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St. Louis CITY extend unbeaten run with Vancouver upset
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- St. Louis CITY extend unbeaten run with Vancouver upset
St. Louis CITY extend unbeaten run with Vancouver upset
By Ben Steiner
VANCOUVER, B.C. - Let it be known, St. Louis CITY SC mean business.
After a week that saw them shell out $12 million to the Colorado Rapids in a cash-for-player trade for Rafael Navarro , the Missouri side picked up a massive 3–1 road win at Western Conference-leading Vancouver Whitecaps FC .
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While Navarro and fellow new striker signing Damion Downs made their debuts off the bench, it was Simon Becher — scoring against his former team — Tomas Totland and Conrad Wallem who netted the goals that extended St. Louis's MLS-best unbeaten streak to 13 games.
With the win, CITY pushed into fifth in the West, level on points with FC Dallas for the coveted top-four spot among the Audi MLS Cup Playoff seeds. At the same time, it put their opponents on notice for trophy aspirations for the rest of the year.
"We've got a very good environment where we know that right now it's all about looking forward," said head coach Yoann Damet. "So we learn, we move on. In the game, you're gonna have moments, but you have to move on; you have to forget very quickly so you can stay on task."
Elevated frontline
While Navarro and Downs didn't find the net, their injection launched a new core. Quickly, St. Louis have shifted from being led by Eduard Löwen and Marcel Hartel 's influence to a team effort, backed by investment in new attacking talent.
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Both new additions only had two days of training and didn't start, but there's belief they can be massive pieces moving forward, especially considering the record-setting fee shelled out for Navarro.
"I'm not speaking about investment, but we're working with human beings that are great persons, great people, and at the same time that have a lot of abilities, in terms of the profile we want on the team," said Damet.
"[Navarro] is one of those guys that is going to bring quality to the team, but also has a great personality. It's always interesting when you try to integrate those guys in a short amount of time... They're coming in a group that is doing really well, and that is building positive momentum."
Chasing silverware
While signing new stars and beating the Western Conference leaders offers a boost to start September, the month will also see a chance to further chase the club's first trophy since entering MLS in 2023.
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St. Louis will take on the Rapids on Sept. 16 in the US Open Cup semifinals.
"We're in a very positive dynamic right now, but at the same time, we keep looking forward," Damet said of the trophy chase. "I always use that saying: we're humbled and hungry.
"... We'll focus on the next game, and when the US Open Cup comes, then we'll focus on that one."
WATCH: Signature win! St. Louis CITY stun Vancouver Whitecaps
