ST. LOUIS — The sun hung low over downtown Saturday afternoon, but inside Energizer Park the temperature felt a few degrees warmer — fueled by the thousands of supporters ready to usher in a new chapter of St. Louis CITY SC soccer.
From the opening kick, CITY dictated terms. St. Louis outshot Charlotte 10–3 in the first half and controlled possession with confidence.
Before a single ball was kicked, the day already carried a sense of history. CITY SC took the pitch wearing their new Tina Turner tribute kits — a bold, shimmering design honoring the global icon who graduated from Sumner High School and sharpened her voice and stage presence in St. Louis and East St. Louis. The Tina Turner Kit marks the first Adidas collaboration with a female music artist on a soccer kit. For a club that prides itself on celebrating the city’s cultural legacy, opening the 2026 season in a kit inspired by a Black woman who became one of the most electrifying performers of all time was a proclamation that St. Louis stories matter on the world stage.
By the final whistle, CITY had to settle for a 1–1 draw against Charlotte FC. It wasn’t the three points they wanted, but it was a performance that hinted at promise.
“There are two sides to my feelings,” first‑year head coach Yoann Damet said afterward. “A bit of disappointment not to get the result that we wanted, but also a lot of pride in the effort.”
From the opening kick, CITY dictated terms. St. Louis outshot Charlotte 10–3 in the first half and controlled possession with confidence.
“We set the tone from the beginning,” midfielder Marcel Hartel said. “We wanted control of the game, to create chances, to be aggressive. The result is not good enough, but the performance was good.”
The breakthrough came in the 60th minute, and it was a moment that felt symbolic. After Jaziel Orozco won the ball tightly against Wilfried Zaha, Daniel Edelman quickly turned play forward. Simon Becher, reading the movement, slipped a sharp pass into space for Hartel, who struck a right‑footed shot from outside the box that skipped into the bottom‑left corner.
It was the first goal of the 2026 MLS regular season — and Hartel’s fifth in his last six league matches dating back to 2025.
“Cello puts the team first every single day,” Damet said. “He has a chip on his shoulder but also the humility of a great player. I’m happy he was rewarded.”
Becher, who earned his first assist of the year, praised the chemistry that made the play possible.
“As it was coming, I saw Cello make the run,” Becher said. “I knew the center back would track me, so I wanted to get it to him as quick as possible. A lot of quality in the finish.”
For 13 minutes, Energizer Park felt ready to erupt into celebration mode. But Charlotte answered in the 73rd minute when Pep Biel found space on the left side of the box and placed a low shot into the far corner.
In the final 15 minutes — and deep into stoppage time — St. Louis pushed numbers forward, generating chance after chance. By match’s end, CITY had recorded 22 total shots and 11 on target, forcing Charlotte goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina into 10 saves.
“We were still on the front foot,” Damet said. “We didn’t think twice about whether we should sit or wait. We went for it. That’s what we owe the fans.”
The fans, as always, delivered their part.
“It was an incredible atmosphere,” said Edelman, making his CITY debut after arriving from New York. “It really lived up to the hype. You could feel the energy. We were feeding off it.”
Roman Bürki, the club’s captain and steady presence in goal, quietly added another milestone to the day. Saturday marked his 100th appearance for CITY across all competitions — the first player in club history to reach the century mark.
There were other debuts as well: Edelman notched an assist in his first match in red, Rafael Santos and Lukas MacNaughton saw their first action, and Dante Polvara made his MLS debut in the starting lineup. Brendan McSorley added vertical energy late, Miguel Perez stabilized the midfield, and MacNaughton helped manage the back line as Polvara tired.
The final whistle brought a mixture of applause and unfinished business.
“We wanted three points,” Becher said. “I think everyone in the locker room is a little unsatisfied. But when teams come to Energizer Park this year, we want them to feel it. I hope Charlotte felt it.”
Damet prefers not to call it something to “bounce back” from.
“This is the starting point,” he said. “We’re building. We created what we wanted to create on and off the ball. Now we learn and move forward.”
CITY remains undefeated in home openers and season openers. The next test comes on the road against San Diego FC on March 1.
Great reporting. Sounds like you know what you are talking about. Thank you .