Strikers rely on confidence. João Klauss is aware of this fact, particularly in his position.
The St. Louis CITY SC attacker had not made a goal contribution in 10 consecutive matches before last weekend’s game against D.C. United, where he scored a brace against Sporting Kansas City last September.
He received a boost on Saturday when he needed it.
Klauss ended his scoring drought by converting his first penalty attempt in MLS, scoring in the 70th minute to help CITY earn a point in a 2-2 draw against D.C. United.
Klauss stated that as a striker, there is an expectation to score goals every game, which he believes is not always possible.
Klauss acknowledges that scoring every game is not realistic. Despite not scoring early this year, Klauss excelled in other areas of the game. He ranks highly in progressive passing and defensive stats among MLS forwards. Bradley Carnell, CITY’s head coach, has recognized Klauss’s strong work rate. But recently, another striker, Sam Adeniran, has been given more playing time.
Carnell mentioned that Klauss has been putting in a lot of effort to find opportunities on the field. He showed good performance on Saturday and his fitness has improved. Klauss works hard for the entire 90 minutes and causes trouble for opponents. He is gradually improving and his hard work is paying off, leading to better game situations.
Klauss was given recognition for his efforts on Saturday when he had the opportunity, alongside Adeniran, during a soccer match. With teammate Célio Pompeu injured in the second half, Klauss had a chance for a penalty kick which he successfully scored, equalizing the game.
Klauss stated that the stutter works effectively in training.
After the crowd erupted, Klauss felt relieved.
“It is a positive sensation,” he stated.
Carnell described the moment as “masssve.”
Klauss, who took on defensive tasks while waiting for his chance to score, excelled as a striker in Carnell’s system. Scoring a goal gave him momentum, and now he must continue to build on it.
With this goal and a sense of confidence, one may feel that anything is attainable.
