St Louis CITY2 returned to winning form after a 2-0 win over Real Monarchs at Zions Bank Stadium Friday evening.
Following its first defeat of the season last week, CITY2 now jumps to second in the Western Conference with 12 points and a 4-1-0 record.
The game looked destined for a scoreless stalemate, but the visitors scored twice in the last 13 minutes and snatched all three points.
Forward Josh Dolling grabbed the headlines for CITY2 as his brace won the match for his side. The first came in the 77th with Dolling lashing in a volley into the net following midfielder
Célio Pompeu hitting the bar. Dolling closed the door on Real Monarchs by doubling the lead in the 89th minute to seal the win for CITY2.
As for the home side, Real Monarchs remain winless in the MLS NEXT Pro campaign, managing only two points in five games. Forward Pedro Fonseca, who scored his fourth goal last week, was shut down by the stout CITY2 backline with defender Josh Yaro standing out.
With the win, CITY2 continues to make its presence known in the Western Conference and looks to build on the momentum with the next four being at St. Louis University’s Hermann Stadium.
Following a man of the match performance, Josh Dolling looks to be the striker of the future for St. Louis CITY2 and eventually the MLS first team.
The forward scored a brace in the last minutes of the game against Real Monarchs to hand CITY2 a huge road victory. Dolling’s two goals marked the first time he found himself on the scoring sheet this season.
The 24-year-old from London, England began his career with Manchester United’s youth system before switching to Burnley FC when he was 16. He tallied 24 goals and 5 assists while playing for Burnley FC’s U18 Academy.
Dolling then attended Missouri State University where he earned All-American honors in three seasons, helping his side make a run to the Sweet 16 in the 2021 NCAA Tournament. While at MSU, Dolling created a reputation for his game-winning goals as he scored a school record 17.
