St. Louis CITY SC turned a tense road night into another emphatic step toward MLS history, scoring twice in the closing minutes to beat Red Bull New York 3-0 on September 30 and extend its league unbeaten run to 17 matches.
Rafael Navarro gave CITY an early foothold, redirecting Conrad Wallem’s header into the net in the fifth minute. But New York, which had won its previous two games, kept the contest close deep into the second half. CITY goalkeeper Roman Bürki made four saves, preserving the lead while the hosts searched for an equalizer.
The break arrived in the 87th minute. Simon Becher punished a Red Bulls turnover with a finish from Chris Durkin’s pass, turning a narrow advantage into breathing room. In stoppage time, Tomáš Ostrák pounced on a rebound to complete the scoreline—and a finish that made the visitors’ late surge impossible to ignore.
The win lifted St. Louis to second in the Western Conference, three points behind Vancouver, and moved the club within two unbeaten matches of MLS’s regular-season record of 19, shared by Columbus and FC Dallas. CITY’s run now stands at 12 wins and five draws. Its next league test is at home against the LA Galaxy on October 11; two more results without a loss would draw the club level with the mark, while a third would set a new one.
New York’s shutout defeat came while the club was missing 10 players called up for international duty. That context matters, but it does not erase the late lesson for either side: St. Louis stayed composed until the opening appeared, then made the final minutes count. The record is close enough to feel real—and far enough away to demand another full shift.
