Mykhi Joyner took care of business on Sunday afternoon. Give the assist—literally—to Caden Glover.
St. Louis CITY SC’s Homegrown talents made sure that CITY2’s postseason journey didn’t end after one game.
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Joyner’s stoppage-time goal against LAFC 2 gave CITY2 the 2-1 victory it needed to stay alive in the MLS Next Pro Playoffs. The team will now host The Town FC on Sunday at 4 p.m. in the Western Conference semifinals.
Joyner’s clinical finish was a special way for CITY2 to punctuate its postseason opener. Playing his first intense minutes since returning from Spain with the U.S. U19 National Team, Joyner tallied his first career playoff goal—and his 17th strike of the season.
“Goals change games,” CITY2 head coach Bobby Murphy said.
And Joyner can thank Glover for his.
Glover sat behind Hosei Kijima to start the match, but his entry in the 59th minute played a major role in CITY2’s comeback effort from an early 1-0 deficit. The go-ahead goal sequence started with Glover hustling to keep the ball alive. Then, after possession is recycled, he takes on multiple defenders, before trading passes with Johnny Klein and sending an easily-finished cross through the mix. As Joyner wheeled off into his celebration, he jumped to meet Glover as the two 17-year-old Homegrowns celebrated in front of the east end of CITYPARK
“He’s a fantastic player,” Joyner said. “I didn’t expect anything less from him.”
“It was fantastic,” Murphy beamed. “I just told Caden, in a chaotic game, when the environment was tense, for him to have that moment to slip out of pressure and then send in that ball. It speaks a lot to the kid’s quality.”
While the Homegrowns sealed it, several other CITY2 talents helped get the match to that stage. LAFC 2 struck first, as Murphy’s squad compressed into the attacking half. The Angelinos carried that early, one-goal lead into the second half, frustrating the boys in grey as goalkeeper David Ochoa made three saves before picking up a yellow card ahead of Brendan McSorley’s equalizer in the 63rd minute.
The tying goal was created by captain Gabi Mikina, whose marauding run to the touchline allowed him to send in an easy cross for McSorley to slam home.
“I was just saying to [Mikina] that the goal was all him,” McSorley said. “Putting that ball up into the box, it was pretty easy for me at that point. To have that ball from a center back, it shows why he is our captain. He works so hard off the field, so it was so great to have that moment.”
And for CITY2, it was great to have a win—especially one earned through the exceptional play of so many young talents.
