City SC remains winless; 2-2 draw to SKC

St. Louis City SC's Starting XI vs Sporting Kansas 5/14/25

For the first time in its history, St. Louis City SC has ended a season winless against Sporting Kansas City. This outcome became official after a 2-2 draw on Wednesday night. City SC scored two goals in the first half: Celio Pompeu in the 15th minute and Cedric Teuchert in the 45th minute. However, Sporting Kansas City equalized with two goals in the second half—one from Tim Leibold in the 71st minute and a late equalizer from Dejan Joveljic in the 77th minute.

City SC’s record now stands at 2 wins, 5 losses, and 6 draws. Before this match, the team had gathered only 2 points from its previous 8 games, leaving them with 3 points from the last 9 matches out of a possible 27.

Head Coach Olof Melberg was suspended for this match due to MLS rules stating "a coach receiving yellow cards in three separate games must serve a suspension." Consequently, he could not communicate with the team starting 90 minutes before kickoff, including during halftime. However, the team did not rule out whether or not virtual communication was used during the match.

Olof Mellberg in the post-match presser following the 2-2 draw

Melberg currently holds the lowest win percentage in the club's history at just 15%, averaging only 0.9 points per game--a record worse than that of former coach Bradley Carnell before his dismissal last summer. The last victory for City SC occurred against Seattle in March of this year.

Frustration amongst fans is growing, with some calling for Mellberg’s dismissal while others are advocating for the replacement of Sporting Director, Lutz Pfannenstiel. General Manager Diego Gigliani has not publicly commented on the situation. As of May 16, 2025, there have been no changes to the coaching staff or front office.

While talking to the media the following day, Mellberg stated he had been given no timeline regarding his position.

In December, majority owner Carolyn Kindle stressed the imperative of making the playoffs, declaring, “We have to make the playoffs, hands down.” However, as reported by PlayoffStatus.com, City SC now has only a 23% chance of qualifying for the MLS playoffs.

TIFO by STL Santos Supporter Group reads "True Hell Burns Rojo"

Supporter groups are understandably frustrated. Despite their passionate support, they have witnessed the team consistently concede late goals. Alarmingly, 68% of goals allowed have occurred in the 70th minute or later, representing the worst record in the league.

Fans spend substantial amounts--$40 for a ticket, $8 for a drink, $18 for a burger, and $40 for a scarf--only to witness continued struggles week after week, with no signs of improvement. The big question is, how long will Olof's Leash be?