Eduard Lowen scored early in the match and St. Louis City SC held on to defeat the visiting Seattle Sounders 1-0 on Saturday night, tying an MLS record by posting a fourth consecutive shutout to open the season.
Backup goalkeeper Ben Lundt was forced to make just one save for his first MLS clean sheet. Lundt was inserted into the lineup after starter Roman Burki suffered a hand injury in training leading up to the match.
St. Louis tied the season-opening shutout streak set by the 2007 New York Red Bulls and matched by the 2012 Vancouver Whitecaps.
St. Louis (2-0-2, 8 points) beat the injury-riddled Sounders (1-2-1, 4 points) for the first time in five meetings.
Lowen scored off a free kick in the 15th minute after a Seattle defensive miscue. Jackson Ragen controlled the ball outside the top of the penalty area when he slipped on the wet turf – storms battered the area Friday night and some rain fell during the match – and fell on the ball, cradling it in his arms.
Referee Fotis Bazakos called a foul for a handball and issued Ragen a yellow card.
Lowen lifted the ensuing free kick from 25 yards straightaway from goal over the wall of Seattle defenders and just inside the left post, out of the reach of diving goalkeeper Stefan Frei, who made four saves.
The Sounders were awarded a penalty kick in second-half stoppage time as St. Louis’ Henry Kessler tripped Obed Vargas in the 18-yard box. The video assistant called for a review and Bazakos determined the ball hit Vargas’ left hand shortly before he went down, denying the penalty kick.
The Sounders were without forward Jordan Morris (hamstring), the franchise’s all-time leader scorer, midfielders Paul Arriola (torn ACL) and Pedro de la Vega (quadriceps), all injured in the past week, and defender Yeimar (personal reasons).
In addition Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer stayed home while battling an illness. Assistant Freddy Juarez, formerly the coach of Real Salt Lake, filled in for Schmetzer.
–Field Level Media
