St. Louis City SC's Jannes Horn will return to Germany at end of June
San Diego FC midfielder Anders Dreyer, right, battles City SC defender Jannes Horn for the ball during the second half Saturday, March 1, 2025, in San Diego.
Gregory Bull, Associated Press
St. Louis City SC will be returning left back Jannes Horn to his former club, FC Nurnberg in Germany, when his loan ends at the end of June.
The club said it wanted to extend the loan but that Horn said he wanted to return to Europe for family reasons, so the club consented. It is expected Nurnberg will loan Horn to another club. City SC has two more games before the loan ends June 30, and the club said he will be available for selection for both of those games.
Horn was seen as the solution to a problem that has long vexed City SC, left back. The position has seen a revolving door of players go through it, but Horn, who had played in the German Bundesliga, was easily the most accomplished player the club used there.
The native of Braunschweig, Germany — he likes his hometown so much he has the first three digits of the city’s postal code tattooed on his arm — started seven of the team’s nine games after he arrived in America during the summer transfer window in 2024, with two assists, and started the first six games of this season before a quad injury. He’s played in only four games since then.
He was on the roster for City SC’s game Saturday but didn’t play. That was the first time he’d made a game-day roster since May 14. He has one assist this season in nine MLS games, against Los Angeles FC.
“He brought experience, versatility and a strong presence to our back line,†City SC sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel said in a statement. “We tried to keep Jannes but understand his situation and respect his desire to play in Europe. We wish Jannes nothing but the best moving forward and appreciate all he did for City SC during his time here.â€
In City SC’s brief existence, the club hasn’t found a left back. The club’s first signing, Selmir Pidro, was a left back, but he didn’t pan out and lost out to John Nelson as the team’s opening day player at that position. Nelson eventually was replaced by Kyle Hiebert, who was replaced by Anthony Markanich, who has seen the most time of anyone on the team at that position. The club signed Nikolas Dyhr from Denmark prior to its second season for that spot, but he never jelled in that spot and seldom played before being sent back to Denmark.
Eventually, City2 call-up Jayden Reid replaced Markanich, and then Horn replaced Reid. Markanich dropped to third on the depth chart in a matter of weeks and was traded. Coach Olof Mellberg sometimes used Horn as the left center back when he went with a three-man back line, with Conrad Wallem playing left back while Reid was injured. Under interim ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ David Critchley, Reid has been the left back and will now likely continue in that spot.
St. Louis City SC may as well be asking "Are you not entertained" under interim ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ David Critchley. Klauss returns to scoring form in a big way against Los Angeles Galaxy, notching the team's first hat trick. Beat writer Tom Timmermann and co-host Beth O'Malley discuss the teams tie, and how, to salvage the season, Klauss needs to be at the top of his game, and signs are promising. Can other players start scoring as well? What changes will the transfer window bring? Why do Beth and Tom talk about TWA?
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A breakthrough performance: STL Soccer Talk
Worthy: David Critchley ought to be earning serious consideration from St. Louis City SC brass
Believe it or not, Klauss’ historic performance really started with his ears, not his feet.
St. Louis City SC interim head ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ David Critchley laid the foundation for forward Klauss’ resurrection as an offensive star in the form of a resounding and franchise-record setting hat trick on Saturday, and Critchley did so with words, conversations and one-on-one interactions.
You see, somewhere Critchley picked up this crazy idea of developing rapport with players to get the most out of them.
In a time before our current data-heavy era of analytics and metrics in sports, they called this ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ing.
That understanding of high-performing human beings that allows you to get the best out of talented people, it’s a trait not automatically intrinsic to anyone given the title “ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥.â€
It also shouldn’t get overlooked by anybody in a decision-making capacity in a sports franchise or organization, and it surely shouldn’t get dismissed by City SC — again.
Prior to Klauss’ first goal in Saturday’s 3-3 tie against the LA Galaxy at Energizer Park, he had a conversation with Critchley on the sideline during a water break. Critchley “promised†Klauss that the way he was playing and the movements he was making would lead to him scoring the game’s first goal.
Five minutes later, Klauss delivered the first of his three goals on a give-and-go with Marcel Hartel set up by an initial pass by Celio Pompeu to Klauss.
The most important part of Critchley’s promise (his phrasing) to Klauss was Klauss’ belief in Critchley. That belief started days earlier when the two sat down and reviewed video after a midweek practice session.
Critchley used the session to address Klauss’ waning confidence.
In City SC’s inaugural season, scored 10 goals in 19 games (14 starts, 1,318 minutes) and converted at a 24% clip. A quad injury kept him off the field for 15 games that season.
Last season, he missed 11 games with a knee sprain, and his production dropped markedly when he did play. He scored five goals and tallied three assists in 27 games (23 starts, 1,969 minutes), and he converted on 6% of his shots.
Out of the gate this season, Klauss struggled under first-year ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Olof Mellberg and scored one goal in MLS play and two more in U.S. Open Cup matches in the first 14 games of the season (11 starts).
So Critchley, promoted on an interim basis from the City2 developmental team, had more than just spacing to discuss when he chatted with Klauss, 28, leading into Saturday’s game.
“That was a big part of our conversation this week as well,†Critchley said. “Sure, I can show clips and talk to him about positioning, the technical and the tactical, but just sitting there and listening to him as well — trying to build his confidence.â€
Klauss and Critchley reviewed Klauss’ missed opportunities in his previous match against Portland (he had an expected goals of 0.62 in Portland and 0.72 in Saturday’s game when he scored the hat trick). Critchley showed Klauss his mistakes, but Critchley did so to build him up as opposed to break him down.
Klauss walked away knowing that he’d have many forthcoming chances to score. Critchley stressed that Klauss should play relaxed, not be afraid of making mistakes and feel comfortable enough to improvise on the field.
Of course, Critchley also coupled this individual message with some tactical and strategic tweaks.
Critchley paired Klauss with and even made them interchangeable to an extend to take advantage of Becher’s ability to stretch the field and Klauss’ ability to operate within space.
“He also gave me a lot of freedom,†Klauss said. “Now, I’m playing kind of different position, like hybrid 9/10. So he also showed me what he wants from me.â€
Critchley’s influence wasn’t just felt by Klauss. Pompeu acknowledged an increased sense of calm when they were in their offensive third of the field and cited the first goal as an example.
“I know we’re playing better,†Pompeu said. “Every player feels more confident with this style, with Critch’s plan. He shows us the way to play. We scored some goals on balls in behind, the way he said they would be vulnerable.â€
Hartel described Saturday’s game as the best the team has played with the ball. Again, that started with confidence instilled during the week in the way they trained and how they broke down video, and that carried over into the game.
“We did a very good job, (were) calm, we invited pressure, we played out of pressure, we also had the option to play behind the lines,†Hartel said. “Everything we discussed before the game, especially with the ball, was going our direction.â€
They’ve now scored first in all three of the games under Critchley.
Make no mistake. The team isn’t “fixed.†They have faults to address.
Things are far from perfect, but Critchley has connected with the current roster as well as returned the club to a playing style that sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel has repeatedly called part of the club’s “DNA.â€
Critchley’s guidance has also proved Pfannenstiel correct when he asserted that the players did not forget how to play overnight.
All this leads us to ask: Will City SC look at this run with Critchley as a serious audition for the head ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ing job?
Or will the leadership of City SC simply sit back and watch as individual players as well as the overall team take steps forward under an interim ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ — one who has also been part of the club’s DNA — only to then turn their attention outside for a full-time hire?
They did it last season with John Hackworth.
Critchley may not ultimately be the answer. Things still must play out during his time as the clumsily labeled “caretaker manager.â€
What’s clear is the folks atop the organization would be doing a poor jobs as caretakers if they didn’t at least give Critchley real consideration.
Klauss takes MLS player of the matchday honors after St. Louis City SC's first hat trick
City SC forward Klauss (9) shoots and scores his third goal of the game under pressure from Galaxy defender Maya Yoshida during a game Saturday, June 14, 2025, at Energizer Park.
Tim Vizer, Special to the Post-Dispatch
Klauss earned MLS player of the matchday honors for his hat trick against the Los Angeles Galaxy, the second time he’s won the honor and, surprisingly considering how the year has gone, the second St. Louis City SC player to take the honor this season.
The hat trick was the first in City SC history, and the club needed all of the goals to just get a 3-3 tie with the Galaxy. Klauss has five goals for the season in MLS play (plus two more in the Open Cup), matching his total for all of last season. He had 10 in City SC’s first season.
City SC’s other game with the Galaxy produced their other man of the matchday this season. Roman Burki made eight saves on Matchday 3 in a 3-0 win over the Galaxy. Only two other teams, Charlotte and San Diego, have won the award twice this season.
The other time Klauss won was on Matchday 35 in 2023, the club’s first season, when he scored twice against Sporting Kansas City.
Klauss was also named to the team of the matchday for the week.
Time for a break
With the change in the format of the Leagues Cup this season, there’s no big break in the Major League Soccer season. That event provided a monthlong break in the league season, and even while matches in the tournament were being played, teams that went out early ended up with a two-week gap in play.
What passes for a break comes this week for most teams. With the Club World Cup and the CONCACAF Gold Cup going on right now, the CWC in the eastern half of the country and the Gold Cup in the west, MLS teams — except for those playing in the Club World Cup — have this weekend off, so St. Louis City SC is taking advantage of it.
With the team not playing again until June 25, the team won’t practice until Friday, giving players a chance for some downtime. With the first game back on a Wednesday, the team will then have a standard buildup period to get ready that match against Orlando.
“I told them (after the game Saturday), it’s OK to hold yourself accountable,†ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ David Critchley said. “It’s OK to be disappointed because we wanted a better result than what we got, but we do have a break for these guys where they can go and enjoy time with family and friends.
“These guys are working seven days a week, putting in the effort. So to get a break and spend time with family I think is a good time as a team right now, and then it’s all about getting back into this next week. These guys are consistently showing up every day knowing that we can improve and we can develop and get better. So a little break right now for five days and then right back at it once we get back.â€
It’s unclear if any of the team’s injured players will be ready to play when practice resumes. No one immediately came to Critchley’s mind.
“Just gives them an extra five days to get themselves away and recovered,†Critchley said. “I think within the next few weeks we’ll have a good squad back ready to use.â€
Coffee club
After Klauss scored his first goal on Saturday, he and Simon Becher sat down on the end line and acted like they were drinking something. They were quickly joined by Marcel Hartel and Celio Pompeu, who did the same.
Hartel said he didn’t know what was going on.
“I have no idea,†he said. “Just was doing what Simon and Klauss were doing, to be honest. But I think they drink a lot of times coffee together, and I think this was a celebration.â€
That, Klauss confirmed, was in fact what was going on.
“It was something that I was talking to Simon about for a long time,†he said. “We were planning something together, and we always go to coffee shops and we drink coffees and we talk about life, we talk about soccer, we talk about so many things. So it was just about that.â€
This was a rare chance to do it. Most of the season, Becher has come on to the field when Klauss has come off, and there’s seldom an overlap. But they have both started two of the three games under Critchley, creating the chance for a joint celebration.
A big weekend for comebacks
City SC managed a tie with the Galaxy with Klauss’ 95th-minute goal on Saturday. On Sunday, in City2’s game with Colorado, City2 was down 2-0 in the 85th minute before Ryan Dugan scored in the 86th minute, Emil Jaaskelainen scored in the 94th minute and Gabriel Mikina scored in the 97th to escape with the win.
City2 is in second place in the Western Conference and fourth overall in MLS Next Pro, three points behind conference-leading Ventura County but with a game in hand.
Klauss makes history with St. Louis City SC’s first hat trick, but it only gets them a tie
There was history at Energizer Park on Saturday afternoon. There was drama. And despite all that, there was disappointment.
Klauss scored the first hat trick in St. Louis City SC history, with his third goal coming on a shot in the 95th minute that left teammates shaking their heads in wonder. But all it got City SC was a 3-3 tie with the Los Angeles Galaxy, and while a tie and one point may be better than a loss and zero points, in the predicament City SC is in, it’s not much better.
“It's very tough,†said midfielder Celio Pompeu, who had the assist on Klauss’ second goal. “It's a mix of feelings, because I know we’re playing better. … It's just tough, because we give up some easy goals, I could say, like stupid goals, but it’s on us, it’s on the players that are on the field. And we just gotta do better in those times that we need to to be calm.â€
“I think we are stepping in the right direction,†said Klauss, “but we still have things that we have to fix.â€
City SC led 1-0 and 2-1, then managed to fall behind, presumably for good, at 3-2 in the 87th minute on a gut-wrenching goal that came from two of the young players given a chance by interim ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ David Critchley turning the ball over in the worst possible spot. But Klauss then turned the clock back to 2023, when his quick start turned him into a fan favorite, and salvaged a tie.
But what City SC needs now are wins, not ties. It took 47 points to make the playoffs in the Western Conference last season, and City SC went into the game needing to win 11 of its final 17 games to get there. Now, they pretty much still need 11 wins, but from 16 games.
“I'm very proud for (Klauss), and I'm very happy for him,†Critchley said, “but we know we needed to go and get three points today.â€
If City SC is going to pull off this comeback, a goal-scoring Klauss seems essential. Klauss had 10 goals in City SC’s first season, five of them in the first five games as his jersey became one of the top sellers in the league. In Season 2 he had five goals all season and now he has five this season just past its halfway point, plus two more in the Open Cup. Four of those goals have come in Critchley's three games as ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥. And with his contract running out after this season (the club has an option), he knows how important goals are for the team, and for him.
“One more time I put my name in the history of the club,†he said. “Being here from Day One, everybody knows the relationship that I have with everybody in this club, how much I enjoy to be here, how much I enjoy to play in front of our fans, how much I enjoy the city and the club. I have a lot of respect for everybody around here. Sometimes you have ups and downs in soccer. I know I had a great first season then the second season wasn't that good. But I told you guys when I left last year that I was going to work really hard to come back and play a good season. I think we are improving. I think we are in a good way now.â€
When Critchley talked with reporters on Tuesday, he said when he was done he was going inside to talk with Klauss about finishing and confidence. Talk about a message received. The first goal was a well-taken shot off a nice feed from Hartel, but goals two and three were individual masterstrokes, a shot on the run into the roof of the net to make it 2-1 and then a volley to finish a play that went from Roman Burki’s foot to Timo Baumgartl’s head to Klauss’ foot and into the net in six seconds.
“That's the details that you guys don't see,†Klauss said, “but help us a lot. I had a video this week with Critch, and it was just about to give me confidence. He said he feels now that my confidence is 50 percent and he wants to help me to get to 100 percent. He also gave me a lot of freedom. Now I'm playing kind of a different position, like a hybrid 9-10, and he also showed me what he wants from me. He wants me between the lines. He thinks I can help a lot if I get between the lines, if I can get the ball, turn, help the team to combine, but also, he showed me the chance that I missed against Portland, and he said, ‘Look, before you didn't have a lot of chances in the first 15 games. Now you have to be prepared that this chance will come. You're gonna miss some of them, but I promise you, you're gonna score way more goals now.'
“So this confidence that he gave me, he also told me, like, Look, I need you to be more relaxed when you play, like, if you make mistakes, I want to see you flicking the ball around. I want you to improvise things. So he's just, like, amazing guy, amazing ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, and we are really, really enjoying to work with him and all his staff as well. … That's why I always tell you guys that I think we are a good way now.â€
While Klauss and the team talk about needing some time for Critchley’s changes to take hold, Klauss is apparently a quick learner. Critchley can also apparently see the future. During a cooling break in the first half, when Klauss came over to the bench, Critchley told him, keep doing what you’re doing and you’ll score. Five minutes later, he got the first of his three.
“These things help a lot,†Klauss said. “It’s been amazing for us. … He’s helped me a lot. He’s given me a lot of confidence and I hope this good form continues.â€
City SC not only had to fight itself out of a hole, it had to fight its way out of one of its own creation. Joey Zalinsky had the ball in front of the City SC bench but felt pressure and decided to play the ball back to Jayden Reid on the other side of midfield. The pass was dangerous enough because the pass covered 30-40 yards and the Galaxy’s Gabriel Pec was close enough to put pressure on Reid. When Reid turned to try and play the ball back to Burki and out of danger, he instead slipped and fell and Pec was alone on Burki and scored. It was the fifth goal given up by the team after the 80th minute in its last five games.
“They're kind of beating themselves up in the locker room a little bit right now,†Critchley said, “but every player in the world, once you get to this level, you're going to have mistakes. It's about, how do you minimize them, week by week, month by month, year by year?â€
Amid the dejection, there was hope. City SC gave up a late goal in Critchley’s first game, against San Jose, that was going to turn a win into a tie but got an even later goal to get the win. They did it again on Saturday, turning a loss into a tie.
“Of course, we’re mad,†Pompeu said of the feeling at 3-2. “We’re frustrated. But at that time, I thought everybody was all right. We still have time to tie the game. I didn’t feel anybody with their heads down.â€
And then Klauss delivered a moment of magic. Baumgartl, at the top of the box, headed the ball on to Klauss, who ran on to it about 6 yards out and struck the ball on the bounce into the far netting, which Klauss called “an unbelievable finish.â€
“When we played the long ball from Roman,†Klauss said, “and I see Timo going for the first ball, I think their back line, everybody, was just ball watching and they forgot the space behind them. I tried to use this space. Timo did great and then it was just about the finishing."
St. Louis City midfielder Marcel Hartel (17) passes the ball. STL City tied the LA Galaxy 3-3 in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
City SC forward Klauss (9) shoots and scores his third goal of the game under pressure from Galaxy defender Maya Yoshida during a game Saturday, June 14, 2025, at Energizer Park.
Tim Vizer, Special to the Post-Dispatch
St. Louis City midfielder Marcel Hartel (17) takes a shot on goal in the second half. STL City tied the LA Galaxy 3-3 in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
Los Angeles Galaxy forward Gabriel Pec (11) moves in to score on a breakaway as St. Louis City goalkeeper Roman Burki (1) tries to block. STL City tied the LA Galaxy 3-3 in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
St. Louis City teammates surround St. Louis City forward Joao Klauss (9, facing camera at center) after he scored his third goal. STL City tied the LA Galaxy 3-3 in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
St. Louis City forward Cedric Teuchert (36) gets a shot off on goal as Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder Edwin Cerrillo (6) tries to block. STL City tied the LA Galaxy 3-3 in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
St. Louis City fans cheer as St. Louis City forward Joao Klauss (9) jumps and pumps his fist in the air after scoring his third goal. STL City tied the LA Galaxy 3-3 in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
St. Louis City SC interim ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ David Critchley chats before the game. LA Galaxy in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025.
Tim Vizer, Special to the Post-Dispatch
St. Louis City forward Joao Klauss (9, right) watches his third goal of the game fly into the net as Los Angeles Galaxy goalkeeper Novak Micovic (1,left) and Los Angeles Galaxy defender Maya Yoshida (4) look on. STL City tied the LA Galaxy 3-3 in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
Los Angeles Galaxy forward Christian Ramirez (17, left) and St. Louis City forward Xande Silva (45) leap for a header. STL City tied the LA Galaxy 3-3 in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
St. Louis City forward Joao Klauss (9) shoots and scores his second goal of the game. STL City tied the LA Galaxy 3-3 in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
St. Louis City midfielder Celio Pompeu (12) turns the ball and moves it around Los Angeles Galaxy defender Miki Yamane (2). STL City tied the LA Galaxy 3-3 in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
Los Angeles Galaxy goalkeeper Novak Micovic (1) leaps to punch out an incoming corner kick as St. Louis City defender Timo Baumgartl (32) leaps and tries to head it in. STL City tied the LA Galaxy 3-3 in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
St. Louis City forward Joao Klauss (9) falls to the turf as he watches his shot fly into the net after scoring his second goal of the game. STL City tied the LA Galaxy 3-3 in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
St. Louis City midfielder Marcel Hartel (17) moves to the ball. STL City tied the LA Galaxy 3-3 in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
St. Louis City forward Simon Becher (11) settles the ball as Los Angeles Galaxy defender Maya Yoshida (4) moves in. STL City tied the LA Galaxy 3-3 in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
St. Louis City forward Joao Klauss (9) leaps for a header in the second half. STL City tied the LA Galaxy 3-3 in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
City SC forward Joao Klauss shoots and scores late in the first half against the LA Galaxy on Saturday at Energizer Park in St. Louis.
Tim Vizer
LA Galaxy in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
St. Louis City midfielder Marcel Hartel (17, left) and St. Louis City forward Joao Klauss (9) double-team Los Angeles Galaxy defender Miki Yamane (2) . LA Galaxy in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
Los Angeles Galaxy forward Gabriel Pec (11) and St. Louis City midfielder Celio Pompeu (12) vie for the ball. LA Galaxy in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
St. Louis City forward Simon Becher (11) settles the ball as it drops after Los Angeles Galaxy goalkeeper Novak Micovic (1) blocked his shot. LA Galaxy in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
St. Louis City forward Joao Klauss (9, rtight) and Los Angeles Galaxy defender Maya Yoshida (4) vie for the ball. LA Galaxy in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
City SC midfielder Celio Pompeu, right, leaps to avoid a slide tackle by Galaxy midfielder Lucas Sanabria on Saturday, June 14, 2025, at Energizer Park.
Tim Vizer, Special to the Post-Dispatch
St. Louis City forward Simon Becher (11) reacts after missing a point-blank shot on goal. LA Galaxy in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
Television personality Andy Cohen presented the game ball. LA Galaxy in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
St. Louis City forward Simon Becher (11) takes a shot on goal early in the game. LA Galaxy in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
St. Louis City SC interim ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Dave Critchley checks the video board before the game. LA Galaxy in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025.Â
Tim Vizer, Special to the Post-Dispatch
St. Louis City forward Simon Becher (11, right) congratulates St. Louis City forward Joao Klauss (9) after Klauss scored late in the first half. LA Galaxy in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
St. Louis City midfielder Marcel Hartel (17, left) and St. Louis City forward Simon Becher (11, right) celebrate with St. Louis City forward Joao Klauss after he scored late in the first half. LA Galaxy in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
City SC interim ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ David Critchley directs players from the sidelines during a game against LA Galaxy on Saturday, June 14, 2025, at Energizer Park.
Tim Vizer, Special to the Post-Dispatch
'You have ups and downs in soccer' says St. Louis City SC striker Klauss
Klauss scores a hat trick, but it only gets St. Louis SC 3-3 tie with Los Angeles Galaxy
City SC forward Joao Klauss shoots and scores late in the first half against the LA Galaxy on Saturday at Energizer Park in St. Louis.
Tim Vizer
A showdown between the two teams at the bottom of Major League Soccer’s Western Conference standings produced some thrilling moments, including the first hat trick in St. Louis City SC history, by Klauss, but it didn’t produce a winner, as City SC and the Los Angeles Galaxy played to a 3-3 tie before a sellout crowd at Energizer Park on Saturday afternoon.
The lack of a winner meant that both teams lost in their last-ditch efforts to get into a playoff spot as the teams opened the second half of their seasons. The Galaxy are pretty much a lost cause after going winless in their first 16 games, but with a strong finish, City SC could climb back into contention.
But ties won’t do it, and City SC couldn’t hold on to leads of 1-0 and 2-1, though did rally from down 3-2 as it moved to 1-1-1 under ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ David Critchley since he took over from Olof Mellberg.
Klauss turned a potentially miserable afternoon into a passable one with a couple of impressive goals, including a volley in the 95th minute into the far side of the netting off a pass from Timo Baumgartl that salvaged the tie and the point.
Only minutes before, an ill-advised pass by Joey Zalinsky and a slip by Jayden Reid gave the Galaxy a breakaway in the 87th minute and Gabriel Pec finished that looked to have doomed City SC. It was the fifth goal City SC had allowed after the 80th minute in the past five games.
Klauss ran his season total to five in MLS play and seven overall, including four in the three games since Critchley took over. It was yet another game where City SC showed some good things, but another where it couldn’t put together the full game needed to get a badly needed win. Though the 11-game winless streak that got Mellberg fired has ended, City SC has just one win its past 14 MLS games.
For the third time in three games under Critchley, City SC scored first, and for the second time, that goal came from Klauss. Marcel Hartel slid a pass through to spring Klauss in the box and he put the ball between the legs of Galaxy goalkeeper Novak Micovic from about 5 yards out. It was the third MLS goal for Klauss, who also had two in Open Cup matches.
City SC midfielder Celio Pompeu, right, leaps to avoid a slide tackle by Galaxy midfielder Lucas Sanabria on Saturday, June 14, 2025, at Energizer Park.
Tim Vizer, Special to the Post-Dispatch
But it was another game where City SC’s lead could have been bigger. Simon Becher had two very good chances early in the half, one in the third and one in the seven, both in the box, that he couldn’t finish. Becher hasn’t scored since Week 3 of the season, against the Galaxy in Los Angeles, and while he continues to find himself in dangerous scoring positions, he remains unable to put it in the net. (Though he did draw the foul for the game-winning penalty kick against San Jose.)
City SC had some company in the missed chances department. In the 17th minute, Galaxy forward Joseph Paintsil had 20 yards on the nearest City SC defender on a breakaway that looked like a sure goal. Roman Burki came out to challenge and Paintsil crossed to Matheus Nascimanto, making a run down the right, but Nascimento couldn’t catch up with the ball and the chance was wasted, leaving a frustrated Paintsil standing in the City SC box with his hands on hips, looking across the field in dismay.
The Galaxy got even in the 41st minute on a nice combination that ended with Gabriel Pec putting in a pass from Marco Reus, a former teammate of Burki’s at Borussia Dortmund in Germany.
It took only two minutes of the second half for Klauss to score again. Celio Pompeu won a race for a ball near midfield and sent it upfield to a running Klauss, who touched the ball just once but ran along side it for about 25 yards and on his second touch he drove the ball from about 10 yards out into the roof of the net for one of the best goalies by a City SC player this season.
That lead lasted about five minutes, when Reus made a nice spin move at the top of the box to get the ball to Nascimento, who put it past Burki, who was displeased with his team’s defending on the play.
With the FIFA Club World Cup starting in the eastern United States on Saturday and the CONCACAF Gold Cup starting on the west coast, Major League Soccer is taking next week off and City SC’s next game isn’t until Wednesday, June 25, when it hosts Orlando. The team won’t practice again until Friday.
With Henry Kessler missing the game with a hamstring injury, Kyle Hiebert came back into the starting lineup after not playing in the previous two games. Hiebert had played in the first 17 games of the season, all of the MLS games plus the two Open Cup games, but the return of Kessler to the lineup two games ago, a minor injury and the birth of his first child, kept Hiebert out.
Cedric Teuchert and Jannes Horn both returned to the roster after missing last week because of injuries. Critchley said that Horn was fit enough to play but they were being cautious in holding him out of the lineup. Also back on the roster was Conrad Wallem, who missed the Portland game because of a red card. None of the three were in the starting lineup. But with their return, there were no callups from City2 needed for the match.
St. Louis City midfielder Marcel Hartel (17) passes the ball. STL City tied the LA Galaxy 3-3 in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
City SC forward Klauss (9) shoots and scores his third goal of the game under pressure from Galaxy defender Maya Yoshida during a game Saturday, June 14, 2025, at Energizer Park.
Tim Vizer, Special to the Post-Dispatch
St. Louis City midfielder Marcel Hartel (17) takes a shot on goal in the second half. STL City tied the LA Galaxy 3-3 in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
Los Angeles Galaxy forward Gabriel Pec (11) moves in to score on a breakaway as St. Louis City goalkeeper Roman Burki (1) tries to block. STL City tied the LA Galaxy 3-3 in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
St. Louis City teammates surround St. Louis City forward Joao Klauss (9, facing camera at center) after he scored his third goal. STL City tied the LA Galaxy 3-3 in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
St. Louis City forward Cedric Teuchert (36) gets a shot off on goal as Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder Edwin Cerrillo (6) tries to block. STL City tied the LA Galaxy 3-3 in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
St. Louis City fans cheer as St. Louis City forward Joao Klauss (9) jumps and pumps his fist in the air after scoring his third goal. STL City tied the LA Galaxy 3-3 in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
St. Louis City SC interim ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ David Critchley chats before the game. LA Galaxy in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025.
Tim Vizer, Special to the Post-Dispatch
St. Louis City forward Joao Klauss (9, right) watches his third goal of the game fly into the net as Los Angeles Galaxy goalkeeper Novak Micovic (1,left) and Los Angeles Galaxy defender Maya Yoshida (4) look on. STL City tied the LA Galaxy 3-3 in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
Los Angeles Galaxy forward Christian Ramirez (17, left) and St. Louis City forward Xande Silva (45) leap for a header. STL City tied the LA Galaxy 3-3 in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
St. Louis City forward Joao Klauss (9) shoots and scores his second goal of the game. STL City tied the LA Galaxy 3-3 in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
St. Louis City midfielder Celio Pompeu (12) turns the ball and moves it around Los Angeles Galaxy defender Miki Yamane (2). STL City tied the LA Galaxy 3-3 in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
Los Angeles Galaxy goalkeeper Novak Micovic (1) leaps to punch out an incoming corner kick as St. Louis City defender Timo Baumgartl (32) leaps and tries to head it in. STL City tied the LA Galaxy 3-3 in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
St. Louis City forward Joao Klauss (9) falls to the turf as he watches his shot fly into the net after scoring his second goal of the game. STL City tied the LA Galaxy 3-3 in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
St. Louis City midfielder Marcel Hartel (17) moves to the ball. STL City tied the LA Galaxy 3-3 in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
St. Louis City forward Simon Becher (11) settles the ball as Los Angeles Galaxy defender Maya Yoshida (4) moves in. STL City tied the LA Galaxy 3-3 in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
St. Louis City forward Joao Klauss (9) leaps for a header in the second half. STL City tied the LA Galaxy 3-3 in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
City SC forward Joao Klauss shoots and scores late in the first half against the LA Galaxy on Saturday at Energizer Park in St. Louis.
Tim Vizer
LA Galaxy in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
St. Louis City midfielder Marcel Hartel (17, left) and St. Louis City forward Joao Klauss (9) double-team Los Angeles Galaxy defender Miki Yamane (2) . LA Galaxy in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
Los Angeles Galaxy forward Gabriel Pec (11) and St. Louis City midfielder Celio Pompeu (12) vie for the ball. LA Galaxy in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
St. Louis City forward Simon Becher (11) settles the ball as it drops after Los Angeles Galaxy goalkeeper Novak Micovic (1) blocked his shot. LA Galaxy in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
St. Louis City forward Joao Klauss (9, rtight) and Los Angeles Galaxy defender Maya Yoshida (4) vie for the ball. LA Galaxy in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
City SC midfielder Celio Pompeu, right, leaps to avoid a slide tackle by Galaxy midfielder Lucas Sanabria on Saturday, June 14, 2025, at Energizer Park.
Tim Vizer, Special to the Post-Dispatch
St. Louis City forward Simon Becher (11) reacts after missing a point-blank shot on goal. LA Galaxy in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
Television personality Andy Cohen presented the game ball. LA Galaxy in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
St. Louis City forward Simon Becher (11) takes a shot on goal early in the game. LA Galaxy in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
St. Louis City SC interim ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Dave Critchley checks the video board before the game. LA Galaxy in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025.Â
Tim Vizer, Special to the Post-Dispatch
St. Louis City forward Simon Becher (11, right) congratulates St. Louis City forward Joao Klauss (9) after Klauss scored late in the first half. LA Galaxy in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
St. Louis City midfielder Marcel Hartel (17, left) and St. Louis City forward Simon Becher (11, right) celebrate with St. Louis City forward Joao Klauss after he scored late in the first half. LA Galaxy in a Major League Soccer game at Energizer Park in St. Louis on June 14, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
City SC interim ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ David Critchley directs players from the sidelines during a game against LA Galaxy on Saturday, June 14, 2025, at Energizer Park.
St. Louis City SC's Roman Burki welcomes 'fresh air' following ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ing change
St. Louis City SC goalkeeper Roman Burki is not only the team’s captain, but its conscience. As the hands-down most successful and accomplished player on the team, his words carry a gravity in the dressing room and on the field that no one compares to.
And right now, he’s happy.
“For me, it feels great,†he said Thursday when asked about the events of the past two weeks. “It’s great to have some fresh air, it feels like a new start. Obviously, we are the reason why it didn’t work out before these two weeks, and now, I think we can see that the change of the game style, the game play that we want to achieve on the field, fits the team. Everybody wants to be involved. Everybody wants to press. We have a better understanding of when are we doing things, so it feels fresh. I love that Lutz (Pfannenstiel) took the decision and made the decision to give someone the chance that’s already in the club.â€
St. Louis City SC goalkeeper Roman Burki gives one of his gloves to a fan after City SC tied FC Dallas 0-0 on Saturday, April 6, 2024, at CityPark.
Laurie Skrivan, Post-Dispatch
David Critchley, who took over from Olof Mellberg after the team’s disastrous start to the season, will ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ his third game as interim ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ on Saturday, when City SC faces the Los Angeles Galaxy at 3:30 at Energizer Park. On paper, the game doesn’t look like much: the teams are the last two teams in the Western Conference standings, City SC with three wins, the Galaxy with one, after 17 games. The teams are 27th and 30th overall.
But the stakes are also, relatively, high. It’s probably too late for the defending champion Galaxy, which won its first game of the season last weekend, to get a playoff spot, and City SC’s position isn’t that much better. But there’s still some light left for City SC, and if it’s going to get back in the race, it definitely needs to win games against the few teams beneath it in the standings.
For Burki, the belief is restored, and for City SC, if Burki believes, the team believes.
“To be honest, if you lose or don’t win, like, 12 games in a row, it hurts,†he said. “There’s not just like, ‘Let’s go again, next week is another …’ At one point you’re questioning what’s going on. … Now we see improvement. We see how the team is playing, how the team is asking questions of the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥. What can we do in this situation? What can I do better in these situations? And we have a lot of meetings. We talk a lot, so you see definitely the fresh air, like that we have kind of like a new start, and everybody wants to improve and get better as a team.â€
One thing that’s change is Burki’s involvement in the offense. It’s up, which is another thing that makes him happy.
“I think I wasn’t used as much in the first half or first quarter of the season,†Burki said, “because we didn’t really have a plan to play out from the back. Sometimes we try to play out from back, but we never really had a plan how we’re going to do this. Now, everything is a lot clearer, so I know exactly when Timo (Baumgartl) is going to take over my position, or one of the center backs, and I drop down, and I know exactly when I have the ball, when I go in between both center backs, and it’s just a lot more clearer. And for me, that’s one of my strengths. Ball on my feet too.â€
This figures to be another challenging week for City SC, which will be down three key players in the middle of its lineup. Eduard Lowen will miss his second game in a row with a sore hamstring, Chris Durkin’s knee is still bothering him, and Henry Kessler is also out. Since hurting his knee before the Vancouver game on April 19, Kessler, who had probably City SC’s most valuable player over the first eight games, has played just three times, twice off the bench. He went the full 90 minutes against Portland, the first time he had gone the full 90 in two months. Jannes Horn, who Critchley said the team was being careful with last week when he was held out of the lineup as he returned from an injury, and Conrad Wallem, who missed the Portland game with a red card, are back, along with forward Cedric Teuchert. Meanwhile, the Galaxy is coming off its first win of the season.
Even coming off a loss where the team squandered a 1-0 lead, City SC is feeling good about itself and the progress it believes it has made under Critchley.
“We have to be confident,†Burki said, “and I think the more you have the ball, the more confident you will get because having the ball is showing strength, I would say. Maybe you saw against Portland, we made them run a lot in the heat, especially the front line. So, I think that’s one way to do it, and that’s something we need in our playing style.â€
“They enjoy playing in this system and in this style,†Critchley said. “So, for us, when we attack, we attack with Roman as the deepest player. When we defend, we defend with the nine and Klauss as the highest player. So, it’s a group that feels very connected together, and even though the result didn’t go our way, there were a lot of numbers. When we look at the field, say, we look at the possession, the (expected goals), there’s a lot of objective data there that will show you. If we continue behaving on the field the way we behave, we’re going to win a lot more games than we’ll lose.â€
That’s what City SC is going to need to make the playoffs, about two wins for every loss the rest of the way.
