For some MLS teams, the first international break of the season felt like a basketball team heading into halftime with a solid lead.
While rest is helpful, it raises questions about lost momentum.
New York City FC will discover the answer when they face St. Louis City SC on Saturday.
Coach Pascal Jansen’s team has secured three wins and one draw in their first five matches, with the only loss coming in a 3-2 game against defending MLS champions Inter Miami just before the break.
Jansen was pleased with how his players, particularly those who didn’t travel for international duty, prepared during the break.
“It’s always an interesting time,” Jansen mentioned. “You might think we’re going to relax a bit, but it’s important to balance relaxation with maintaining focus and individual progress. I believe we handled it well.”
Nicolas Fernandez and Agustin Ojeda scored against Inter Miami two weeks ago. Fernandez currently ranks third in MLS with five goals in five games and is tied for the most shots on goal with 12, alongside Nashville’s Sam Surridge.
Maxi Moralez is tied for the league lead with four assists, contributing to the team’s goal tally of 13 against six conceded.
New York will take on a St. Louis team that recently celebrated its first win of the season, a 3-1 victory over the New England Revolution.
With only four goals scored in five games this season, the performance against New England was crucial for St. Louis. Simon Becher and Christopher Durkin netted goals in the first half, and Marcel Hartel scored a spectacular long-range goal in the 83rd minute after a mistake by the Revolution.
Jansen recognizes that St. Louis’s 1-3-1 record doesn’t reflect their performance.
“They have been quite unlucky with their results; they’ve played better than this indicates,” Jansen said. “They deserve more points from several matches. It’s our responsibility to ensure they don’t find success against us.”
St. Louis midfielder Eduard Lowen returned to practice earlier this week for the first time since losing his wife Ilona to cancer on March 9. It is unclear if Lowen will play this weekend.
“He seems happy to be back on the field and around his teammates, which is good for him,” coach Yoann Damet stated. “We will take things one day at a time, check his physical condition this week, and make a decision then.”