In a chilly afternoon showdown at Energizer Park, St. Louis CITY SC launched their 2026 MLS campaign with a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Eastern Conference foes Charlotte FC. Under new head coach Yoann Damet, CITY SC dominated possession and created numerous chances but couldn’t secure all three points, extending their unbeaten streak in home openers to 1-3-0.
The match, played in mostly sunny conditions with temperatures hovering around 41 degrees, saw CITY SC outshoot Charlotte 22-9, including 11 shots on goal to Charlotte’s three. Despite the statistical edge, it took until the second half for the deadlock to break, highlighting both teams’ defensive resilience and the early-season rust.
CITY SC came out firing, controlling the ball and pressing high as per their preseason blueprint. They generated 10 shots in the opening 45 minutes compared to Charlotte’s three, but failed to find the net. Charlotte goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina was a standout, making several key saves to keep the scoreline level at halftime.
Yellow cards punctuated the physical first half, with Charlotte’s Andrew Privett booked in the 7th minute for a foul, followed by CITY SC’s Timo Baumgartl in the 40th. The hosts’ high press disrupted Charlotte’s rhythm, but clear-cut opportunities were limited by solid defending from veterans like Tim Ream and Ashley Westwood.
The breakthrough arrived in the 60th minute when midfielder Marcel Hartel opened his 2026 account – and scored the first goal of the entire MLS regular season. Assisted by forward Simon Becher and debutant midfielder Daniel Edelman, Hartel fired a right-footed strike from outside the box into the bottom left corner. It was Hartel’s fifth goal in his last six regular-season matches, underscoring his hot streak.
Hartel reflected on the moment postgame: “To help the team with the goal is always a good thing. We scored the goal, I scored to go for the lead, but in the end, we didn’t get three points, so I’m a bit disappointed about that, but yeah, happy about my goal.”
Becher, who earned his first assist of the year and fourth in his MLS career, described the buildup: “I think it was Daniel [Edelman] that played the ball to me. You know, something we want to do. We wanted to win the ball higher up the field and go forward. He played a good ball to me. As it was coming, I saw Cello make a run. I knew the center back would be tracked to me, so I wanted to get it to him as quick as possible. A lot of quality in the finish, and good to get the first goal of the season.”
Edelman, making his CITY SC debut after joining from New York Red Bulls, added: “Yeah, great job by Jazzy [Orozco] to be tight on [Wilfried] Zaha to win the ball. The first thing for me was I knew I had time and space to look forward. I probably could have played Cello first, but I think Simon does an amazing job. He draws the defender in, and then makes a great pass, but yeah Cello always finishes it off. So it was a great first goal.”
Charlotte responded in the 73rd minute through Pep Biel, who leveled the score with a left-footed effort from the left side of the box, assisted by Wilfried Zaha and substitute David Schnegg. The equalizer came amid a more transitional phase of the game, as CITY SC’s intensity waned slightly.
Further bookings followed: CITY SC’s Jaziel Orozco in the 67th and Charlotte’s Zaha in the 71st, adding to the match’s edge.
The game featured several notable firsts for CITY SC. Edelman, Rafael Santos, Lukas MacNaughton, and Dante Polvara all made their club debuts, with Polvara earning his first MLS start. Goalkeeper Roman Bürki, the team captain, reached a historic milestone by playing his 100th game for CITY SC across all competitions – the first player in club history to do so.
Bürki made two saves, contributing to a solid defensive effort despite the conceded goal.
Substitutions played a key role late on. Brendan McSorley replaced Sangbin Jeong in the 59th, bringing fresh energy to stretch Charlotte’s backline. Coach Damet explained the move: “When we put Brendan [McSorley] in it’s the idea of like Brendan can make things happen. Maybe a different profile than Sangbin Jeong that can maybe come a little bit more into fit, play a little bit more in between the line like we ask him for the first 60, 70 minutes.”
Other subs included Miguel Perez for Chris Durkin (83′), MacNaughton for Polvara (84′), and Tomas Totland and Cedric Teuchert in stoppage time.
In his first match as head coach, Damet expressed mixed emotions but emphasized the positives. “There is two sides of my feelings. There is bit of disappointment not to get a result that we wanted, but also a lot of pride in the effort that the guys put in this afternoon,” he said. “The performance from the beginning to the end, I think was really good. Really pleased with what I saw.”
Damet praised the team’s first-half possession: “We took control of the game. I felt like we exploited that position positively, like creating some chances.” He highlighted Hartel’s contribution beyond the goal: “He puts the team first every single day, and today is a good example of that. He did it again and he gets rewarded with the goal, so I would say it’s very positive.”
On Becher’s performance: “Really happy. Again, you can see the work ethic of the guy, like on and off the ball, a lot of movements, a lot of stretching the pitch. He can make things happen. He was very good today I thought.”
Looking at areas for improvement, Damet focused on game management: “The decision making in the second half… is definitely something we have to get on the same page, especially going away next week.” He viewed the draw not as a setback but as a foundation: “I would not call that bouncing back… I see that as a starting point.”
Hartel echoed the coach’s sentiments: “In my opinion, we made a good game, a very good game. From the beginning, we set the tone. That was the plan. We want control of the game; we want to create chances. We want to be aggressive against the ball, high press. And all of our plans were good, and the result is not good enough.”
Becher stressed the team’s intent: “We wanted to come out and give the fans a lot of energy and show that we are up for it today… I think we did a good job today. But again, it’s about setting high standards. When teams come to Energizer Park this year, we want them to feel it.”
Edelman, adapting to his new surroundings, raved about the crowd: “It was an incredible atmosphere. It really lived up to the hype… I think the fans really understood what we’re capable of.” He noted the team’s bravery: “I think it just shows that we’re a team that’s going to focus on ourselves, and not be afraid to play with the ball, and be brave and take chances.”
CITY SC hits the road next, facing expansion side San Diego FC on Sunday, March 1, at 8:15 p.m. CT. The match will be broadcast on Apple TV and FS1 as part of Sunday Night Soccer. Damet sees the quick turnaround as an opportunity to build: “We’re going to go again. We believe in who we are, who we want to be. It’s not going to be perfect… But we’re going to keep pushing.”
While the draw leaves room for improvement, the performance signals a promising start under Damet’s leadership, with a blend of veteran savvy and fresh talent poised to make an impact in 2026.
