A $12 million striker lands in the West
Rafael Navarro could line up for St. Louis City for the first time on Saturday night in Vancouver, days after the club paid Colorado $12 million in cash for him. Navarro has scored 10 league goals this season, a third straight MLS campaign in double figures.
St. Louis sit sixth in the Western Conference on 34 points from a 9-6-7 record, one place above the club that sold him. They have gone 13 matches unbeaten overall and 12 in the league without a striker who reaches double digits. Simon Becher and Marcel Hartel lead the squad on six goals each, which explains the size of the fee.
Try it for $0.99.
Damet wanted the pressing as much as the goals
“In terms of the professionalism, the work ethic and the personality, it fits right into what we want to have here in St. Louis,” manager Yoann Damet said. “And at the same time, in terms of ability, what he can do on and off the ball, he’s very, very good. He’s one of the forwards that presses the most in the league. He’s scoring goals. He’s working for the team. He’s selfless.”
Damet does not plan to cap Navarro’s minutes. The forward was starting regularly for Colorado when the trade went through, and St. Louis have already beaten Houston and San Jose since the league resumed in late July after the World Cup.
Vancouver lead the table, and they are short of rest
The Whitecaps top the West on 43 points from 13-4-4, four clear of second-placed Houston with a game in hand. They dispatched Dallas and Kansas City by a combined 8-0 in their last two league outings, with Brian White taking his team-leading tally to 13 goals.
Jesper Sorensen’s side drew 1-1 at home with CF Montreal on Wednesday in the first leg of the Canadian Championship, which leaves three days of recovery before a visitor riding a three-month unbeaten run.
“I think everybody knows Navarro in this league,” Sorensen said. “He’s been a very good striker, and he caused us some trouble before. He’s well known, and everybody knows his quality in this league.”
Discover the rest of our football news on MathODDS!
in your pocket.
Real-time notifications & alerts
Leave a Reply