最新杏吧原创

A year ago, 最新杏吧原创 City SC got everyone鈥檚 attention by winning its first five games, an unprecedented feat for an expansion team.

In Season 2, through four games, the team still hasn鈥檛 lost an MLS game, though, as coach Bradley Carnell notes, 鈥渋t鈥檚 not quite as firework-y as last year.鈥�

That鈥檚 because while the team has yet to lose in its first four games, it鈥檚 won only one of them. Three of those matches have ended in ties, by scores of 1-1, 2-2 and last week in Los Angeles, 3-3.

So, it鈥檚 good but no match for last season.

鈥淭his team set a high expectation last year and we want to maintain and keep that,鈥� said midfielder Chris Durkin. 鈥淎nd you know if we can go 5-0 in wins in the first year and then 5-0 undefeated the second year, I think that鈥檚 a pretty good standard. Just want to keep it calm.鈥�

City SC will put that undefeated (not winning) streak on the line Saturday when it faces D.C. United at 7:30 p.m. at CityPark (MLS Season Pass on Apple TV). It鈥檚 a return home for the team after back-to-back road games and it鈥檚 a day for reunions, after a trade in December brought Durkin to 最新杏吧原创 from D.C. United while Jared Stroud and Lucas Bartlett went the other way.

The reunion won鈥檛 be quite as big for Durkin as it will be for Stroud and Bartlett. While almost all of the City SC team is back from last season, it鈥檚 an almost all-new team for D.C. United. Only four of the top 10 players in minutes for the team last season are back.

鈥淪eeing a couple old friends,鈥� Durkin said, 鈥渂ut honestly a pretty new face of a team as well. A lot of new players, so I鈥檓 viewing it like any other game. I don鈥檛 want to be too emotional coming into it. Just excited to get back home, to be honest. It felt like we鈥檝e been away from CityPark for a while.鈥�

That鈥檚 one of the reasons City SC is OK with its recent ties, particularly last week鈥檚. Going into Los Angeles and getting a tie with the Galaxy, which looks to be one of the top offensive teams in the league this season, figures to be no small feat.

鈥淭he one tie that I鈥檓 disappointed in is the Salt Lake tie,鈥� Durkin said, referencing the team鈥檚 opening day result amid matches in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. 鈥淥ther than that, I think those ties have been really important for us, especially away. If you can average close to a point on the road, you鈥檙e doing a really good job. So just the mentality of the group in those two games away, I think is incredible. So we鈥檙e proud of being undefeated still and we want to keep it that way.鈥�

鈥淭hat鈥檚 a really good record,鈥� said goalkeeper Roman Burki. 鈥淚 mean, unbeaten still. We had a lot of away games too. And yeah, we just try to keep going, try to keep improving. It鈥檚 not the same start that we had last year, obviously, but also the teams, they鈥檙e getting better and better. They know how we want to play that they can react to it. And so I鈥檓 happy that we鈥檙e still unbeaten and I think six points. It鈥檚 not bad.鈥�

鈥淵ou take two points in these environments, it鈥檚 massive,鈥� Carnell said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really massive for momentum, for the belief in the group, the way we come back and the way it leaves us leaving that field. That leaves us thinking, yeah, unbeaten after four. Collecting points along the way. Road trips are never easy. Just take a look at the league, look at the away results. They鈥檙e never easy playing away from home. Then you come back to CityPark. We know this is a special place.鈥�

City SC is one of nine teams in the league yet to lose, and four weeks in, there are no teams that have won all of their games. City SC is tied for fourth in Western Conference with six points, even with the Galaxy and Sporting Kansas City.

City SC will be without midfielder Eduard Lowen (hamstring) and center back Tim Parker (back) as they get over what the team hopes are minor injuries. Carnell said Lowen has resumed running, which is a first step on him returning to action. Carnell said Njabulo Blom, who has missed the past three games with a knee injury, should be available.

But those absences pale compared to D.C. United, which is without two starters and two others because of international team callup, and another because of a red-card suspension. United has a win, a loss and two ties to start its first season under new coach Troy Lesesne, who is trying to get the club back in the playoffs after not qualifying the past four seasons. Lesesne, like Carnell a former interim coach of the New York Red Bulls, has also brought that team鈥檚 pressing style to United.

鈥淚t was a pretty big overhaul,鈥� Durkin said, 鈥渂ut looks like they had a decent start so far. Obviously I鈥檓 happy for them. I鈥檒l always be watching the club, it鈥檚 my boyhood club, so I鈥檒l always be kind of looking at them. But yeah, my focus obviously now is here and I think it鈥檚 definitely going to be a battle on Saturday. It鈥檚 kind of like looking ourselves in the mirror, both high pressing teams. So it鈥檒l be a fun game.鈥�

最新杏吧原创 City SC

Jared Stroud finding a new home with D.C. United, but his City SC memories will always be there

• Tom Timmermann

最新杏吧原创 business news

CityPark and soccer crowds boost nearby businesses, as revenues spike

• Hannah Wyman

最新杏吧原创 City SC

City SC broadcaster Joey Zanaboni's Kate Middleton-Roman Burki comparison draws smiles

• Dan Caesar

ST. LOUIS 鈥� After a conference title-winning inaugural year, 最新杏吧原创 City SC鈥檚 return to the pitch has nearby businesses bolstering their game-day offerings, hoping to continue their soccer-related revenue.

The area surrounding CityPark saw over $73 million more in taxable revenue between January and September 2023 than in the same period the year before, bolstering hopes that the Major League Soccer stadium would flood nearby businesses with customers and spur economic regeneration in the neighborhood.

Taxable sales collected within the 63103 ZIP code 鈥� bounded roughly by Grand Boulevard to the west, Tucker Boulevard to the east, Chouteau Avenue to the south and Delmar Boulevard to the north 鈥� totaled nearly $441 million, nearing pre-pandemic numbers.

This is over $73 million more than what was reported in 2022 for the same period, according to the Missouri Department of Revenue.

During 最新杏吧原创 City SC鈥檚 home opener last month, Schlafly Tap Room saw over 2,500 people on game day, similar to what they had last year, but the company said sales improved significantly, especially outside in the improved pre-match area, which was reconfigured for better flow and access to points of sale, said Dan Jameson, Schlafly鈥檚 head of brewpub operation.

After seeing the success of last season鈥檚 tailgates, Schlafly Tap Room puts up drink tents and serves a match day menu with snacks like soft pretzels with cheese, pulled pork, bratwursts and Red Hot Riplets pork rinds.

鈥淚 want the pubs to be more fun because if the pubs are more fun, more people come,鈥� said Jameson. 鈥淚f more people come, sales are up.鈥�

The Tap Room plans to add additional televisions in the bar for away game watch parties.

鈥淲e never in our wildest dreams would think that we鈥檇 become a soccer pub,鈥� Jameson said.

After a rocky start hosting soccer fans last season, The Pepper Lounge, about three blocks north of CityPark, has ramped up its soccer-related events. General manager Kelly Clark said the nightclub is transforming its front lounge into a sports bar, offering featured drinks and hosting different food trucks on match days.

Clark has noticed one side effect of the soccer development 鈥� there is less criminal activity around the nightclub compared to last year and the year before. Still, the business remains vigilant when it comes to safety, especially on match days, adding security on busy days, walking people to their cars, calling Ubers for guests who have had too much to drink and encouraging folks with valuables in their cars to park close to the venue.

鈥淓verything doesn鈥檛 change because of soccer,鈥� Clark said. 鈥淭hings don鈥檛 change because of money. We鈥檙e still focused on safety.鈥�

The London Tea Room, an English tea shop and events space, relocated to Locust Street from Tower Grove in late 2022 with hopes of capitalizing off of the area鈥檚 shiny new soccer stadium and other revitalization, said owner Jackie James.

Since then, some customers have told James that they are unwilling to travel to her new location because of assumptions of a violent and crime-ridden downtown, she said.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e very much the minority,鈥� James said. 鈥淏ut they鈥檒l say 鈥業 don鈥檛 come downtown for anything.鈥欌��

The tea shop owner said she hopes this will change and estimates that the neighborhood will be completely revitalized within five years.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really up and coming, just so much going on here and people moving in,鈥� James said.

Other businesses are also going all in this year to capitalize off of the soccer buzz.

Nearby on Olive Street, dispensary Viola STL just celebrated its one year anniversary downtown and sales are about what they anticipated, co-founder Dan Pettigrew said.

Soccer fans have been supportive of the business during games and Pettigrew estimated that the dispensary saw about 65,000 customers last year. He said they hope to grow sales by 30% in 2024.

鈥淲e work with vendors to get as much activity around the game as possible,鈥� Pettigrew said. 鈥淲e want to be an institution in that area. We focus a lot of our attention on events.鈥�

Pettigrew said they will continue to offer specials and discounts during soccer matches and other downtown events such as festivals, concerts and parades.

More broadly, Pettigrew said he is excited for the downtown resurgence 最新杏吧原创 City SC is contributing to and he anticipates increasing growth in the area.

鈥淚t鈥檚 crazy,鈥� he said of 最新杏吧原创鈥� soccer mania. 鈥淪occer is huge in the area. It鈥檚 good to see it manifest for the team. We鈥檝e really enjoyed fans coming by.鈥�

Metro

最新杏吧原创 board OKs additional tax at CityPark

• Steph Kukuljan

Metro

最新杏吧原创 City SC owners seek additional tax to pay for groundwater issue

• Steph Kukuljan

Crime

Nonprofit commits another $640K for extra police patrols in downtown 最新杏吧原创

• Dana Rieck

最新杏吧原创 business news

Contractor sues Maggie O鈥橞rien鈥檚 building, says he wasn鈥檛 paid for soccer-fueled renovation

• Hannah Wyman

最新杏吧原创 business news

Architecture firm to move to downtown 最新杏吧原创' Butler Brothers building

• Steph Kukuljan

最新杏吧原创 business news

Hotel project at Wells Fargo site in 最新杏吧原创 moves forward

• Steph Kukuljan

最新杏吧原创 City SC

最新杏吧原创 embraces City SC in inaugural season. CityPark is in top 10 for MLS attendance.

• Kobe Mosley

City SC radio play-by-play announcer Joey Zanaboni鈥檚 style certainly doesn鈥檛 emanate for Broadcast 101 classes. Rambunctious is an understatement. So is boisterous.

Zanyboni, anyone?

His wild and has earned him quite the reputation, from past roles as a minor league baseball broadcaster and as a 鈥渉ype man鈥� at sporting events to his current posts of serving as the radio play-by-play broadcaster or the City SC and Ambush soccer clubs.

His one-liners can cover the gamut of topics, from current events to pop culture to the arcane. And he might have topped all his wild lines on Saturday night, when he managed to compare a goalie鈥檚 save to a controversial picture in which the image of Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, was altered into a British Royal family recent photo at a time when her whereabouts had been a mystery following health concerns. Then on Friday she announced that she is being treated for cancer.

City SC was playing the Galaxy in Los Angeles and when City goalie Roman Burki batted away a point-blank shot by Dejan Joveljic, Zanaboni erupted:

鈥淥oooh!!! Roman Burki stones Joveljic!!! Panels one away!! Ooooh!!! Roman Burki, altering that shot like it鈥檚 a Kate Middleton Mother鈥檚 Day photo!!鈥�

He knew he had a hit.

鈥淟ike half of the western world, my eyes have been suction-cupped to the ongoing Kate Middleton drama,鈥� Zanaboni said Thursday. 鈥�... When the line itself came to me, I knew it was special. The rising tide of royal photo drama meets an incredible athletic feat. I thought it was his best save of the game, though I could have used it on really any of the spectacular plays he made. It鈥檚 a privilege to watch him play. I鈥檓 not sure I was planning to use it in any specific moment, but I was just glad it came out when it did.鈥�

The call drew some national attention, including from . That website covers sports broadcasting and pointed out that Zanaboni鈥檚 鈥渃reative commentary probably isn鈥檛 for everyone鈥� because of 鈥渋ts focus on entertainment and laughs. But when it lands like this it鈥檚 a work of art.鈥�

Zanaboni always is looking for drops of paint to add to his verbal brush.

鈥�As an American, I don鈥檛 know why I am so entertained by the antiquated and stuffy drama of the British monarchy, but I鈥檓 also just like, 鈥榃hy fight it?鈥� I read Harry鈥檚 memoir. I watched every episode of The Crown. I鈥檓 doing research. I鈥檓 watching film,鈥� he said. 鈥淓verything leads up to game day. People sometimes have divided opinions but there was a lot of support for this particular line. They loved it. I guess it鈥檚 just in the zeitgeist. By next week, they鈥檒l probably forget about all the Kate and Will Photoshop stuff. Say 鈥檈m while you got 鈥檈m!鈥�

He takes pride in the zingers.

鈥淲hen I make a call like that, I know I鈥檝e got siblings and longtime buddies listening,鈥� Zanaboni said. 鈥淚f I can entertain them, I figure most other people will be entertained as well. It鈥檚 an honor to entertain 最新杏吧原创, my hometown, and I tear up thinking about what a great privilege it is.鈥�

Gatter chatter

Zanaboni isn鈥檛 the only one with ties to City SC to be in the spotlight this week.

最新杏吧原创an Nate Gatter, co-host with Jen Siess of 鈥溩钚滦影稍� City Soccer Report鈥� that airs on KMOX (1120 AM) throughout the team鈥檚 season, called his first NCAA Tournament games this week as he did the national radio play-by-play for Westwood One of all four play-in contests in Dayton, Ohio. He worked alongside analyst and former Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim.

鈥淚t was fantastic,鈥� Gatter said of the experience. 鈥淚 got to work with a legend in Jim, who couldn鈥檛 have been nicer, and experience what鈥檚 always a first-class atmosphere in Dayton. I was also really humbled by broadcasters who took the time to reach out 鈥� I got a 鈥榳elcome to the tournament鈥� text from Ian Eagle (the new lead TV voice of the tourney) and Spero Dedes, who was calling the First Four on TV, made a point to come over before the first game and give me some encouragement.

鈥淔or somebody in my position who鈥檚 grown up admiring those guys, it means the world to be a small part of their club.鈥�

Gatter, 27, has broadcast a lot of Mizzou events, including men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 basketball, baseball, volleyball, women鈥檚 soccer, gymnastics and softball games on ESPN-related outlets and has an extensive resume of sportscasting at many levels.

That often leads to quite a busy schedule, but rarely if ever as hectic as he is encountering this week. After finishing his time in Dayton on Wednesday night, he traveled Thursday to Kansas City 鈥� where he will call four games on Friday and four more on Saturday in the NAIA men鈥檚 basketball tournament for the .

鈥淚t鈥檚 rare in broadcasting that we worry about the physical toll of the job 鈥� it鈥檚 not that hard to sit courtside in a suit, after all 鈥� but when you鈥檙e doing multiple games per day for multiple days in a row, you have to make a conscious effort to take care of your voice,鈥� Gatter said. 鈥�For me, that means lots of water and usually some cough drops mixed in 鈥� but also trying to pace myself on the air.聽I have to be careful not to go too big with my excitement early in the day 鈥檆ause I need to have juice left if there鈥檚 high drama in the late-night game.鈥�

Then next month he calls a bevy of Mizzou baseball and softball games for SEC Network+, an ESPN property.聽聽

All season long, Jared Stroud has been texting back and forth with his buddies 鈥� and former teammates 鈥� with 最新杏吧原创 City SC. Stroud was traded by City SC to D.C. United in December, and a frequent topic of those texts has been the match between the teams Saturday at CityPark.

This week, with the game now days away, there have been fewer texts.

鈥淎 little bit less this week as it tenses up a bit,鈥� Stroud told the Post-Dispatch on Thursday. 鈥淏ut in general, just yeah, I love a lot of those dudes. It would be wrong for me to name any of them because we鈥檙e all super-close, dinners together, hanging out a lot together. .. It鈥檚 just going to be fun. I鈥檓 just happy to see their faces, and for me, it鈥檒l feel like a home game even though it鈥檚 away.鈥�

Stroud may have been in 最新杏吧原创 only a year, but what a year it was. From the team鈥檚 very first game, where he scored the club鈥檚 second goal to tie the game, to it winning the regular-season Western Conference title, Stroud was a fan favorite. His on-field 鈥淪cary Jerry鈥� demeanor, running all over the place, scoring goals, committing fouls and generally being the personification of the team鈥檚 high-pressing style made him stand out. He was fifth on the team in goals with five, second on the team in yellow cards with eight.

Which was one of the things that made his trade, going to D.C. United along with Lucas Bartlett and $300,000 in exchange for midfielder Chris Durkin, a bit of a surprise, including to him.

鈥淵eah, it was unexpected, for sure,鈥� he said. 鈥淐oming off of last year, the season I had, I thought I was going to stay. Told the club that I was OK with committing my future there. But I just think sometimes life takes unexpected turns and things happen the way they did, and ultimately, I wanted to go somewhere where I was valued the most. As a player, you have to look out for yourself in that respect and go somewhere where they see you as long-term future player, and for me, D.C. popped up as that team. Ally Mackay popped up as that GM that was looking.

鈥淎nd yeah, for sure, a little bit unexpected, but once I kind of gathered my bearings and figured out what was the best solution for myself 鈥� and of course, I鈥檒l miss 最新杏吧原创 and had really good times there and thought I was going to go back and have another good year 鈥� but ultimately, this is the sport, this is the job. And I鈥檓 super-, super-excited to be here, and this project is super-exciting for me. But obviously, I have a lot of love for Brad (Carnell) and for the boys.鈥�

Stroud and Bartlett have both started all of D.C. United鈥檚 first four games, and Stroud got his first D.C. United goal Saturday, a line shot into the back of the net from about 12 yards out. While it is his third team in three seasons 鈥� and his fourth in five seasons 鈥� this may be the one that sticks. This one also puts him closer to his parents in New Jersey, who have been thrilled by the opportunity to see either Stroud or his younger brother, Peter, who plays for New York Red Bulls, in person each weekend.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e living in a dream world right now,鈥� he said.

It wasn鈥檛 quite a dream world for Stroud when he was traded, just as he was getting settled in 最新杏吧原创. But that disappointment can鈥檛 change one thing: His one season in 最新杏吧原创 breathed life into his career.

鈥淵eah, massive,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 mean, experiences that I will never forget. That first year, you can鈥檛 replicate that again, going 5-0 to start an expansion team, winning the West. The fans were incredible, the people were so kind to me and my girlfriend and my family when they came in. Brad revamped my career, essentially. He gave me the opportunity. He was the one who played me; he picked me up after a season where I didn鈥檛 play much. He called me and said, 鈥榊eah, you鈥檙e going to be great here.鈥� I owe my entire career to Brad for sure. At least a massive portion up until this point.

鈥淎nd I owe a lot to the club as well. So it will be very emotional coming back on Saturday because the club has given me so much and propelled my career forward, and there鈥檚 so much that goes involved with that. I only have positive things to say about 最新杏吧原创 and Brad and the boys. So thankful for the club for giving me that opportunity to be a part of the history for them and to give them so much happiness last year. If I ever have time sometimes, I鈥檒l watch videos of some of those games, and yeah, it gives you chills.鈥�

If Stroud got to be part of the foundation in 最新杏吧原创, he鈥檚 getting to do it with D.C. too. New coach Troy Lesesne was, like Carnell, an interim head coach with New York Red Bulls and with a pretty thorough turnover of the team鈥檚 roster has installed a high-pressing style, with which Stroud is all too familiar and has, once again, turned him into an on-field leader.

鈥淗e鈥檚 given us exactly what I would hope for,鈥� said Lesesne, 鈥渨hich is a really intelligent player against the ball. He understands exactly the type of identity we want to put in place, and where I challenged him was trying to continue to create attacking moments for us, chance creation has to be a little bit higher, and this last weekend, we got to see him score a great goal for us and I鈥檓 hoping he gets into those areas and continues to maximize those areas as often as possible.鈥�

There have been a few conversations this week between Stroud and his former teammates. Stroud had a text exchange with Joakim Nilsson, who had the MLS goal of the week last week with his bicycle kick against the L.A. Galaxy.

鈥淚 said, 鈥榃hat a goal man,鈥欌�� Stroud said, 鈥渁nd then he said the same thing, and he said, 鈥楧on鈥檛 do it again next weekend.鈥� I said, 鈥榊eah, well, we鈥檒l see Joakim.鈥欌��

Benjamin-hochman

Hochman: It's Save Louis with Blues鈥� Jordan Binnington, City鈥檚 Roman Burki. So who鈥檚 better?

• Benjamin Hochman

最新杏吧原创 City SC

Workload for Burki has been light this season, but Galaxy game showed he's ready when needed

• Tom Timmermann

最新杏吧原创 City SC

City SC gets a tie out of game with LA Galaxy thanks to Roman Burki鈥檚 play in goal

• Tom Timmermann

It was one of those flabbergasting plays you watch again and again and conclude that a human could not have actually done that 鈥� and thus the only logical explanation is that your favorite player might not classify as one.

Last Saturday night, an LA Galaxy player stood about 20 feet from goal, wide open. He received a cross pass and one-timed a shot. But 最新杏吧原创 City SC goalie Roman Burki flung his left hand in the air and thwarted the shot.

鈥淭his one, with the arm?鈥� said 最新杏吧原创 coach Bradley Carnell, trying to imitate the save, which looked like it was from 鈥淭he Matrix鈥� or something. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know how he did it. Because that鈥檚 at point-blank range. And to think about the anticipation 鈥� and, you know, goalkeeper is processing so many things. He鈥檚 thinking, 鈥榃here are my teammates? Where is the ball (passer)? Where are the runners coming in from?鈥� And what is the short projection 鈥� and he has to take a gamble. At that moment, great reflexes. I mean, it鈥檚 just incredible what these guys do.鈥�

Burki鈥檚 save against the Galaxy was galactic.

Yet it wasn鈥檛 even the best save by a 最新杏吧原创 goalie this month.

Against LA鈥檚 hockey team, the Blues鈥� Jordan Binnington made a sliding kick save to the left, lost his stick, then made a diving save to his right.

鈥淪ometimes you don鈥檛 even think, right?鈥� Binnington told reporters. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e just reacting.鈥�

These saves are elite examples of what these two guys can do. Last season, Burki led Major League Soccer goalies in the hockey equivalent to baseball鈥檚 WAR (which measure鈥檚 a player鈥檚 value relative to a replacement-level player), per American Soccer Analysis 鈥� and so far this year, he鈥檚 seventh as 最新杏吧原创 is 1-0-3. And Binnington, who deserved statue-status after his 2019 run, has a save percentage of .912 鈥� that鈥檚 his best since 2019-20. And in the past 25 games, it鈥檚 a stupefying .921.

鈥淚鈥檓 far from being an expert at hockey goalie, but all I hear is that he鈥檚 amazing,鈥� said Burki, who recently attended a Blues game along with his fellow City SC goalies. 鈥淎nd he saves them a lot of games.鈥�

With Burki and Binnington, 最新杏吧原创 is Goalieville. Or, perhaps, Save Louis. You might as well be reading the Goalpost-Dispatch.

OK, but who鈥檚 the better goalie?

We鈥檒l get to that.

But for now, consider this an appreciation for the goaltender and goalkeeper dominance this city hasn鈥檛 seen since the days of the 最新杏吧原创 Arena, when Mike Liut was between the pipes for the Blues and Slobo Ilijevski defending the goal for the indoor 最新杏吧原创 Steamers.

Burki, for those who don鈥檛 know his status, is one of the best goalies on the planet. For years, he played at a high level in Germany鈥檚 famed top league, Bundesliga. The 33-year-old Swiss goalie is like, well, an Army knife. He can make tactical saves and acrobatic saves utilizing his agile body.

As for 鈥淭he Matrix鈥� save against the Galaxy, Burki joked that, 鈥淭hese are things we are doing in training every day 鈥� maybe it doesn鈥檛 look like it, but we are actually doing something.鈥�

Per Carnell, 鈥淚 know Alex (Langer, the team鈥檚 director of goalkeeping) does all the peripheral training with the blinkers on and the glasses and everything, so we do (prepare) guys a little bit to put the guys in those positions. But nothing will replicate that (in-game moment). You can do as much training as you鈥檇 like. But if you don鈥檛 have that built in, it鈥檚 never going to work. Roman is sharp and agile.鈥�

At the recent Blues game, Burki said he met some of the Blues coaches and discussed the concept of getting in rhythm. One similarity between goalies in both sports is they want action early. Make a great save, get it under your belt and then you鈥檙e psychologically equipped for the game. Alas, unlike in hockey, a soccer goalie might go a whole half 鈥� or even a whole game 鈥� without facing a shot. That鈥檚 what makes the saves even more incredible 鈥� snap of the fingers, you must turn on brilliance.

As for Binnington, 30, he has kept this inconsistent Blues team in so many games because of his personal consistency. And if you want a fancy WAR-like stat, Evolving Hockey has goals saved above average. He鈥檚 eighth 鈥� and he鈥檚 fourth in the league in expected goals saved above average.

Even if the Blues don鈥檛 make the playoffs, Binnington鈥檚 resurgence this season is a reminder that 最新杏吧原创 is in good hands (and pads) with him in the net.

OK, so who鈥檚 the better 最新杏吧原创 goalie right now, Binnington or Burki? Per the WAR-like stat, 鈥淏inner鈥� is eighth-best and Burki seventh. But City has only played four games so far. But it鈥檚 reasonable to say that Burki is still harnessing last season鈥檚 prowess 鈥� and last season, he won goalkeeper of the year in MLS.

And so, in a winner-take-all sporting contest of 最新杏吧原创 vs. the aliens, I鈥檝e got Burki in goal.

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When Major League Soccer announced its team of the match day for the weekend鈥檚 games on Monday, there was Roman Burki as the goalkeeper of the team.

It鈥檚 not often that honor as the week鈥檚 best goalkeeper goes to someone who gave up three goals.

鈥淚 was so surprised that they chose me for the team of the week with three conceded goals,鈥� Burki said after practice on Tuesday. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 crazy. Yeah, it was a good game. I think the goalkeeper union, we have video meeting now after lunch and then I will see if the game was good and (goalkeeper coach) Alex (Langer) has the same feeling that I do.鈥�

The Los Angeles Galaxy may have scored three goals off of Burki on Saturday to get a 3-3 tie, but the result very easily would have been worse for City SC if not for some spectacular saves by the reigning MLS goalkeeper of the year and a guy planting the seeds early for award consideration again.

鈥淲e all know he is fantastic,鈥� said City SC center back Joakim Nilsson. 鈥淗e makes massive saves for us. Top goalkeeper. He keeps us in the game. They had a had a lot of shots on target and he鈥檚 back doing what he loves and doing what he鈥檚 good at.鈥�

It was the busiest day of the season for Burki, who had to make six saves against the Galaxy, three times how many he had to make in his first three MLS games this season combined.

鈥淪ometimes you have to do more, sometimes you have to do less but we played against a strong team,鈥� Burki said. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 the same as last season. The first few games I hadn鈥檛 had a lot of chance to show saves and so was this season.鈥�

A year ago, he made just six saves in his first four games, before having to make eight in the fifth game, against Real Salt Lake. Both this season and last season, he made no saves in the game at Austin; both times, Austin scored on both of its only two shots.

And Burki is fine with games where he doesn鈥檛 have to do a lot of work.

鈥淭hat means we are doing really good defensive-wise,鈥� he said, 鈥渁nd I鈥檓 good with that. I have to be prepared every day, all the time something can happen. You have to be ready all the time, even if you don鈥檛 face shots. So sometimes a game like the game in LA is also nice for me. I like both.鈥�

With just eight saves on the season, Burki ranks 24th in the league in that category. (League leader Brad Stuver of Austin has had to make 22 saves already.) While the team鈥檚 save percentage of .571 is the fifth-worst in the league, the club is far and away the leader in post-shot expected goals per shot on target (.53), meaning the shots the team gives up are very hard to stop. There just haven鈥檛 been many of them.

And for Burki, there was one that got away on Saturday, or at least he felt. The Galaxy took a 2-1 lead on one of Joseph Paintsil鈥檚 dashes down the right side, outrunning Anthony Markanich to get to a long ball and then shooting under Burki鈥檚 hand.

鈥淚 should have saved the second goal,鈥� Burki said. 鈥淭he ball goes right under my hand. I was there. I had that feeling that I should have saved that ball but still I just continue my game. Soccer is a game of mistakes and it鈥檚 no shame if somebody makes mistakes. That happens and you just need to keep going and don鈥檛 let it too much in your head.鈥�

And if anyone is in anyone鈥檚 head, it鈥檚 what Burki is doing to City SC鈥檚 opponents.

Busy weekend

City SC鈥檚 first-round draft pick Hosei Kijima played almost half an hour on Saturday (thanks to extended stoppage time). The team plane landed in 最新杏吧原创 at 5:30 a.m., so players didn鈥檛 actually get home till close to 7, depending on where they live, and Kijima was back on the field with City2 for a 6 p.m. game on Sunday in which he came on as a sub at halftime and played the whole second half.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not easy, I take my hat off to him,鈥� said City SC coach Bradley Carnell. 鈥淲e commented on that specifically in the team meeting this morning. It鈥檚 doing whatever the team needs and more and Hosei showed that. And he gets his MLS debut.鈥�

Notes

Tim Parker (back) and Eduard Lowen (hamstring) weren鈥檛 on the practice field with City SC on Tuesday. Carnell said the situation was still fluid for Parker. 鈥淗e didn鈥檛 feel much better coming home,鈥� he said. 鈥淗is back has kind of just seized up on him so we鈥檙e trying to see how that back spasm, if it鈥檚 a spasm, releases, does that put any other muscle part in danger. At the moment, we鈥檙e just trying to get that balancing act of how much we push him. Do you lose a player for one or two games or do we try and risk it and lose him for nine or 10?鈥� 鈥� Another international window has begun though Major League Soccer, like usual, isn鈥檛 shutting down. No one on City SC has been called up; D.C. United will be down four players: two starters, defender Aaron Herrera (Guatemala) and midfielder Matti Peltola (Finland) and two backups, defender Matai Akinmboni and forward Kristian Fletcher (both with the U.S. under-19 team).

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