(Editorial) – Saint Louis FC had their home opener this past Saturday. Despite the Blues about to enter the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the Cardinals in the first week of the season, on April 11, 2015, the city’s eyes were on their new soccer team. “It’s a special night for St. Louis, and there’s lots more fun to come,” said midfielder Brandon Barklage. The USL expansion team sold out their home opener. With a standing room only crowd of 5,280 fans packing the park, the Chupacabras drew the Pittsburgh Riverhounds 1-1.
Saint Louis FC Coming Together On And Off The Field
Even with a 1-1 draw, the night’s experiment was an indication that much planning and building had come to fruition. The team is here. The players are starting to click. They play a fun style to watch. It also foreshadowed what is to come. Saint Louis FC is here, and it is loud and Louligan.
Other than the result, the evening was a huge success. Head Coach Dale Schilly continues to implement his diamond formation. While finishing in the early season has been difficult, the team continues to create quality chances. They outshot Pittsburgh 15-7, with nine in the first half. The team continues to create chances from the run of play, with Bryan Gaul leading the aerial attack and Jermie Lynch on the ground. Gaul did all but score in the match.
The game started off fairly even, but the stadium erupted in the 44th minute as Barklage scored off of a corner kick, with an assist to Patrick Doody. “Crowd was unbelievable. The Louligans, you could hear them the entire game. I should have gone there after my celebration, I blacked out there for a minute,” said Barklage. It was a great ball by Doody, it got by the fist guy. I stuck my left boot out and it went side netting.”
The club came out from the get-go, establishing that this team belonged to the fans and the city. In an interview with Last Word Soccer Club Radio, General Manager Jeremy Alumbaugh detailed the front office’s first interactions with the supporters group, the St. Louligans. They established a friendship with the founders of the supporters group. “They’re the lifeblood,” “we sat down and told them that we did [want tifo, chanting, and fun].” They put them in Section 8 at the St. Louis Soccer Park, a nod to their MLS affiliate, Chicago Fire, who’s supporters group are named and sit in Section 8.
The loaned players from the Fire have made an impact, and the parent club has given STL FC control over making decisions with the players. “They’re not trying to control us,” said Alumbaugh. Doody came down less than a month ago and found playing time immediately. Doody has become a regular starter at left back for the club and has even been taking some corner kicks. “He’s a good ball striker. He can do long balls, he can do set pieces. He’s got a future,” said Schilly after the game.
Greg Cochrane was loaned out for the week, as Chicago were on a bye week in MLS. “It’s good to have an affiliation with St. Louis. [Chicago] sent me down here to get a game in and train with them for the week.” The club has done an excellent job in communication and coordination with their MLS affiliate in a way that has been beneficial for all parties.
On the fans, Schilly lauded the atmosphere: “What I really love about St. Louis fans is their appreciation for quality. After a quality scoring chance in the 25th minute, “that moment was really good. When that happened, I knew this was right. The fans knew what quality soccer was. They appreciated it. It was a neat moment. I’m really glad this home opener is out of the way. We were all nervous.”
The St. Louligans gave one of their scarves to the team to put up in the locker room, something that resonated with the players. The style of play is coming together. The back line has improved with each match. The finishing and mentality aren’t quit there, but the team seems right on the cusp of a breakthrough. Ever since the club’s founding, each event has seemed to be a celebration for its existence, the city’s soccer history, and the players. “It’s In Our History. It’s In Our Blood.” is more than just a saying on scarves. It has become a motif for the organization and fans.
From interviews and their twitter activity, the players seem genuinely happy to be here and appreciative of the support.
St. Louis may be far away from an MLS team. The team may be just a playoff contender and a dark horse to win the championship. But the home opener proved just how far they’ve come and showed the potential of where they can go in the future. The Chupacabras are here, they are a family, and it’s all coming together on and off the field.
