The 2023 MLS season returns to action this weekend after a mid-season break, with St Louis City hosting Austin FC.
St Louis currently lead the Western Conference table, while Austin look well-positioned to finish inside the play-off spots.
Match preview
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Indeed, St Louis could not have dreamed of making such a strong debut having only joined the MLS as an expansion team earlier this year, with former South Africa defender Bradley Carnell guiding them to top spot in the Western Conference.
The 46-year-old, who worked as an assistant at New York Red Bulls between 2017 and 2021, has won more than half of his 27 games in charge so far, meaning it would take a monumental collapse for them not to reach the play-offs once they have completed their remaining 11 matches of the regular season.
St Louis have recruited a decent roster for a team competing in their first official season, with the likes of Roman Burki, Joakim Nilsson and Eduard Lowen providing invaluable experience from their time spent playing in major European leagues.
Carnell will be hoping that his side's disappointing performance in the Leagues Cup last month does not detract from their morale going forward, after being beaten against Columbus Crew and Club America in both of their two matches. Either way, their strong early season form has given them a healthy cushion to allow for the possibility of any poorer results.
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Austin, meanwhile, are aiming to build on reaching the semi-finals of the playoffs last season, having only joined the MLS as an expansion team in 2021 themselves.
Unlike St Louis, Austin did not begin life at the elite level of American soccer as efficiently, finishing in 12th position and failing to reach the playoffs as a result in their debut campaign.
However, they were hugely boosted by the addition of Sebastian Driussi, who scored 25 goals in his first full season at the club after joining from Zenit St Petersburg and has continued to be his side's main man with eight goals in 20 matches in all competitions so far this season.
Like their forthcoming opponents, Austin also lost both of their games in the Leagues Cup last month, with Mexican sides Mazatlan and Juarez both getting the better of them in their encounters. Josh Wolff and his players have no time to spend licking their wounds, though, with only a two-point cushion keeping them inside the playoff spots.
Team News
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St Louis are set to lineup without Joao Klauss and Nilsson due to muscle and knee injuries respectively, potentially leaving Carnell's side short of genuine quality in both boxes.
Teenage talent Miguel Perez will hope to start in the hosts' engine room, but he may have to continue to be patient having been left out by Carnell in most of their recent fixtures.
Austin, meanwhile, will travel without Alexander Ring, Leo Vaisanen and Zan Kolmanic due to long-term injuries.
Driussi will carry the bulk of the visitors' creative and goalscoring burden from his preferred number ten role, and there is little doubt that the 27-year-old has the ability to take the game away from the opposition as the most talented individual on the pitch.
St Louis City possible starting lineup:
Burki; Watts, Yaro, Parker, Hiebert; Stroud, Blom, Vassilev, Pompeu; Adeniran, Gioacchini
Austin FC possible starting lineup:
Stuver; Lima, Cascante, Keller, Gallagher; Wolff, Pereira; Finlay, Driussi, Fagundez; Zardes
We say: St Louis City 1-1 Austin FC
Both sides could be a little rusty having not competed competitively for a few weeks, and as such the quality may not be as high as it would have been had these sides faced each other last month.
St Louis may already have their eyes drifting towards the playoffs having made such a strong impression on their debut season, and it would be little surprise to see their results dipping off between now and then.
How to watch
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