CITYPARK, ST. LOUIS – For the third match in a row, St Louis City SC picked up the three points in a 3-0 victory against the Houston Dynamo at CITYPARK. This victory leads them to the top of the MLS Western Conference table and continues their positive string of performances at their home venue.
The team is now 8-2-0 in all competitive matches at CITYPARK, and 6-2-0 in MLS play at CITYPARK as well. St Louis also has 9 wins, 28 points and a positive goal differential of 18, each being an MLS record for an expansion side at this current spot of the season.
St Louis manager Bradley Carnell mentioned in his post match interview that the team is not getting carried away with their quality start to the season.
“If we think we have figured it out internally, then we are going to fall flat on our faces,” Carnell said. “Not even halfway, we still have so much room to grow.
Eduard Lowen earned the man of the match award with the opening goal in the ninth minute and his assist on Thomas Ostrak’s right footed shot that nestled into the bottom left corner of the net to make it 2-0. Lowen has started each of City’s past three matches with a set-piece goal, and has been on the scoresheet in each of them as well, the longest goal streak of any player on the roster.
“We have to give a lot of credit to the crowd, I would like to play here 34 times a year and have no away games,” Lowen said. “They’re always supporting us and always have our backs.”
After St Louis’s early goal nine minutes in, the first half of the contest was a physical one with five fouls a piece from both sides, and four combined yellow cards. The half concluded with a scuffle on the pitch which ended with two Dynamo players, Luis Caicedo and Ivan Franco both receiving yellow cards, as well as St Louis midfielder Njabulo Blom.
I think it is a matter of standing in authority because it’s our home ground,” midfielder Njabulo Blom said. “We don’t want anyone to disrespect us on our home field.”
Despite the Dynamo holding the majority of possession and six more shots in the second half, St Louis held the higher expected goal percentage and converted on two chances that put the match away. Ostrak burying goal number two, and Nicholas Gioachinni finishing off the contest with a penalty in the eighty third minute.
St Louis will look to continue their winning ways on Wednesday by finishing up a previously suspended match with FC Dallas. Following this match, St Louis will be back in CITYPARK again next Sunday to take on the LA Galaxy.