Velde's 89th-Minute Free Kick Rescues a 2-2 Draw as St. Louis City's Unbeaten Run Rolls On
Photo Credit: Jack Lewy
A Lightning-Fast Start Sets Up a Wild Night at Providence Park
It took all of 60 seconds for this one to announce itself. Rafael Navarro scored the fastest goal in St. Louis City SC history just a minute into Wednesday's match at Providence Park, and by the time the dust settled, Portland had twice come from behind to salvage a 2-2 draw — a result punctuated by Kristoffer Velde's second free-kick goal of the night in the 89th minute.
Game Flow Recap: Two Leads, Two Answers
Navarro wasted no time making history, finishing a Tomas Totland assist just 60 seconds into the match for the fastest goal in club history and the third-fastest in MLS this season. Portland needed an answer and found one in the 32nd minute, as Kristoffer Velde curled a free kick from the left half-space to level the score. St. Louis responded before the hour mark, with Navarro heading home his second of the night in the 51st minute to complete his seventh career MLS brace and put the visitors back in front.
Portland kept pushing, out-shooting St. Louis 15-11 on the night, and the pressure finally paid off in the 89th minute. Cole Bassett tapped a free kick back into Velde's path, and the Norwegian winger buried his second goal of the match to salvage a share of the points in the game's final minutes.
Star Performer: Velde's First MLS Brace
Kristoffer Velde delivered his first career MLS brace, scoring both Portland goals from set pieces and extending his team-leading tally to 17 goal contributions (8 goals, 9 assists) on the season. He finished the night with 6 shots, 2 on target, and was directly responsible for both moments that kept Portland from suffering a home defeat.
Rafael Navarro was every bit Velde's equal on the other side, scoring both St. Louis goals in a performance defined by speed and timing — his opening strike alone was historic, and his 51st-minute header showed the composure of a player settling into a new club in style. Cole Bassett also deserves credit, picking up his seventh assist of the season on the equalizer that completed Portland's comeback.
Turning Point: A Free Kick With Seconds to Spare
With St. Louis still clinging to a 2-1 lead deep into the second half, the match looked destined to snap Portland's unbeaten run. Instead, Bassett's quick free-kick service found Velde in the 89th minute, and his finish turned what would have been a deflating home loss into a hard-fought point. It was the second time in the match Velde delivered exactly when his team needed him most.
What It Means: A Historic Night for Both Sides
The draw kept Portland's unbeaten run alive across all competitions dating back to May 23 and preserved their standing among the Western Conference's top scoring teams with 46 goals on the season. For St. Louis City, the result was arguably even more significant — the point extended their unbeaten streak to 15 matches across all competitions, among the longest such runs in MLS history, and came alongside milestone nights for both Navarro's historic opener and Alex Mățan's 100th career MLS appearance. Two teams playing well, and neither able to shake the other on a night that had a little bit of everything.
