Brendan McSorley’s 95th-minute header from the center of the box off a long ball from Lukas MacNaughton salvaged a 1-1 draw for St. Louis SC with host New York City FC on Saturday.
The goal was just the second game St. Louis has scored in this season and denied NYCFC’s bid for a third win in four home games.
Goalkeeper Roman Burki, who had six saves, denied Nicolas Fernandez just moments before McSorley’s equalizer. The Swiss netminder came up big all night.
Hannes Wolf scored his second goal of the season in the 50th-minute goal off an assist from Maxi Moralez to give NYCFC the lead.
Moralez tied New England’s Luca Langoni with his fifth assist as NYCFC moved to 2-1-1 at home, a fluid term as New York played its first three home contests at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx before moving to Citi Field in Flushing on Saturday.
St. Louis was coming off a 3-1 triumph over New England ahead of the international break but could not regain that offensive momentum until the end.
Keaton Parks wasted no time getting things going for NYCFC, sending a volley high in the third minute. Tayvon Gray followed three minutes later in search of his second goal, but his close-in attempt was turned away by Burki.
Marcel Hartel, who leads St. Louis with two goals, almost put his side ahead twice in the first half. His first attempt, in the 26th minute, was turned aside by NYCFC goalkeeper Matt Freese (2 saves).
In the 39th minute, Hartel tested Freese to the near post, but the veteran netminder was up to the task and denied the attempt.
Agustin Ojeda nearly doubled NYCFC’S advantage in the 63rd minute, taking a feed from Fernandez and challenging an oncoming Burki, who denied the Argentinian.
Fernandez, tied for third in MLS with five goals, was held scoreless for just the second time in six matches.
Hartel again had an opportunity in the 68th minute, but his attempt was not up to par, sailing very high over the goal.
St. Louis had multiple opportunities in the waning moments before McSorley’s goal.
Cedric Teuchart was wide left on an 82-minute attempt after a pinpoint pass from defender Jaziel Orozco, and Dante Polvara’s right-footed shot from the center of the box in the 93rd minute was too high.
–Field Level Media
