June 2, 2017 USL Toronto FC II--Saint Louis FC vs Toronto FC II game recap (from uslsoccer.com)
Saint Louis Gets Back on Track By CHARLIE CORR - charlie.corr@uslsoccer.com, 06/02/17, 10:30PM EDT STLFC ends five-game winless stretch, blanks TFC II FENTON, Mo. – Saint Louis FC ended its five-game winless streak with a goal in each half to earn a 2-0 victory against Toronto FC II on Friday at Toyota Stadium – Saint Louis. AJ Cochran headed home a goal in the first half and Christian Volesky chipped the ball over former STLFC goalkeeper Mark Pais for a second-half goal. It marked Saint Louis’ first league win since a 2-1 road victory against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds on April 12, putting an end to a 0-3-2 stretch. This was Saint Louis’ first home match since a 2-1 loss to the Charlotte Independence on April 22. STLFC had to postpone its May 6 match against the Rochester Rhinos (rescheduled for July 5) because of heavy flooding in the area. With the win, Saint Louis improves to 4-3-3 (15 points) overall and 3-1-0 at home. Toronto’s winless stretch has now reached 11 games as the club has yet to follow up its season-opening victory against Phoenix Rising FC. TFC II is now 1-7-4 (7 points) overall and 1-5-2 on the road. Scoring: 23’ – STL – AJ Cochran (Emir Alihodzic) 49’ – STL – Christian Volesky (Jose Angulo) •#STLvTOR: Full match and Opta box score Three Things That Mattered: •1. Saint Louis could have been a little heavier in the attacking end in the grand scheme of things, but the club did its job starting in the 23rd minute as defender AJ Cochran finished a lunging header inside the right post off of Emir Alihodzic’s corner kick from the left. It was Cochran’s first goal of the year and Alihodzic’s first assist. After only two shots taken in the first half, Saint Louis was a bit more proactive in the final third in the second half. Jose Angulo lofted the ball in front of Christian Volesky in the 49th minute, and he chipped the ball over Toronto goalkeeper Mark Pais for the game’s second tally. Toronto’s defense cleared after the ball already crossed the goal line. It was Volesky’s fourth goal of the season. •2. With Pais in goal for Toronto, it marked a return to his hometown team after formerly representing STLFC. Pais had a couple good moments during the match, including a 33rd-minute clearance that could have easily been Saint Louis’ second tally. Angulo slotted the ball well through TFC II’s defense and leading Volesky. Pais rushed off his line, ran outside the 18-yard box and from approximately 23 yards away from goal got a touch on the ball a half step in front of Volesky. •3. Toronto’s subpar campaign continues, and it isn’t as though TFC II has been stagnant by any means. The club generated double-digit shots and was in the vicinity of the goal, but didn’t challenge STLFC goalkeeper Devala Gorrick in a way where he had to make an exceptional stop. Toronto tended to resort on some longer attempts, and the buildups at times were disjointed or needed a final pass within striking distance. Sequences such as the 11th-minute buildup from the left looked promising, but the end product – an Aikim Andrews header from approximately 18 yards out – was an ambitious moment as Gorrick came up with a fairly routine save. USLSoccer.com Man of the Match: Christian Volesky, Saint Louis FC – Volesky netted a second-half goal and had several other strong attacking sequences, including an individual effort to set up a Sebastian Dalgaard opportunity that should have found the back of the net. Upcoming Games: Saint Louis FC vs. Bethlehem Steel FC – June 11, 5 p.m. ET, Toyota Stadium – Saint Louis Toronto FC II vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds – June 10, 7:30 p.m. ET, Ontario Soccer Centre
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