Eduard Lowen scored on a penalty kick in the second minute of second-half stoppage time to give St. Louis City a 2-1 victory over the visiting San Jose Earthquakes in David Critchley’s debut as interim head coach on Saturday afternoon.
Simon Becher drew a foul from San Jose goalie Earl Edwards Jr., who tripped him on the left edge of the six-yard box, setting the stage for Lowen’s game-winner. Lowen, who also assisted on St. Louis’ first goal, booted a right-footed shot into the right corner as Edwards dove the other way.
Joao Klauss also scored and Roman Burki made three saves for St. Louis (3-8-5, 14 points), which won its first MLS game since a 1-0 victory over the Seattle Sounders on March 15 to halt an 11-match MLS winless streak (0-8-3). Critchley replaced Olof Mellberg, who was fired on Tuesday.
Josef Martinez scored for San Jose (6-7-4, 22 points), which had a six-match MLS win streak (3-0-3) snapped. Edwards Jr. finished with two saves.
St. Louis, tied with Austin FC for fewest goals in MLS with 11 coming into the contest, put on a higher press under Critchley and had three shot attempts in the first 25 minutes but none on goal. However, that changed in the second minute of stoppage time in the first half when Klauss headed down a long curling pass from Lowen at the top of the box, took advantage of Edwards’ indecision on whether to field the ball and blasted a right-footed shot into the bottom right corner for his second goal of the season.
St. Louis had a good chance to increase its lead in the 59th minute, but Edwards deflected Xande Silva’s right-footed try from the left side of the box over the crossbar.
Martinez, who entered the game as a substitute in the 61st minute, then tied it 1-1 in the 83rd minute when he redirected Vitor Costa’s cross from the left edge of the six-yard box into the bottom right corner of the net for his seventh goal of the season.
–Field Level
