Maxime Crepeau notched four saves in his second match since returning from a serious injury to help Los Angeles FC salvage a scoreless draw against host St. Louis City in a Western Conference showdown on Wednesday night, September 20.
The draw proved to be enough for first-place St. Louis City (15–10–5, 50 points) to clinch a playoff berth thanks to other Wednesday results. With Austin FC drawing 1–1 against the New York Red Bulls and then Minnesota United losing 4–3 to the Los Angeles Galaxy, St. Louis wrapped up a postseason bid in its first MLS season.
Crepeau fractured his right leg last November during LAFC’s championship victory over the Philadelphia Union in the MLS Cup final. He made a daring dash in an attempt to defend Philadelphia’s Cory Burke to a loose ball and was injured in the collision.
Crepeau returned to action on Saturday in a 4–2 home victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy.
His 22nd career MLS shutout only netted LAFC (12–9–8, 44 points) a tie. Los Angeles, which began the night in second place in the West, is 1–3–1 over its past five matches.
St. Louis is winless over its past four matches (0–1–3). It began the night with a six-point lead over LAFC and a seven-point edge on the Seattle Sounders.
LAFC star Denis Bouanga took six shots, but only one was on target. He began the night in a three-way for the MLS lead with 14 goals, but Nashville SC’s Hany Mukhtar moved to the top by scoring his 15th.
St. Louis had a corner kick right before time was called, but Tim Parker’s header was well over the net in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time.
St. Louis goalkeeper Roman Burki made two saves, one in the 58th minute when he stopped a left-footed bicycle kick by LAFC’s Giorgio Chiellini.
LAFC had a couple strong opportunities just past the midway point of the first half.
Cristian Olivera let loose with a right-footed rocket that smacked off the right goalpost. Bouanga’s left-footed follow attempt was wide left of the net.
One minute later, Bouanga sent a close-range right-footed blast over the net.
St. Louis’ best chance in the first half came in the ninth minute when Eduard Lowen’s right-footed shot was stopped by Crepeau.
