St. Louis CITY SC's first-ever season had just ended in defeat, swept by Sporting Kansas City in the rivals' Round One Best-of-3 series.
But head coach Bradley Carnell was quick to look big picture, rather than dwell on Sunday's 2-1 setback at Children’s Mercy Park that completed the stunning upset for No. 8 SKC over his expansion side that finished first in the Western Conference.
"It's been a year where we've been challenged and we've managed to come out on top and we've grown one step further,” Carnell said after Match 2's elimination.
"We’ve had so many highs and a few lows that we grow from. Unfortunately, we just couldn't recover from this little moment that we were in. But what I saw today gives me hope, gives me hope for the future, and gets me energized and excited for what's to come."
Carnell understands the reality of Major League Soccer, where success is usually judged by a deep Audi MLS Cup Playoffs run. But CITY SC's debut campaign, which defied expectations and was a record-breaking one by just about every measurable metric, didn't translate to postseason success.
St. Louis were thumped 4-1 by Sporting KC at CITYPARK in Match 1 before an improved road showing Sunday night where Célio Pompeu's 86th-minute goal sparked hope of forcing Match 3. Ultimately, it wasn't enough to craft a storybook ending.
"We've shown it and proven it that this recipe works, the way we do things works, the way we grow together as humans and as pros – right now it's a proven concept over 34 matchdays in a regular season," Carnell said. "Can we get it to be a proven concept in the playoffs?
The South African manager added: "We will find ways to control games more, we will find ways to become a lot more ruthless. We will find ways to install our signature and dominate in moments like this, big playoff moments, big moments for our club, big moments for our fans, and big moments for us as a group. We use these to take two steps forward."
In a 4-1 victory over Sporting KC on Sept. 30, St. Louis set the record for single-season wins by an expansion team (17) and clinched the West's No. 1 seed.
Then they wrapped their first MLS regular season with consecutive defeats to two playoff sides: Vancouver Whitecaps FC (No. 6) and Seattle Sounders FC (No. 3). St. Louis never emerged from that funk.
“I think we definitely lost a little bit when we first clinched the playoffs,” goalkeeper Roman Bürki said. “I don't know, it’s definitely the players' fault because we calmed down a little bit, the training sessions weren't as aggressive and as much fire in it anymore, how it was before and you can definitely see that in the games. We weren’t that dominant and aggressive on the field that as well.”
Carnell said St. Louis were more comfortable in 2023 as the underdog than having a target on their back, as they did during the playoffs.
They'll have to confront that reality in 2024 for their second season, which begins in February with the club's first foray into the Concacaf Champions Cup.
“I compliment my team,” Carnell said. “We've been challenged so many times throughout the year. And we've hit reset buttons and got back to playing like number two, to stay at number one.
"In the last couple of games, we just struggled to take that next step as a team together, right? We just struggled to take those steps forward of moments of growth and development. So now we have those moments in our armory, and we'll put those to good use next year.”
