ºüÀêÊÓƵ City FC’s opening night in the U.S. Open Cup was also opening night for a set of players battling for more playing time in the team’s offense while leading scorer Klauss is out with a quad injury.
Aziel Jackson, who has spent more time with City2 than with City SC this season, scored twice and Celio Pompeu, getting his first chance to start with City SC, had a hand in four goals as City SC romped over third-division Union Omaha 5-1 on Tuesday night in the third round of the U.S. Open Cup.
The crowd at CityPark was just as emphatic as the result. The attendance of 22,423 – a sellout on a Tuesday night, no less – was the largest crowd ever for the third round of the Open Cup in the tournament's modern era (from 1995 on) and the 10th largest crowd for any round.
“It's incredible,†said coach Bradley Carnell. “The fans never cease to amaze us. We know what we have in ºüÀêÊÓƵ. And we know that when teams come to ºüÀêÊÓƵ, it's not just the team that they're going to play against. It's also this cauldron that we have, the fans, the fan base, the stadium.â€
“I didn’t expect a full stadium for a Tuesday night,†said Pompeu.
Akil Watts and Eduard Lowen also scored for City SC, which also got a goal when an Omaha player knocked the ball into his own net, as the team advanced to the round of 32 to be played May 9-10. The next opponent will be determined in a draw after the third round is completed on Wednesday.
With the quick turnaround from a game on Saturday night in Colorado, City SC fielded almost an entirely new lineup on Tuesday. Only midfielder Indiana Vassilev and defender Akil Watts played at least 45 minutes on Saturday and were in the starting lineup Tuesday. The four attacking players in the lineup were all new faces: Pompeu, Jackson, Tomas Ostrak and Isak Jensen.
Ostrak is the only player in that group to have made a start this season, but all of them have a chance to get more playing time as Klauss is expected to miss at least the next two weeks. With Niko Gioacchini and Rasmus Alm getting the night off, it gave plenty of time for the others to make their case and all showed well, even if Ostrak and Jensen didn’t make the scoresheet.
“I always tell the boys,†Carnell said, “it's like you're a salesman, you take out your business card and you try to sell me your product tonight and all of the boys who were out there really gave a good account of themselves.â€
For Jackson, just getting a chance to get in the game was good. Jackson has played only two games and 17 minutes with City SC this season, more often than not the odd man out in the midfield. He’s played five games with City2, starting three, with no goals or assists. He played 24 minutes with City2 on Sunday.
“It’s tough sometimes because you may not be part of the team,†he said, “but we’re all treated the same within the group and I feel I need to trust in my abilities and trust in my journey. … I’m just focused when the moment comes and when I’m ready, I’m ready.â€
“AZ, we know he's extremely talented,†Carnell said. “But what's even more special he's committed to City2 minutes as well and it's never easy for a guy where he trains week in and week out and doesn't make a game roster. We asked him to go play City2 and if he's up for the challenge, and he's been up for the challenge many times and you can see just through game time alone and through rhythm. Now you get put on the display full stadium and, bang, he's able to shine. … I've seen growth in AZ the last two weeks, three weeks.â€
Wearing shoes given to him by goalie Roman Burki — Jackson invoked the concept of feng shui: “Maybe sometimes when you change something about your attire, it can change for the better. Or for the worse.â€Â — he made a long run with the ball as Union Omaha was hesitant to challenge him as he scored from the top of the box in the third minute to start the scoring. He scored again in the 66th minute and almost got a hat trick, shooting wide just before being subbed out in the 75th minute. As he came off the field, he got a huge ovation.
“It’s a crazy feeling,†he said. “I was trying not to smirk because it was 22,000 fans, the atmosphere is amazing. I felt really good in my soul. I'm really happy that the fans came out and supported.â€
While getting any time with the first team would be a step forward for Jackson, Pompeu has a little playing time but wants to take the next step. He has seen action in seven of the team’s nine MLS games, but only twice has he played more than 12 minutes. On Tuesday, he played 90 minutes and embraced the chance to show Carnell and the staff what he can do.
“Everybody wants more minutes so today was a chance to prove that we deserve more minutes and show the coach that they can trust us," Pompeu said. "I came into this game thinking it's one more chance. I always want more minutes because I work hard on and off the field. I think it was a great day, I ran a lot and gave it everything I had.â€
On Jackson’s first goal, it was Pompeu who got him the ball to start his long run. On the second goal, Pompeu took a pass from Vassilev on a free kick and took the ball into the box, where his cross was knocked into the net on a sliding tackle by Omaha’s Joe Gallardo. On the third goal, Pompeu played a give-and-go with Watts, who scored, and on the fourth goal, Jensen got him the ball in the middle of the box, but trapped by the defense, he slid the ball over to an open Jackson, who drove it home.
“It felt so good,†Pompeu said. “My first start in a long time. It felt good to play 90 minutes in front of this amazing crowd that gives us energy. I had three assists, so I love it, and I had not a goal, but for me it was a goal. I’m happy.â€
Josh Yaro captained the squad and Jonathan Bell got into his first game with City SC, coming on as a sub in the 71st minute.
After missing nine weeks with a knee ligament sprain, Klauss is back on the field and could start on Saturday as City SC plays a must-win game…
ºüÀêÊÓƵ City SC midfielder Aziel Jackson solicits applause from the crowd on Tuesday, April 25, 2023, as he leaves the game during the the third round game of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open tournament against Union Omaha at CityPark stadium in ºüÀêÊÓƵ, Mo. Photo by Christian Gooden, cgooden@post-dispatch.com