MLS NEXT PRO: St. Louis CITY2 Remains Perfect with 3-0 Shutout of Minnesota
- Staff Writer
- 14 minutes ago
- 2 min read
NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com
ST. LOUIS, Mo. — St. Louis CITY2 maintained its explosive start to the 2026 MLS NEXT Pro season on Sunday night, securing a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Minnesota United FC 2 at Energizer Park. The win marks the second consecutive shutout for the St. Louis side, which has now outscored its opponents 7-0 through the first two weeks of play.
Forward Mykhi Joyner provided the offensive spark, netting a brace to bring his career MLS NEXT Pro goal tally to 34. However, it was midfielder Palmer Ault who stole the spotlight as the primary architect of the victory. Ault opened the scoring in the 11th minute with a clinical right-footed finish from the center of the box to notch his first professional goal, assisted by defender Jemone Barclay.
"The chemistry on the pitch right now is exactly where we want it to be this early in the year," St. Louis coaching staff noted following the match. "Seeing Palmer get that first goal and then turn provider for Mykhi shows the depth and unselfishness of this group. We are defending as a unit and making our chances count."
Joyner doubled the lead in the 26th minute, capitalizing on a precise feed from Ault to slot the ball into the bottom right corner. The duo combined again early in the second half to put the game out of reach. In the 53rd minute, Ault found Joyner once more, who finished with a left-footed strike to seal the 3-0 result.
The defensive performance was equally impressive, anchored by goalkeeper Lucas McPartlin, who earned his third professional shutout. The CITY2 backline, featuring Kyle Hiebert and Zack Lillington, restricted Minnesota to just a single shot on target throughout the 90 minutes. Despite Minnesota matching St. Louis in total shot volume, the quality of chances favored the hosts, who created four "big chances" to Minnesota's two.
The loss for Minnesota United FC 2 (1-1-0) comes after a promising Matchweek 1 victory. The "Twos" struggled to find a rhythm in the final third, with captain Momoh Kamara and forward Marcus Caldeira finding themselves isolated against a disciplined St. Louis defensive block.
With six points from two matches, St. Louis CITY2 currently sits at the top of the Western Conference, trailing only Crown Legacy FC in the overall league standings on goal differential. The club’s recruitment and development pathway continues to bear fruit, as 2026 SuperDraft picks Cooper Forcellini and Zack Lillington have integrated seamlessly into the starting lineup alongside homegrown veterans.
The victory at Energizer Park also highlighted the home-field advantage St. Louis has cultivated. A vocal crowd of over 22,000 witnessed the shutout, continuing the trend of high attendance figures for the club’s reserve side.
St. Louis CITY2 will now head on the road for the first time this season, traveling to face Ventura County FC on Sunday, March 15. Minnesota will look to bounce back as they return home to host North Texas SC, aiming to correct the tactical lapses that led to Sunday's defeat.
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