The inaugural MLS NEXT Pro season will kick off tomorrow, when Rochester New York FC travels to St. Louis, MO, to take on St Louis CITY2 (8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT) in front of what's expected to be a raucous, sellout crowd at Hermann Stadium. The City of St. Louis has been anxiously waiting for professional soccer to return, and with less than 12 hours to kick, the anticipation could not be any higher.
Friday's match in St. Louis will be the first MLS NEXT Pro "Game of the Week," with an enhanced broadcast featuring MLS Great, New England Revolution legend and current ESPN commentator Taylor Twellman, plus Steve Cangialosi, Poppy Miller, and Susannah Collins.
How to watch:
This historic match will stream live on mlsnextpro.com and be one-hundred percent free. Additionally, MLS NEXT Pro has teamed up with automated camera technology provider Spiideo to deliver live streams of all MLS NEXT Pro matches, ensuring every game this season will be available for viewing on mlsnextpro.com.
ST Louis CITY2
St. Louis City was announced in 2020 as one of the expansion clubs to join MLS in 2023. Former Philadelphia Union assistant coach John Hackworth leads CITY2. He was previously in charge of the USMNT U-17 squad and led them to a 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup berth. Hackworth also serves as the Director of Coaching for CITY2. The club broke headlines last week when they announced the signing of Switzerland International and Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Burki. He is set to join the club this July, following the completion of Dortmund's Bundesliga campaign. You can find out more about CITY2 and their division opponents here.
CITY2 Players to watch
- Celio Pompeu:
Pompeu is an intriguing attacking product who joined CITY2 from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). The Fortaleza, Brazil native, was named the 2021 Atlantic 10 midfielder of the year, leading the Rams in goals (4), assists (7), points (15), shots (42), and shots on goal (16).
- Kyle Hiebert:
Hiebert, a finalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy for two consecutive years, was the first-ever Missouri Valley Conference player to win three straight Defensive Player of the year awards.
- Josh Yaro:
Yaro is a veteran defender who made 23 appearances for the Philadelphia Union after being selected second overall on the 2016 MLS SuperDraft. A the Captain of the squad, Yaro, brings more experience from his time in the USL Championship with Bethlehem Steel FC, San Antonio FC, and San Diego Loyal.
Rochester New York FC
RNY FC is the only independent club to compete in the inaugural MLS NEXT Pro season, but they bring a rich history full of cultural ties to the game. RNY FC is the only non-MLS side to claim the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title since the league's formation in 1996. Rochester New York FC head coach Bruno Baltazar has coached worldwide, with the U.S. being the sixth country where he has held the helm. The Upstate New York side is co-owned by England national team and current Leicester City star Jamie Vardy.
Vardy told the USA TODAY Network that he has dreams of taking RNY FC back to the top, hoping to claim another Open Cup "X amount of years down the line."
Speaking of Vardy, can you tell he can't wait for kick off? We know he'll be watching despite that midnight hour first kick time in Leicester, England.
RNY FC Players to watch:
- Raymond Drai:
Drai, an attacking midfielder or left-winger, is an 18-year-old prodigy. The California native joined Orange County SC in the USL Championship at the age of 16 and made nine appearances on the way to a 2021 USL Championship for OCSC.
- Caique Santos:
A former Brazil youth international, Santos is an experienced goalkeeper who will take the role between the posts for RNY FC.
- Buba Djalo:
Djalo grew up in the youth system of Sporting Lisbon in Primeira Liga, the Portuguese top-flight. The defensive midfielder brings experience leadership and "will bring the right balance to the team in every moment of the game," said Baltazar.
Prediction:
Since the league is brand new and the teams are just coming together, it would be a disservice to give a prediction. With so much excitement surrounding the inaugural MLS NEXT Pro game, we can say that we predict this to be a moment of celebration that will live in the memories of many soccer fans in the United States for many years to come.
