As the clock ticked toward midnight in Sunday’s 2-1 loss to Columbus in the Leagues Cup tournament, St. Louis CITY SC’s Eduard Löwen removed the captain’s band from his left arm, handed it to teammate Jake Nerwinski, and walked off the field.
It was a notable exchange—not because who was leaving, but because of who was taking up the captaincy.
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In a game where captain Roman Bürki and vice captain Tim Parker received the night off following their trip to the MLS All-Star game, CITY had to tap into its leadership depth chart. Löwen wore the band first. Once he left, Nerwinski was the logical next choice.
At this level, clubs have detailed succession plans for the armband. St. Louis doesn’t have to look further than its leadership council, which is populated by players CITY trusts to keep the club flowing in the right direction. This year, Bürki, Parker, Löwen, Nerwinski, and Josh Yaro—last year’s CITY2 captain—comprise that group.
In the early-morning hours, Nerwinski wore the band with honor. And he approached the final 30-plus minutes with vigor. So much of CITY’s success this season feels like a product of its leadership. The club has fed off of Bürki’s big-game experience and unmistakable presence. It has channeled Parker’s tenacity and found comfort in Löwen’s steady hand. On Sunday, Nerwinski stepped up and tried to spark St. Louis to a come-from-behind victory.
His performance was crucial in that effort. Just consider Nerwinski’s late-game production: two passes into the final third, four clearances, three interceptions, eight recoveries, and seven one-on-one duels won.
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“Credit to the group for sticking it out tonight,” CITY head coach Bradley Carnell said after the match. “They fought. They worked their way back into the game.”
Nerwinski played a major role in that effort. His defensive performance led to Columbus trying to force play down the right, leading to the corner attempt that produced St. Louis’ lone goal as CITY attempted to erase the two-goal deficit.
“I’m a level headed kind of guy,” Nerwinski said last month. “I try not to get too high or too low, [and] just focus on playing my game, staying in my zone, and helping the others where I can.”
Suffice to say, Nerwinski’s play mirrors his personality: steady and effective. Although the loss in the tournament opener was disappointing, CITY learned something from the occasion. In Nerwinski, the club has a player it can trust to carry the captaincy when needed.
And sometimes, a leadership lesson learned in a tough loss can be as valuable as anything.
