The team that looked incapable of winning early in the season suddenly can’t lose.
St. Louis City brings a 17-match unbeaten streak into Sunday night’s clash with the visiting LA Galaxy.
With a 3-0 victory on Sept. 30 at Red Bull New York, St. Louis (13-6-8, 47 points) entered the weekend tied for second in the West table, just three points behind Vancouver. It is 12-0-5 in its incredible run that goes back to May 9.
The addition of Rafael Navarro from the Colorado Rapids for a transfer fee of more than $12 million provided the team with the deadly striker it needed. After posting 10 goals in 22 matches for the Rapids, Navarro has scored five goals in his first five games for St. Louis while enjoying his new surroundings in a soccer-mad town.
“I like to be among the greats. I work hard for that, you know? I like having that price tag,” he said. “I think there’s pressure, but I’m used to playing with pressure. I played in Brazil.”
Navarro’s addition, plus a career year from Simon Becher and Roman Burki’s continued good work in goal, has St. Louis in prime position for a long postseason run.
As for the Galaxy (9-10-9, 36 points), they entered the weekend in the last playoff spot in the West. They’re coming off a 3-2 win on Sept. 26 over Colorado when they overcame a 2-0 halftime deficit.
LA also appears to have done well in its late-season adds via the transfer window. Midfielder Sergi Roberto has brought a calming presence to complement the work of Marco Reus (seven goals, nine assists) and former St. Louis striker Joao Klauss, who has scored in the last two matches.
“I have always liked the sports culture in the United States,” said Roberto, a 34-year-old native of Spain who’s two months into his first season in America. “And besides, the Galaxy is the most historic club in the league, so it couldn’t be better.”
The return of Ghanaian forward Joseph Paintsil, who scored in a club friendly during last weekend’s MLS break, figures to add more firepower to the Galaxy’s lineup.
St. Louis earned a 3-1 win on July 22 in the teams’ first matchup.
–Field Level Media
