The next test of FC Cincinnati's unbeaten start to 2023 is the noisiest and newest member of the Major League Soccer community.
FC Cincinnati will travel to St. Louis, Missouri, this weekend for a taste of City Park, the rowdy, 22,500-capacity home to St. Louis City SC, which has raced out to record success early in its first MLS season.
While some MLS expansion teams are defined by on-field folly, St. Louis spent much of its first seven weeks defying the stereotypes and pratfalls of its expansion forbearers. The club enjoyed a record-setting 5-0-0 start to life in the top-flight before losing its last two matches.
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Even factoring for the two-match losing streak that's marked recent weeks, St. Louis is still No. 2 in the Western Conference and could overtake MLS-leading FC Cincinnati with a win when the clubs meet Saturday (8:30 p.m. ET).
FC Cincinnati head coach Pat Noonan, a native of the St. Louis region, said Thursday he was excited to see St. Louis City SC for himself, adding that he'd have about 30 friends and family at City Park for the contest.
"They're in every game. They deserve to win the games that they're winning and you can probably ask anybody on their side if it's a surprise and they'd say no," Noonan said. "They're a strong team. They've had a long time in the preparation of becoming an MLS team to get the personnel right -- coaches, staff, players. They know how they want to play and that part, to me, is why I think they're able to have early success. As far as what we're up against, you can see a team that's very good at getting to the ball.
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"I'm really excited on a personal level just to be a part of the atmosphere. The stadium, their setup with the training facility looks first-class, and the atmosphere looks like one that you want to be a part of to play games, so, I'm really excited to (go) back."
How St. Louis wins
St. Louis possesses a strong formational spine. It starts at the goalkeeper position where 32-year-old Swiss international Roman Bürki back-stops the team. Bürki is a veteran of the German Bundesliga, has UEFA Champions League bona fides, and was one of the centerpieces of St. Louis' roster build.
The club's strong spine continues with veteran MLS defender, Tim Parker. Parker, a center back, serves as vice captain to Bürki and scored the club's first-ever MLS goal in the season-opening win against Austin FC on Feb. 25.
Eduard Löwen serves as the "No. 10" for St. Louis and has filled the role effectively with a goal and three assists this season. The 26-year-old is decorated and well-traveled in the German Bundesliga.
Sitting in front of Löwen is the striker tandem of 22-year-old Nicholas Gioacchini (two goals, one assist) and 26-year-old João Klauss (five goals, two assists). The two leading mean have combined for 10 goal contributions and are a big part of how St. Louis has managed to shock MLS so far in 2023.
"It won't be easy," Noonan said of facing Gioacchini and Klauss. "With Gioacchini as well, the two of them and how they work together, looking at their recent performances, have a nice connection and a balance of one-high, two-high, two underneath. ... They're a handful."
Moving parts for FC Cincinnati
There are no dull moments in the FC Cincinnati organization. That point was proved again Thursday when news broke of Brenner Souza da Silva's possible transfer move to Udinese of Italy's top-flight, Serie A. That, plus several players battling injury concerns, means that even in the midst of an unbeaten, MLS-leading start to 2023, FCC still faces significant personnel questions.
Obinna Nwobodo rejoined FC Cincinnati practice Thursday after missing the last two matches and not participating in full training sessions with his teammates for two weeks. His return to the midfield would be a significant development for FCC, and it appears he'll do that in some capacity as he trained again Friday.
Yuya Kubo is set to miss another match due to injury after he last played March 11 against Seattle Sounders FC.
Luciano Acosta has also been ruled out for the trip to City Park after he sustained a shoulder injury during a sequence of last week's match against Philadelphia Union that ended up producing a decisive penalty-kick goal for Acosta.
Noonan said Acosta would be evaluated again early next week ahead of the club's April 22 home match against Portland Timbers.
The Game
Kickoff: 8:30 p.m. ET, Saturday | CITYPARK; St. Louis, Missouri
Stream/radio: Apple TV; ESPN1530
Series info: This is the first-ever meeting between the clubs.
Cincinnati.com prediction: FC Cincinnati 2, St. Louis 2.
FC Cincinnati
Record: 5-0-2; 17 points, First in MLS Eastern Conference.
Goals for: Nine
Goals against: Four
Coach: Pat Noonan – second season at FC Cincinnati
Projected starting lineup:
Roman Celentano, goalkeeper
Santiago Arias, right back
Nick Hagglund, center back
Matt Miazga, center back
Yerson Mosquera, center back
Alvaro Barreal, left back
Junior Moreno, defensive midfielder
Malik Pinto, defensive midfielder
Marco Angulo, midfielder
Brandon Vazquez, forward
Sergio Santos, forward
St. Louis CITY SC
Record: 5-2-0; 15 points, second in MLS Western Conference
Goals for: 15
Goals against: Eight
Head coach: Bradley Carnell - first season at St. Louis CITY.
Projected started lineup:
Roman Bürki, goalkeeper
John Nelson, left back
Kyle Hiebert, center back
Tim Parker, center back
Lucas Bartlett, center back
Jake Nerwinski, right back
Miguel Perez, midfielder/winger
Indiana Vassilev, midfielder/winger
João Klauss, forward
Nicholas Gioacchini, forward
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