The St. Louis City SC is the FIRST expansion side in MLS history to win its first four games after tying the San Jose Earthquakes 3-0
Joao Klauss scored his team-leading third goal of the season and St. Louis City made MLS expansion history with a 3-0 win over the visiting San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday night.
Nicholas Gioacchini and Tomas Ostrak also scored for St. Louis (4-0-0, 12 points), becoming the first MLS expansion team in league history to win its first four games.
The only other expansion team to win their first three games was the 2009 Seattle Sounders.
Roman Burki needed just two saves to keep his first clean sheet of the season against a San Jose team that had scored in each of its previous three games.
The Earthquakes (2-2-0, 6 points) remain winless on the road this season after a night in which they finished short-handed.
Attacker Jamiro Monteiro is suspended for the red card he picked up in last week’s win over Colorado. Defensive midfielder Carlos Gruezo and defender Rodriguez both left with injuries.
Celebrated by St. Louis City SC a goal from St. Louis City SC forward Joao Klauss
The protector of St. Louis’ John Nelson (14) tackles San Jose Earthquakes forward Cristian Espinoza
Rasmus Alm (21) of St. Louis City SC shot at Jackson Yueill of the San Jose Earthquakes
Giocchini wasn’t even the target on the play he finished to make it 1-0 in the 34th minute. Left back John Nelson comes forward as part of an attacking move and tries to pick out Klauss’ late run into the middle.
The pass was a little too far in front of the Brazilian striker, but Gioacchini got past his defender to reach the loose ball and poke it past JT Marcinkowski.
It was 2-0 in first-half stoppage time on another play that didn’t work out as intended. Klauss ran forward and tried to connect a pass to Eduard Lowen that was deflected by a San Jose defender.
But Klauss himself ran into it inside the penalty area and then stabbed a finish past Marcinkowski before the late-reacting defenders.
San Jose enjoyed their best period of play early in the second half, and Cade Cowell had two chances denied by Burki.
After that letoff, Ostrak put the game out of reach in the 68th minute when his shot from the edge of the penalty area deflected off a San Jose defender leaving Marcinkowski with little chance.
