最新杏吧原创

It was after this particular pass that I thought to myself: Oh, this is what they鈥檙e talking about.

In the past few weeks, we鈥檝e seen glimpses here and there of what makes Holse worth his contract.

In the meantime, 最新杏吧原创 City SC is hottest team in MLS聽鈥� and the best player (for now, anyway) comes off the bench. Remember, he hadn鈥檛 played since the Turkish season ended in May.

Incidentally, the 鈥渇or now, anyway鈥� is two-fold. One, Holse said he鈥檚 become comfortable in the system (four games in), so perhaps he鈥檒l finally make his first start Saturday in City鈥檚 biggest game in years聽鈥� a match at first-place Vancouver (it鈥檚 understandable that coach Yoann Damet wants to keep the same starters that got City on this 12-game unbeaten streak in MLS play, but man, I say go with Carlo).

Two, it鈥檚 possible that he might not be the best player for long 鈥� City is reportedly close to acquiring Rafael Navarro, the stellar striker from Colorado.

Regardless, Holse is, at worst, one of the best players on 最新杏吧原创. And after his goal in his fourth game聽鈥� last Sunday鈥檚 match against Dallas FC聽鈥� he sure looks like a game-changer. I love his creativity and explosivity.

鈥淗e was excellent when he came on (against Dallas),鈥� City teammate Daniel Edelman said. 鈥淪cored a great goal. He has a really good left foot, as well.鈥�

That left foot notched the great goal. In the 64th minute at Energizer Park, Holse took off down the left wing from about midfield. That鈥檚 a heck of a hike. But he just kept chugging. Ultimately, teammate Conrad Wallen unleashed a blistering cross that eluded the diving goalie. Wallem鈥檚 valiant effort earned himself an assist as the hustling Holse knocked it home.

And when he scored, goodness, it felt like a dagger into Dallas. It put 最新杏吧原创 up 3-1. Alas, City allowed two goals, including one in the final minute, which turned a win against a fellow fourth-place team into a draw.

In other words ... worst tie ever.

Now, in the other three games, Damet had the attacking midfielder Holse play on the right side. But against Dallas, Damet played him on the left.

鈥淐arlo was more in a free role, a little bit more central when we were attacking,鈥� Damet said. 鈥淪o that was a little bit what we wanted to create, like in a asymmetrical way聽鈥� I thought he did well. He found some good pockets of space at times. 鈥�

鈥淚 don't think we we've seen the best of him. It's good that he's getting minutes. He's getting to feel a little bit of the team. So this is very important.鈥�

So is Holse ready to start and play the majority of minutes in a match?

鈥淵ou have to speak to Yoann,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 feel like these four games have been good for me. Played 30 minutes (against Dallas). So I think we're almost there. 鈥� I feel like with every game that's been played so far, it's getting better and better. The heat, I鈥檓 still adjusting to it. 鈥� The first three games, (there wasn鈥檛 much practice time). So to have that full week (before Dallas), also with the tactical aspect of it聽鈥� meetings, trainings, speaking with the guys聽鈥� it was definitely a help.鈥�

It鈥檚 been a bit more than a month since Holse was announced as the team鈥檚 latest designated player (with a reported $6 million transfer fee). I was curious what he鈥檚 learned about Damet鈥檚 system聽鈥� and what excites him.

鈥淚t's definitely different than what I鈥檓 used to,鈥� said Holse, who turned 27 in June. 鈥淢uch more tactical details. So also with the different positions that I can play, there's a lot to keep track of, that's for sure. So that's also something that I have to get used to. There are so many different aspects of it 鈥� we could play with two strikers, one striker, play with three in the middle, four in the middle. A lot of different things. So still trying to get my head around it. It's getting better every day.鈥�

And after some nifty passes and a great goal, perhaps this is the most encouraging thing Holse said: 鈥淚 have higher expectations for myself than what I've showed so far.鈥�

Forward Zach Zengue made his Major League Soccer debut Sunday night, coming off the bench and playing the final 17 minutes plus stoppage time. Zengue is with the club on loan from the Columbus Crew for the rest of the season, with City SC having an option to acquire him at the end of the loan. He鈥檚 part of sporting director Corey Wray鈥檚 project: rebuild the first team to compete for the playoffs but also rebuild the club鈥檚 depth.

鈥淲hen we got here, I would say there was a lot of inefficiencies in the salary cap,鈥� Wray said. 鈥淭here was a lack of future assets in the club. Our second team was completely depleted. 鈥� We won鈥檛 know necessarily until maybe next summer what that looks like from a whole, but I do feel like we鈥檝e progressed quite substantially in the just more than half of the year.鈥�

The club promoted Palmer Ault from City2 to the first team after the World Cup break, got Zengue on a loan and acquired Tahir Reid-Brown, a left back, from Orlando. Reid-Brown was on the game-day roster for the first time Sunday. Riley Lynch, who is on the City2 roster, trains with City SC most days and coach Yoann Damet said the club may keep him there for training the rest of the season.

The arrivals of Navarro and Downs may squeeze those players off the game-day rosters for the rest of the season, but players like Zengue, who is 22, are players for the future.

Zengue is very much a man of the world. He was born in Washington and, with his mother working for USAID, the family soon embarked on a tour of places in need of American aid. At 6 months old, he moved to Nigeria for five years, then to Haiti (鈥淚t was right when a big earthquake hit, so everything was in ruins where we were living in Port-au-Prince,鈥� he said) and then to Sri Lanka before finally returning to the United States and settling in Minnesota, where he went to high school at Shattuck-St. Mary鈥檚, a school known most for developing hockey players. He played collegiately at Georgetown before being drafted by Columbus.

At a young age, Zengue got a feel for what the world looked like.

鈥淟iving in places where there鈥檚 a lot of poverty opened my eyes to how people live,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know what the States were like. I grew up in that situation, so that was normal. Then we鈥檇 come to the States every summer to see family, and I鈥檇 be like, 鈥極h, it鈥檚 a different world.鈥� But I loved it, honestly. The people were amazing. Just the different lifestyles, the reverence they hold for the earth and just different spiritual things in their cultures, it just opened my eyes to a lot of different ways of living, which I apply to my life now, which is nice. So I loved it. It was a great experience.鈥�

Zengue didn鈥檛 take up soccer formally until he got to Minnesota, but he played a lot of it along the way.

鈥淚 was just playing with my brother in the backyard or at recess when I was in those countries because they didn鈥檛 have any organized footy there. It was more just fun, and honestly, I鈥檓 grateful that I got to do that part of footy because it brought back just me trying to nutmeg my brother every time I had the ball. It gives me that fun and that joy. I think that鈥檚 where I found that.鈥�

Getting in the game Sunday, in part because City SC is low on options at the moment (that will change soon), was a big deal for Zengue.

鈥淚t was a dream come true,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檝e been talking a lot with my family about it and just talking about how at a young age I鈥檝e always been like, 鈥業 want to be a professional soccer player,鈥� and tell my teachers that and everyone that I meet that. So it was definitely a first step in the career, but it鈥檚 kind of just over now. It feels like another day, and now it鈥檚 just I want to get more. I want keep going, keep pushing.鈥�

鈥淕ood for him,鈥� said Damet. 鈥淗e鈥檚 trained well. He鈥檚 working hard. He鈥檚 got a strong mindset. I thought we needed to keep a similar profile to Sangbin (Jeong) with someone able to stretch and run in behind, that鈥檚 why he came on. I thought he did a good job. It鈥檚 never easy when it鈥檚 your first, but I was quite pleased with what I saw.鈥�

Notes

• Tomas Ostrak was absent from practice Tuesday. Damet said he was close to getting back in training.

• City SC hasn鈥檛 announced Navarro鈥檚 arrival, but Colorado has apparently found his replacement: Morgan Whittaker from Middlesbrough in England, according to The Athletic.

• The transfer window closes at 11 p.m. Central time Wednesday.

City SC had been one of a number of teams linked to Downs in the past month. The 6-foot-4 forward has yet to make a game-day roster for Southampton, where he has fallen out of favor. He didn鈥檛 score a goal in 26 games last season, split between Hamburger SV in the Bundesliga and Southampton. But he has scored before, having 10 with Koln in the Bundesliga 2 in 2024-25.

Downs has made six appearances with the U.S. national team, most of them in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the regional championship that, because of its timing, has become a spot for younger, unproven players at the international level.

If the Downs loan is finalized and the deal for Navarro completed, sporting director Corey Wray will have brought in four players in this window, all attackers. He earlier acquired Carlo Holse, who got his first goal with the club Sunday against Dallas, and Alex Matan, who played an attacking midfield role in the Dallas game. Meanwhile, the team moved out midfielders Marcel Hartel and Eduard Lowen.

Downs was born in Germany, lived in Texas from age 1 to 8, then moved back to Germany, where he started to play soccer. Other than his 11 games with Southampton, his entire career has been in Germany.

City SC led 3-1 before allowing goals in the 81st and 97th minutes, which snatched what looked like a key win against a team City was tied with in the standings and turned it into a tie where the only feeling to have was that the club let two points slip away.

鈥淲hen you鈥檙e ahead 3-1,鈥� said Carlo Holse, whose first MLS goal created the 3-1 lead in the 69th minute that looked like it had clinched the win for City SC, 鈥淚 feel like if you don鈥檛 get away with three points, it feels like a loss. That鈥檚 for sure. When the table is as close as it is now, sorry, it sucks even more. That鈥檚 just how it is.鈥�

Had City SC held on for another minute, it would have gotten the win and been tied for third with Los Angeles FC on points and technically ahead by virtue of having played one fewer game. Instead, City SC is tied for fourth and by tiebreakers in sixth going into a key road game Saturday against Western Conference-leading Vancouver.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a lot of disappointment,鈥� said Edelman. 鈥淲e鈥檙e frustrated. Just let it slip away. Played a great game. We have to reflect and look at the goals because we had them right where we wanted them. I think everyone on the field, guys on the bench, we all feel like we could have done better.鈥�

鈥淚 think we gave ourselves a good chance tonight to get a result, and we let it go in the last 15 minutes of the game,鈥� said coach Yoann Damet. 鈥淪o it鈥檚 for sure disappointing, especially on the last play, but it鈥檚 part of the journey. We have to learn from it, and we have to move on.鈥�

City SC faces a potentially bright future if it can close a deal with Colorado for striker Rafael Navarro before the transfer window closes Wednesday, giving the team the big-time goal-scorer it has been seeking. The deal was not done as of Sunday night.

鈥淲e will see,鈥� Damet said. 鈥淭he window closes in a few days, so let's see what the future holds.鈥�

The game-tying goal was tinged with controversy. City SC鈥檚 Conrad Wallem and Zach Zengue had the ball in the corner and were trying to run out the clock. Dallas鈥� Ran Binyamin thought the ball had gone out of bounds 鈥� but it hadn鈥檛 鈥� and reached down and put his hand on the ball. That right there should have stopped play for an intentional hand ball, but there was no call. When Zengue, making his MLS debut, kicked the ball out of bounds, Dallas had a goal kick.

With 96:38 on the clock, Logan Farrington scored for Dallas, slipping free in the box to take a pass from Dallas star Petar Musa, whom City SC had done a good job of keeping quiet all game. Farrington scored from 7 yards out, with goalkeeper Roman Burki raising his hands in the air and then covering his eyes with them in frustration. After play resumed, the game ended 38 seconds later.

鈥淔or sure, there is a hand ball,鈥� Damet said. 鈥淵ou can rewatch it. I'll rewatch as well. There is a hand ball. Those are the decisions that affect the game. Same thing with Simon (Becher), getting fouled five times in the second half. Those are decisions that affect the game, where what's the point of having a striker on top that is running in behind that is stretching them that is getting fouled every single time, and doesn't allow us to get out of our own half. So it is frustrating. But again, it's part of the game. We can't go back in time, and we have to deal with our own actions and our own decisions. But I hope the same thing will be done on the other side.鈥�

Of course, that doesn鈥檛 obscure the point that a team up 3-1 in the 80th minute at home should be able to close out the game. In its past two games, City SC has allowed three goals after the 75th minute.

鈥淚t feels like a trend now,鈥� Holse said. 鈥淚 feel like we're dropping too much instead of keeping pressure on them. We have to watch some film, see what we can do better. Shouldn't be the case that we let in two goals late when we are home.鈥�

鈥淲e started in the 5-4-1 at the end,鈥� Edelman said. 鈥淛ust stay compact, not let them try to play through the middle. The key is at the end of the game, you have to keep getting pressure on the ball. You don鈥檛 want them to have time and space to just clip balls in, because then you鈥檙e constantly taking on attacks. But we did that really well. I think it was just they made a good play at the end.鈥�

Had City SC held on for another minute, there would have much to celebrate. Becher continued his hot streak with his fifth goal since the World Cup break and fourth in four games, tying him for the club lead in goals with six after he scored in the fourth minute.

Shaq Moore of Dallas tied the game in the 18th minute, but City SC went back ahead in the 43rd minute on a goal by Edelman, his third of the season and second in the past four games. This time, Becher took a shot that goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois blocked but gave up a long rebound that Edelman swooped in to drive home.

鈥淢y first multi-goal year, so I'm happy about that individually,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hankful for the guys getting me into those positions and giving me the confidence to get forward sometime. So happy on that front, but I would have liked the win even more.鈥�

Then Holse looked to put the game away in the 64th minute. Sangbin Jeong passed to Conrad Wallem, who brought the ball up the right side and then crossed it Holse, who on the run just drove it in on the easiest of chances.

鈥淚t doesn't really matter now,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he most important thing is to win. We didn't do that today. Of course, it was a nice feeling, but it got erased in 10 minutes, so it doesn't matter now.鈥�

Indeed, in the 81st minute, Sebastien Ibeagha headed home a corner kick from Joaquin Valiente, and City SC was suddenly in a race with the clock.

鈥淥verall, I don't think we defended poorly,鈥� Damet said. "Far from it. I think we did a good job, but those key moments, if you don't take care of it against a good side, you get punished.鈥�

Here are five things to know about City SC鈥檚 showdown with Dallas:

The streak goes on

City SC is undefeated in its past 11 MLS games, its past 12 overall. With a win or a tie, City SC would push its unbeaten streak to 12 games, tying it for the fifth longest streak in the league in the past 10 seasons.

鈥淲e鈥檙e really motivated to keep on going,鈥� said center back Jaziel Orozco. 鈥淚n the beginning of the season, it was tough to get results, and now that you get them, it鈥檚 easier to go play. Now we鈥檙e believing ourselves more that we can beat anyone and compete against anyone, which is the most important thing. 鈥� Just watching the team compete 鈥� it鈥檚 just so good to see and now we鈥檙e just enjoying it.鈥�

鈥淥f course, I see progress,鈥� said coach Yoann Damet. 鈥淚 see guys understanding better what we're trying to do, but also evolving in the system, evolving in the game model, and it's good to see, but we know that it's step by step. Right now, just another day in our journey, and we need to keep focusing on what's ahead.鈥�

City SC has won six of its past eight games and with the 2-1 win over Houston last Saturday, it has 33 points this season in 21 games, more points than it had all of last season, when it finished with 32.

Holse ready?

Alex Matan made his first start with City SC on Saturday against Houston and the team鈥檚 other summer transfer window pickup, Carlo Holse may be ready to join him.

After playing 28 minutes against Houston 鈥� and 55 in the week 鈥� Holse has had a full week of training and could be ready to make his first start for the club.

鈥淗e's always been at the point where he could start,鈥� Damet said. 鈥淚t's a matter of discussing how everybody feels about him starting, how he feels, how physically he is, what we see with the plan as well. So yeah, he could potentially start this weekend.鈥�

The team could use more minutes from Holse. Palmer Ault, who has appeared in six straight games, was hurt in practice and is out, while Brendan McSorley has resumed training but isn鈥檛 back yet. Tomas Ostrak left practice early on Monday and didn鈥檛 practice on Thursday, putting his status in doubt.

The Musa challenge

Petar Musa leads MLS in goals with 16 in 21 games and in five career games against City SC, he has three goals and an assist. Fifteen of his 16 goals have come from inside the penalty area; 14 of them have come in open play.

鈥淚t鈥檚 just a matter focus to be really locked in and knowing and studying the opposition pretty well,鈥� Orozco said. 鈥淢usa is a great player, great goal scorer, and we know what we鈥檙e going up against. Just stay tight with him, be fully concentrated on transitions and we know that he鈥檚 a full threat, but hopefully we get ready for it.鈥�

Lay of the land

Dallas and City SC come into the game with identical records of 9-6-6 (Dallas鈥� goal difference is +4, which City SC鈥檚 is +3) and Dallas is coming off a 5-0 loss to Vancouver last Saturday. Dallas, City SC and San Jose all went into the weekend with 33 points. City SC is also tied for eighth overall in the league. The teams met earlier this year in Frisco, Texas, and played to a 1-1 tie.

Lowen lands in San Jose

Eduard Lowen met with San Jose media on Thursday and was asked about the healing process after his wife died.

鈥淚t is helpful for me being rooted in community,鈥� he said 鈥淚 think when you go through something that, it's very very dangerous. There's definitely something inside of you that wants to isolate, but I think that is a very difficult and dangerous path. I just continued to be rooted in a community. When you show up every day, you have teammates around you. I had that in 最新杏吧原创. I had a community that was absolutely amazing. They took care of me, they loved me 鈥� cared for me. Then you have teammates around you that are caring for you, and so many other people. I think it's a game-changer, and I'm very thankful for all those people. I hope I can find that also here in San Jose.鈥�

Said Damet, who held off comment until the deal was official: 鈥淔irst thing I can say is, I said that to him directly, and the group did as well, is how thankful we are for Edu and his contribution to the club. He鈥檚 someone that has touched many people within the club and outside the club, for what he鈥檚 done on the pitch, but also off the pitch. We're all really grateful for having been able to work with him, and we're wishing nothing but the best for his next journey.

鈥淭hat being said, for us as a group, it's about focusing on the people that are there, our journey together, and the next game to prepare. So, we've got a group that understands that sport is like that, life is like that. People move on, people take different directions. It's part of the game. It's gonna keep happening. Guys come, guys leave. It's part of the sport, and at the same time, right now, we've got a collective goal for the season. We know where we're going, what we want to do, and right now, that keeps all our focus for training and for the game.鈥�

Navarro started, wore the captain's armband and came out in the 91st minute on Saturday in Colorado's 1-0 win over Real Salt Lake and if his gestures when he left the game are any indication, it looks like the move is a done deal. When Navarro came out of the game, he gave a long hug to coach Matt Wells in what sure looked like a farewell gesture and then moved down the line of assistant coaches, giving each a hug before heading to the bench. After the game, in a huddle with his teammates, he appeared to have tears in his eyes. Tom Bogert of The Athletic wrote the transfer is still on track to happen, but with Navarro still on the Colorado roster, it used him for one last game against its biggest rival. The MLS transfer window closes on Wednesday.

The fee City SC is paying would double the $6 million fee the club paid to Turkish club Samsunspor for Carlo Holse.

In Navarro, City SC would get a proven goalscorer, who has 38 goals in 96 MLS games over four seasons. He already has 10 goals this season in 21 MLS games; no City SC player has scored more than 10 goals in a season. Navarro had 15 goals in 2024 and 12 goals in 2025.

The club has long lacked a high-scoring forward, and the situation became even more dire after the team deal Klauss, its all-time leading scorer, to the Los Angeles Galaxy in the preseason. Marcel Hartel led the team in goals with six before he headed back to Germany and Simon Becher, while 15th in the league in expected goals at 9.41, has scored just five, with three coming in the past three games.

Sporting director Corey Wray said improving the team鈥檚 offense would be his main goal in the transfer window, particularly a striker, though that effort has taken a circuitous route. The club got Holse from Turkey and added midfielder Alex Matan on a free transfer from a club in Greece. But then Hartel, who was the best player on the team, cited a family emergency that required him to return home to Germany. The team then traded fan favorite Eduard Lowen to the San Jose Earthquakes.

Navarro鈥檚 contract with Colorado runs through the 2027 season, and the club tried to sign him to an extension before the season but to no avail. The club is looking to overhaul its attack for Wells, who took over before the season. The Athletic report said that Navarro has been City SC鈥檚 top focus for a striker throughout this window. City SC had also been linked with Damion Downs, an American playing in the Championship, the English second division.

There鈥檚 one advantage to acquiring a player within the league: He鈥檚 ready to go. While Holse and Matan needed several weeks to get in game shape since they were acquired in the European offseason, Navarro is already ready to go and also doesn鈥檛 require a work visa. If the deal goes through, he would probably be available to play next Saturday against Vancouver.