Saint Louis FC Hosts Phoenix Rising FC Wednesday At Soccer Park

Ryan
2113 days ago.

Saint Louis FC Back At World Wide Technology Soccer Park Wednesday To  Phoenix Rising FC

After five matches on the road, Saint Louis FC returns to St. Louis this week to face Phoenix Rising FC Wednesday night. Kickoff at Toyota Stadium at World Wide Technology Soccer Park in Fenton is set for 7:30 pm.

On the five-game road swing, STLFC played USL matches in California and Colorado as well as games U.S. Open Cup games in Minnesota and Kentucky, all over a span of 18 days.

The Chupacabras are currently tied for ninth in the USL East with a record of 3-3-5 and 14 points. Phoenix Rising FC is 6-3-3 on the season and sits in third place with 21 points.

Tickets for Wednesday’s match at Toyota Stadium can be purchased online at SaintLouisFC.com or by calling 636-680-0997

Scroll down for a preview of Wednesday’s match and more.

Saint Louis FC takes on Phoenix Rising FC Wednesday night at World Wide Technology Soccer Park in Fenton. Kickoff at Toyota Stadium is set for 7:30 pm.
Saint Louis FC takes on Phoenix Rising FC Wednesday night at World Wide Technology Soccer Park in Fenton. Kickoff at Toyota Stadium is set for 7:30 pm.

Last Time Out

Saint Louis FC fell 3-0 over the weekend to Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. The match was played at Weidner Field in Colorado, some 6,600 feet above sea level.  The loss extended the team’s winless streak to five USL matches. The Chupacabras haven’t won since April 21 in Oklahoma City. That win came during a six-match unbeaten streak.

Phoenix Rising fell to the Swope Park Rangers 1-0 Saturday in Kansas City, its second loss in as many games. Rising also fell to Sporting Arizona FC on May 16 in the second round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The teams were tied through regulation and extra time with the amateur club prevailing in penalty kicks.

Didier Drogba Not Expected To Play

Former Chelsea and Ivory Coast star Didier Drogba is part-owner of Phoenix Rising and occasionally plays in soccer games as well. He did not play Saturday in Kansas City against Swope Park and is unfortunately not expected to play on Wednesday in St. Louis.

Scouting Phoenix Rising FC

Chris Cortez leads Phoenix in scoring this season with five goals in his 10 matches played. Three of his goals came in the team’s home opener back in March.

The aforementioned Drogba and Solomon Asante have each scored four times this season as well.

Defender Mike da Fonte, on loan from Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer, is a mainstay on the pitch for Phoenix. The defender has started all 12 games this season and leads the team in minutes played by a wide margin with 1,054. He played in 17 games for the Rapids last season, starting 14.

27-year old Solomon Asante also factors heavily into the game plan for Phoenix. Aside from his four goals this season, he has also assisted on three goals in league play. The midfielder signed with Phoenix back in December and is playing outside of Africa for the first time this season. Asante has 21 caps with the Ghana National Team on the international level, but has not been called upon by the Black Stars since 2015.

Former Saint Louis FC defender James Musa has appeared in seven matches this season for Phoenix. Musa was a fixture for STLFC during the club’s first two years, appearing in more than fifty matches during the 2015 and 2016 seasons.

Collin Fernandez has also played regular minutes in Phoenix this season. The former Chicago Fire Homegrown player appeared in three matches for STLFC during the 2016 season while on loan.

What To Expect From Saint Louis FC

Saint Louis FC will look a bit different Wednesday than it did over the weekend in Colorado. That includes a different face on the sidelines. Head coach Anthony Pulis served his one-game suspension on Saturday, but will be back on the sidelines Wednesday night.

Jonathan Barden, who also served a suspension Saturday, will be back wearing the captain’s armband and anchoring the midfield.

Cameron Lindley and Pierre Da Silva were loaned by Orlando City SC to STLFC for the Colorado match.  Both players have presumably returned to Orlando.

Seth Rudolph saw his first action of 2018 with the Chupacabras in Colorado after resigning with the club last week. He entered the match in the 68th minute for Corey Hertzog.

** UPDATE **

According to Joe Lyons of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Tomas Gomez will start in goal Wednesday night for Saint Louis FC.  Gomez, a native of Webster Groves, is a two-time winner of the USL Golden Glove Award. He was signed before the season by STLFC, but suffered a reoccurence of a hip injury during training in February.

Gomez is a product of the St. Louis Scott Gallagher Soccer Club.

Pack The Park On Wednesday

Fans planning to attend Wednesday night’s game should plan to get to the park early. Free samples of kettle corn will be available at the concession stands from 6 – 7 pm as will Pretzel Boy’s samples. Hot dogs and hamburgers will also be available for just $2 each during that time.

Concession stands at Toyota Stadium will also offer specials on cotton candy and snow cones throughout the evening.

UPDATE

The St. Louligans will be hosting their pre-game tailgate beginning at 5:30 pm. Food is being provided by Sugarfire 44 and the Charity Du Jour beneficiary is the American Diabetes Association.

Fans are also urged to consider donating to a member of the Louligans riding his bike to help fight kids’ cancer in the Great Cycle Challenge.

**

Don’t want to drive out to Soccer Park? Catch a ride on a free Pub 2 Park shuttle, presented by JED Transportation. Shuttles leave at 5: 30 pm from Mission Taco in Soulard, 6 pm from Amsterdam Tavern and 6:30 pm from Sugarfire 44. If you are planning on taking a shuttle, you need to register in advance on the Pub 2 Park page.

You are busy Wednesday, but Saturday you are free? Saint Louis FC is offering a 4 Tickets, 44 Dollars special on Saturday for the matchup with the Swope Park Rangers.

If you can’t make it out to Fenton, Wednesday’s match will be streamed on ESPN3 as the USL Game of the Week.

Brought to you by Mills Apartments

Ryan

Ryan is a weird dude. He doesn't cook, yet owns a plethora of kitchen gadgets. He rationalized buying a SodaStream while unemployed. He counts Step Up 2: The Streets as one of his favorite movies along with Footloose, Rent, Grease and Paul Blart: Mall Cop. He loves Mizzou but only wants them in the SEC so he can tailgate in Nashville. He owns a ShakeWeight and AbLounger, but still loves him some John Donut and Billie's Fine Foods. You can get more of Ryan at iLoveSoulard.com or just check the stool on the far end of the bar at iTap in Soulard.

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