“We’re not superhuman”: City SC reflects on first loss

ST. LOUIS — The magic runs out for St. Louis City SC.

“We are not superhuman after all,” St. Louis City SC coach Bradley Carnell said.

It might come across as an obvious statement. But, for the previous five weeks, MLS’ newest team could do no wrong.

You knew it had to happen. No team should expect to win all of their matches. But for the sold-out crowd at CITYPARK on Saturday, St. Louis City SC’s first loss, a 1-0 defeat to Minnesota, still stings. It is even more upsetting for the players on the St. Louis sidelines.

“It is definitely disappointing, especially at home in front of our fans,” St. Louis captain Roman Burki said. “We would have loved to give them again a reason to celebrate. It had to come, but (the loss) was just a bit unlucky.”

“There is a lot to learn about the guys in the locker room when you lose a game,” St. Louis Vice Captain Tim Parker said. “It’s going to be good to see everyone’s reactions. I’m sure training will be a little more intense this week.”

And it wasn’t as if City SC didn’t have its chances. Some of its best opportunities came either early in the match or in a thrilling seven-plus minutes of stoppage time after the 90th minute.

“We had some dangerous crosses,” St. Louis midfielder Eduard Lowen said. “We had some dangerous crosses and some dangerous moments on some headers. I think it was very unlucky (on Saturday). In the last games where we did score, we were way more clinical. It didn’t work out, and at the end of the day, it was unlucky.”

So the historic five-match win streak to start their inaugural season ends. But, if City SC has taught us anything, it is that they are for real and here to say.

“We wanted to be competitive from day one,” Carnell said. ” I think we’ve proven that fact. I’m just really proud of my boys. The way they’ve handled the last five or six weeks, plus the six weeks of preseason, the willingness to grow and adapt, and to achieve great things as a group, to come out the blocks flying.”

“There will be people who will be very happy about our loss,” Lowen said. “It doesn’t matter for us. We want to win games. We want to focus on ourselves.”