffs. A more guaranteed spot would require at least 12.

Nothing is impossible. But, time has essentially run out. And if the club is to have any hope moving forward, this RSL match will be a good indicator.

Kick-off is set for 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 5, at America First Field.

For more on St. Louis CITY SC, click here.

Copyright 2025 Matrix Midwest. All rights reserved.