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Relief, Belief Comes to STLFC

By CHRIS HOCKMAN – chris.hockman@uslsoccer.com, 08/24/17, 2:03PM EDT

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Late victory against Roughnecks provides momentum for key road trip ahead


Photo courtesy Mark Guthrel / Saint Louis FC

FENTON, Mo. – With its season potentially on the line, and down 1-0 at home to Tulsa Roughnecks FC, things were not looking good for Saint Louis FC at Toyota Stadium  Saint Louis on Wednesday night. But that all changed as a strong second-half performance not only got the hosts three points, but pulled Saint Louis within three points of the Eastern Conference playoff positions.

“We were all very calm in the locker room [at halftime],” said Saint Louis FC Head Coach Preki. “I just said that they were playing very nervously in the first half. We were playing under pressure, the season is coming to an end and we need the points if we want to qualify for the playoffs.”

For a club that has never reached the USL Cup Playoffs it is a lofty goal for Saint Louis, but one which the club believes it is not only capable of, but additionally believes it can have an impact in should it book a place in the postseason.

“If we can go on the road and get some points, then we’ve got a very good chance of being in the playoffs, and if we keep playing how we’ve been playing we’re going to be a scary team for anyone,” said Saint Louis FC midfielder Seth Rudolph, who scored the 90th-minute winner on Wednesday night.

Rudolph’s form will be a big piece of the puzzle. The 26-year-old scored his fifth goal of the season, and his fourth in three matches, to lift the side to victory against Western Conference playoff contender Tulsa despite being on the mend from an injury in recent weeks. But for all of that Rudolph refused to take credit for his recent run of form.

“Right now they’re falling for me, to be honest my teammates are doing most of the work,” said Rudolph. “I’m just passing it in to the goal. Right now we’re more worried about getting three points, we don’t care who scores, I just happen to be the one getting on the end of it.”

Thanks to Rudolph's winner, the pressure, while not completely off, has been slightly relieved. The side wouldn't have been in position for that had it not been for an opening goal from Mats Bjurman, who capped off a strong start to the second half with his second goal of the season.

“After I scored I didn’t even know what to do, I was just so relieved, there was a lot of emotion,” said Bjurman. “We’ve been working really hard trying to get results, and to bring that game back, especially so early in the second half is really important to us. This is huge.”


Photo courtesy Mark Guthrel / Saint Louis FC

The task is far from over for STLFC, which will now have to go on the road and get big results, something they have struggled to do for much of the season. Sitting on a 2-6-3 record with a three-game road trip set to kick off against the fifth-place Rochester Rhinos on Saturday, the upcoming run could define Saint Louis' season.

As such, heading out on the road with the positive momentum of Wednesday’s win is certainly a welcome boost.

“When you’re on the road and down a goal you can always look back on that moment, so it’s important for us to have moments like these, to remember them and to draw back to and know that we can comeback,” Bjurman said.

As many ups and downs the season has had so far, Preki remains resolute in his belief that his side will be in it to the end.

“At the end of the day we’re not going to lay down for anybody, we’re going to go on the road and play with the passion we played with tonight,” said Preki. “Obviously we’ve played some tough teams here, and when we really want to play we can play against anybody. It’s up to us, it’s up to them to believe that anything is possible, but last week we threw one away and had we have won that one we’d be pretty comfortable right now, but now we’ve got to go on the road and get the job done.”

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