Marcel Hartel leads St. Louis to "best game" since coaching change | OneFootball

By Jonathan Sigal

When St. Louis CITY SC are at their best, they feed off the Energizer Park crowd and excite supporters with game-changing plays.

Such was the case during Matchday 24's edition of Sunday Night Soccer presented by Continental Tire, as Marcel Hartel scored twice to inspire a 2-1 comeback victory over the Portland Timbers after David Da Costa netted a first-half opener.

Amid a taxing season, the German midfielder was reminded what the Midwest club's all about.

"It's so important for us as a team, as a club – especially for these amazing fans – that we win again," the Designated Player told MLS Season Pass sideline reporter Michele Giannone post-game.

"For me, it was our best game so far under the coaching change. I'm very happy for the team and especially for these three points."

New voice

The coaching change Hartel referenced? That came back on May 27, when CITY parted ways with Olof Mellberg just 15 league matches into the Swedish manager's tenure.

St. Louis have since gone 2W-4L-1D under interim coach David Critchley, who previously led MLS NEXT Pro affiliate St Louis CITY2. They've ditched a defense-first approach and thrown more numbers forward, allowing players like Hartel to express themselves.

"He's been super impactful for this team in all spaces on the field," Critchley said of Hartel, who arrived last summer after helping FC St. Pauli get promoted to the German Bundesliga.

"To finalize his game, he needs to build off this now and continue to score goals. But I was super, super happy for him. He comes in every single day and he covers so much ground with his intensity in the way he runs and the way he trains."

Uphill climb

While Hartel stopped short of forecasting any surge into an Audi MLS Cup Playoffs spot – St. Louis are 14th in the Western Conference with 12 games remaining, and nine points below the cut-off line – he's encouraged by the change under Critchley.

"The confidence to play out is not easy," Hartel said.

"Critch gave us very good options throughout the week, but you have to play every game. Every training you have to give 100 percent because it is not easy to play with pressure and get out of pressure. Today was our best game so far."

More to come?

The question, of course, becomes how St. Louis build off this.

Following a midweek bye, their chance to do exactly that starts Saturday at FC Dallas (8:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass).

"I've sat here enough and said we perform well, I read some data to you guys and say we're close but not quite getting over the line," Critchley said after St. Louis snapped a five-game winless streak.

"Today, we got over the line. It was nice to have that feeling back in the locker room, that winning feeling. Now we just have to build on it for the next game."

WATCH: Marcel Hartel sends St. Louis CITY past Portland Timbers