Luke Kreamalmeyer Scores Twice, Minnesota Makes Late Comeback

ST. LOUIS, MO (August 1, 2010) – AC St. Louis, playing in the USSF Division 2 Pro League, tied the NSC Minnesota Stars 2-2 on Sunday afternoon at The Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park in front of 2,037 fans. AC St. Louis, in a near repeat of their two previous league games with Minnesota, held leads twice but could not hold off a hard charging Minnesota team at the end as the Stars rallied to score twice in the final 10 minutes.

Luke Kreamalmeyer started the scoring for St. Louis in the 42nd minute with a virtuoso dribbling display inside the Minnesota penalty area. The winger ripped a shot into the back of the net for his third goal of the year. Kreamalmeyer took down a ball on the left side of the area before making a cut back to his right that allowed him to round a defender and unleash the shot. The goal marked the fourth time in four games against Minnesota that St. Louis had scored first. St. Louis carried the 1-0 lead into halftime as they looked for their third straight win.

Late in the second half is when the tide began to turn. Melvin Tarley equalized for Minnesota on a header at the St. Louis near post. Kevin Friedland headed a ball back across goal that Tarley was able to redirect. Despite allowing another late goal AC St. Louis rallied themselves immediately. Defender Mark Bloom slipped a cross in to Jack Traynor inside the penalty area; Traynor’s first touch was clean and just after he took it he was fouled from behind. The referee awarded a penalty that Luke Kreamalmeyer calmly dispatched for his second goal of the game in the 86th minute to put St. Louis back ahead 2-1. It would not last.

AC St. Louis nemesis Brian Cvilikas, a late substitution in the match, would steal a point for Minnesota with a goal in stoppage time. The Minnesota forward got to a ball from Andrei Gotsmanov at the top of the 18-yard box, and chipped an on-rushing Alec Dufty for the equalizer.

AC St. Louis now stands at 5-10-5 after 20 games as they chase one of the final playoff spots now with just 10 matches remaining.

“It was déjà vu all over again,” said head coach Dale Schilly afterwards. “The games are a game of moments, and we had two moments that we did not deal with. On the good side though we responded to both of their goals. When they tied it a 1-1 we were gassed, but we got forward and won a well-deserved penalty. Even after their second goal we came back at them again.”

The final play of the game almost provided Schilly with a dramatic winner. Midfielder Troy Cole got up to head down a well place cross back across the face of the goal as he bid for a game-winner at the far post, but his well struck, down driven, effort went just a foot wide of the mark as the referee blew the final whistle.

AC St. Louis’ next home match is on Friday night, August 6 at 7:10 p.m. against the Vancouver Whitecaps. Tickets are still available and can be obtained by calling 1-888-STL-GOAL, or by visiting www.ac-stlouis.com.

AC St. Louis v. Vancouver Whitecaps – U.S.S.F Division II Pro League
August 1, 2010 – The Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park, St. Louis, Missouri

SCORING SUMMARY:
STL 42nd minute Kreamalmeyer (3)
MIN 83rd minute Tarley – assisted by Friedland
STL 86 minute Kreamalmeyer – penalty kick
MIN 90 minute Cvilikas – assisted by Romanov

LINEUPS:
STL: Dufty; Traynor, Lesko. Bauer, Bloom; Kreamalmeyer, Gauchinho, Warner, Stisser; Ambersley, Cosgriff

MIN: Warren; Arango, Friedland, Altman, Lorenz; Wasson, Takada, Moura, Allen; Tarley, Bracalello

SUBSTITUTES:
STL 57th minute Troy Cole for Brad Stisser
MIN 60 minute Lucas Rodriguez for Ely Allen
STL 67 minute Tim Velten for John Lesko
MIN 71 minute Gotsmanov for Bracalello
Min 71 minute Cvilikas for Moura
STL 74 minute Salvaggione for Cosgriff
MIN 73 minute Hlavaty for Takada
MIN 86 minute Ukah for Tarley
STL 88 minute O’Garro for Kreamalmeyer

MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
MIN 90 minute Yellowcard – Rodriguez

STATS SUMMARY:
STL MIN
Total Shots: 13 15
Shots on Goal: 6 5
Saves: 3 4
Fouls: 16 13
Corners: 4 5
Offsides: 4 3

Attendance: 2,037

ABOUT AC ST. LOUIS
AC St. Louis will play its first year of professional soccer in the USSF Division 2 Pro League in 2010. The team was formally launched in November of 2009. AC St. Louis will play their home games at The Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park in suburban St. Louis. Season tickets and group tickets for AC St. Louis are currently on sale. For information call 1-888-STL-GOAL.