ºüÀêÊÓƵ City SC goalkeeper Roman Burki and forward Klauss speak to the media after the team defeated Auston FC on Sunday, April 14, 2024. Video by Beth O'Malley
With a leap in the air and a pump of his fist, City SC forward Klauss finally had a goal he could celebrate, and he gave the team something to celebrate too.
Behind a goal by Klauss, City SC snapped a five-game winless streak with a 1-0 win over Austin FC before a sellout crowd at CityPark for the first warm game of the season. After getting a loss and four ties in its previous five games, City SC won for just the second time this season and the first since beating New York City FC on March 2.
It was the second straight shutout for City SC, and this one came with a lot less adventure than its previous one. Austin had only one shot in the game, and it didn’t require a save from Roman Burki.
Klauss ended his season-long scoring drought — his one goal came on a penalty kick — in the 57th minute with a quick flick of a pass from Rasmus Alm that slipped just inside the far post. The play started with a long run by Tomas Totland, who carried the ball into the box before passing off to Alm on his right, who then found Klauss near the penalty spot.
For Klauss, it was his first goal in the run of play in 525 minutes of MLS action this season. For City SC, it snapped a run of 234 minutes since Indiana Vassilev had scored three minutes into the Real Salt Lake game on March 30.
Neither team scored in the first half, as City SC ran its goal-less streak to 222 minutes. City SC got the ball into some potentially dangerous positions but could only translate a few of them into threats, none of which really tested Austin goalkeeper Brad Stuver. Austin had even fewer chances, with just one shot on goal in the half, though it had a lot of possession around City SC’s goal and a string of corners at the end, to no avail.
Samuel Adeniran was healthy but not on the game-day roster for what was termed a “coach’s decision.†Eduard Lowen, who was back in training this week as he recovered from a hamstring injury and listed as questionable on the team’s injury report, also was not on the roster, while defender Joakim Nilsson was. City SC had eight players on the bench rather than nine.
Nilsson entered the game in the 84th minute after Kyle Hiebert, making his first start of the season, was shaken up, and in the 92nd minute, Jake Nerwinski came in for Klauss as City SC looked to seal the win. For Nerwinski, it was his first appearance since the second Champions Cup game on Feb. 27.
ºüÀêÊÓƵ City SC goalkeeper Roman Burki and forward Klauss speak to the media after the team defeated Auston FC on Sunday, April 14, 2024. Vi…
Chris Durkin (8), midfielder for ºüÀêÊÓƵ City SC faces Dani Pereira (6), midfielder for Austin FC for possession during the first half of a game at CityPark stadium in ºüÀêÊÓƵ on Sunday, April 14, 2024. Photo by Vanessa Abbitt, vabbitt@post-dispatch.com