Pre-match Preview: CITY SC to face Dallas, looking to keep momentum on the rise

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (Matrix Midwest) - St. Louis CITY SC will be on the road to face FC Dallas, looking to continue its upward trend after coming off a home win.

Last weekend, St. Louis defeated the Portland Timbers at home 2-1. It was the club’s first win against Portland this season, ending the season series at 1-1.

The win also snapped a five-match winless streak.

After conceding early, CITY was able to climb back thanks to a second-half brace by midfielder Marcel Hartel.

“He’s been super impactful for this team in all spaces on the field,” Interim Manager David Critchley said after the match. “So, to finalize his game, he needs to build off this now and continue to score goals.”

Hartel scored his third and fourth goals of the season. His performance earned him a spot on the MLS Team of the Matchday.

The German midfielder is the third player on the club to have scored three or more goals this year.

St. Louis now has 18 points and is one win away from drawing even with its upcoming opponent, FC Dallas.

The Toros

FC Dallas is coming off a midweek match against San Jose, which ended in a 2-2 draw.

Dallas will now return home, where it has lost three matches in a row, to face St. Louis. In their last five matches, the Toros have come away with just a single point. They are ahead of St. Louis in the Western Conference by four points and have struggled mightily during the second half of the season.

St. Louis hasn’t won a game on the road since March 9. But, if there’s one club that can change a streak like that, it’s FC Dallas.

Here’s Why:

To put it plainly, Dallas’ season has been very “unique.”

Its points per game of 1.42 on the road is far greater than the league average. But it’s a different story at home.

When playing at Toyota Stadium, Dallas has posted a shocking 0.50 points per game. One reason for this is likely the club’s inability to score while its supporters are watching. Of Dallas’ 29 total goals, only nine have been scored on home soil.

And, like CITY, most of the goals it concedes come in the second half. The key here is that St. Louis also scores a majority of its goals in that same time frame when it’s on the road.

There are two main goalscoring threats for each side: Peter Musa (nine goals) for Dallas, and João Klauss (seven goals) for STL.

With Eduard Löwen back in action for St. Louis, the midfield feels more organized, which aids CITY’s attacking versatility. Interim Manager David Critchley called Edu’s presence “contagious” following the victory over Portland.

With his return and others stepping up, the club has seen a steady increase in goals per match over its last eight outings, a great sign heading into Dallas.

The match kicks off at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 19, at Toyota Stadium.

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

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