Sunday Night Soccer thrusts St. Louis into the spotlight. History, a homecoming, and more on Hispanic Heritage Night.

St. Louis CITY SC are 19 unbeaten across all competitions, 1 result away from tying the all-time MLS record held by 2016’s Red Bull New York squad. If they reach the 20 mark, they’ll also be 18 unbeaten in MLS, which would be one result away from tying the 19-game unbeaten record held by the Columbus Crew across the 2003-2004 seasons. 

Historic.

It’s about more than the streak, though; a win would inch CITY SC closer to the top spot in the Western Conference. At 50 points, they’d also be within a CONCACAF spot via the Supporters’ Shield table and just 6 points off the club’s all-time points total set in year 1 when the Ravioli Boyz took the West’s top spot largely thanks to their 5-match win streak to start the season. 

And that’s the main difference between the two runs.

2023 was a magical run for a first-year club that defied the odds early but saw their underlying numbers fall off a cliff once clubs decoded Bradley Carnell’s scheme. There wasn’t enough talent to fight against the stream, and CITY SC were a bottom 3 team in the Western Conference after April 1st.  

The 2026 squad is experiencing the opposite end of those fortunes.

CITY SC currently sits 5th in the Supporters' Shield, and 6th in expected points. However, they have won the 2nd most points per game since the Summer break, and only trail Philadelphia in expected points. Yoann Damet has his team rolling, and they’ve only strengthened post-Transfer Window as 1 of 2 teams averaging over a 0.5 expected goals differential, with CITY SC at 0.74 and Philadelphia at 1.79 – Nashville does jump into the conversation after dismantling Austin FC last night.

Now, CITY SC will attempt to follow suit against a club they’ve, bizarrely, never lost to in the LA Galaxy.

Setting the table, CITY SC have won 4 straight with a +10 goal differential. The explosion of goal scoring has come on the heels of increased fluidity following the arrival of Rafael Navarro. His 5 goals in a short span are impressive but it's also unlocked more attacking from the wingbacks, with both Tomas Totland and Conrad Wallem playing some of the best ball of their careers. Oh, and Simon Becher could become the 3rd CITY SC player to score 10 goals in MLS play if he continues his run of 6 goals in 8 matches.

CITY SC host a Galaxy squad that has won back to back for the first time in MLS this season.

The Galaxy have been lucky, though; only Austin FC has fewer expected points per match over the last 2 months than the Galaxy, who also lost Chucky Lozano over the international break. They’ve allowed over 2.0 xG against in their last 5 matches and have only generated more attacking quality once, the 1-1 draw vs Seattle. 

That’s not to say a win is guaranteed; when is it ever in MLS? But CITY SC should have confidence coming out of the break.

“At the end of the day, the Vancouver game is only going to be interesting if we perform on Sunday,” Damet said this week. “If we don't, then the Vancouver game is just going to be a game against the best team in the league. As simple as that. If we want to make the game exciting on Wednesday, we have to take care of Sunday and put all our focus into that game. That's the way I look at it. I think that's the way the players are looking at it. We go one game at a time. Right now, there is no conversation about Vancouver, Minnesota, or the final. Right now, it's all eyes on Galaxy.”

A win would also make St. Louis the best home team in the Western Conference ahead of that clash on Wednesday.

Welcome back, Joao Klauss.

Sunday will be emotional. STL Santos will be honored with a proclamation by the City of St. Louis in honor of their work in the Hispanic community before celebrating Hispanic Heritage Night inside the stadium. 

On top of that, it will also mark the return of João Klauss for the first time since the transfer to the Galaxy on the eve of the season. 

It’s been an up and down year for the Brazilian. 

Up in that he’s scored 7 goals in 688 MLS minutes; down that he’s only played 688 MLS minutes. Klauss was off to a hot start, only to be derailed by a ligament injury in April that required surgery on his foot. That injury kept Klauss out of the match in Carson, but CITY SC is ready to welcome an old friend Sunday night. 

“We’re really looking forward to playing against him.” Chris Durkin said, happily envisioning battles between the pair this weekend. “I'm looking forward to getting into some duels with him. I know he's going to like it, and I've got some good history with him in Belgium, and here, so it'll be fun.”

Kaluss will have to be the Galaxy’s difference maker if they are to strengthen their playoff positioning. The injury bug has once again hit the Galaxy through the absence of Chucky Lozano following the international break, but they have ultimately looked better with a host of Summer signings that went under the radar. Kyogo Furuhashi and Sergi Roberto have both been positive additions, with Roberto pulling a few clubs out of Riqui Puig’s bag over the last few matches. 

The defensive lapses remain, but the Galaxy have looked better going forward, and CITY SC will have to contend with that through the midfield. 

Back to back 3-2 outings show that the Galaxy have found their attacking moments, including back to back game-tying goals off the foot of João Klauss.

“Obviously, he's a quality player and has found some good form throughout this season with goals.” Durkin continued. I’m so happy for him. I'm sure he'll get a good embrace back here from not only the players but also the fans.”

His former teammates will have to avoid passing directly to him.

Playoff Scenarios.

Saturday night’s results helped move St. Louis closer towards its dream of playoff soccer. Heading into Sunday Night Soccer, CITY SC will have a 14-point lead over 10th-place Portland thanks to their 3-3 draw at SKC, while RSL, San Diego FC, Austin FC, and Minnesota all dropped points. A CITY SC win would bring them within 1 point of clinching a playoff spot ahead of Wednesday where Vancouver’s draw at LAFC also sets up an opportunity for CITY SC to move top of the conference if they can beat the Galaxy for the 4th time in 4 seasons. 

Seattle was the only Western Conference club to win on Saturday night, opening the door for a big day in Downtown St. Louis.

Meanwhile, the Sounders are suddenly the 2nd hottest team in the West with 4 straight wins amidst a 9-match unbeaten streak. A club that lost 8 straight and went winless in 13 through the summer could wind up in a home playoff spot…

How do you not love this league?

Oh…

Austin supporters push back on censorship.

The endless march of sport can drown out the alarming noise from the world around it, but sometimes the forces are too oppressive to ignore. 

That was the case in Austin last night as Los Verdes and La Murga de Austin Supporter Groups walked out following attempts by Q2 Stadium staff to remove a sign from the Supporter’s Section that read “THERE’S NO ICE IN THIS MELTING POT,” a banner that has been displayed at times over the past few seasons. The incident was an escalation of growing tension following the removal of a La Murga member from Austin FC’s Hispanic Heritage Night in September. 

That night, a fan was asked to remove a customized Austin FC shirt that read Abolish ICE across the nameplate; when the fan refused, stadium staff escorted them out of the stadium. In response to the incident, Los Verdes and La Murga de Austin released a statement that read:

“On Hispanic Heritage Night, an Austin FC fan was wearing an Abolish ICE shirt and refused to cover her shirt or leave the stadium - a shirt she had been permitted to enter the stadium wearing. Los Verdes and La Murga de Austin disagree with treating that message as prohibited political speech under the MLS Fan Code of Conduct.

Just six days earlier, a Venezuelan member of our Austin community was shot by an ICE officer. Opposition to ICE is not an abstract political debate for many of our members and neighbors. It is about what is happening here, in our community, and about their safety, dignity, and ability to move through it without fear.

In the days since, members of our community have questioned whether they feel safe and welcome returning to Q2.

That should matter to Austin FC. The club has a responsibility to communicate clearly that our Hispanic and immigrant communities are welcome and safe at Q2.

Our Hispanic and immigrant communities are not a theme, a marketing campaign, or something to celebrate only when it is easy. If their culture is part of this club’s identity, their safety and belonging must be part of that commitment too.

Los Verdes and La Murga de Austin believe soccer is for everyone. We believe in creating a home where our Hispanic and immigrant neighbors are safe, welcome, and protected — especially when that commitment is tested.

Austin FC must examine the policies governing security, law enforcement, and fan conduct, and how those policies are enforced, to ensure Q2 lives up to that promise.

We also call on MLS to revise its Fan Code of Conduct so that rules intended to limit political campaigning are not used to silence supporters speaking out about the safety, dignity, and rights of their communities.

Q2 is our home. Everyone who calls it home should be able to feel that they belong there.”

Heading into Saturday’s match vs. league leading Nashville, tensions were high. 

Then, when security staff entered the section, the band broke into a rendition of ‘Bella Ciao’ before the group walked out with their instruments in tow.

MLS clubs are within their rights to enforce stadium guidelines that ban certain signs and political messages, but supporters are asking for a change to those policies. 

The noise that emanates from the Supporters Sections is a key selling point for Austin FC and MLS as a whole. Supporters aren’t paid; they volunteer their time to make matches more compelling and help set the environments that MLS will highlight on its social pages.

However, once supporters delve into topics deemed “too political”, most clubs' first instinct is to sanitize the environment despite those politics directly impacting members of their community. Austin supporters were originally showing support for Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez, a Venezuelan immigrant, who was shot in the chest during an ICE-initiated traffic stop the week of Hispanic Heritage Night. 

Of course, that is political in an environment where the president’s policies have resulted in a 300% increase in ICE activity throughout Austin, an increase echoed throughout the country’s immigrant communities. Neighbors are being targeted and harassed; citizens are being detained and stranded outside of their communities based on suspicions because of the color of their skin. 

Clubs need to ask themselves if they are really standing with their communities by hiding behind stadium policies.

Is avoiding the ire of reactionaries worth eroding the trust of the Hispanic communities that make the league’s environment special?