FENTON, Mo. – Saint Louis FC got a second-half equalizer from Mour Samb as the second Kings’ Cup rivalry matchup of the season with Louisville City FC ended in a 1-1 draw at West Community Stadium on Saturday night.

Following the opening whistle from the referee, players from both sides remained still, united against racism, and in support of equality, diversity and compassion, for the opening seven minutes of the match.

The contest then began in earnest, and Louisville almost grabbed an early lead when Jonathan Gomez delivered an angled cross from the left side that picked out Cameron Lancaster for a well-struck volley from the top-right edge of the penalty area back across goal that STLFC goalkeeper Kyle Morton kept out with a diving save.

Saint Louis also had a good chance in the 16th minute when a crowd at the near post distracted LouCity’s defenders from Jeremy Gagnon-Lapare’s late arrival at the back post. Todd Wharton’s corner kick found Gagnon-Lapare, but his header was turned away well by Louisville goalkeeper Ben Lundt.

LouCity took the lead on the half-hour mark, however, as after a corner kick was initially cleared by the hosts, the ball was recycled to Brian Ownby on the left. His angled cross back into the center of the penalty area found Sean Totsch, who headed back across goal into the left corner of the net for the opener.

The visitors almost had a chance to doubled their lead shortly after as a poor pass upfield by Morton from well to the right of his penalty area was picked up by Speedy Williams, but the Jamaican international skied his effort as Morton hustled back between the sticks. Lancaster was also wild with a finish seven minutes before halftime after being played into the right side of the penalty area by Paolo DelPiccolo.

Saint Louis went in pursuit of an equalizer early in the second half and Russell Cicerone headed over the crossbar from close to the penalty spot off a cross from the right in the 52nd minute. LouCity’s Akil Watts also went close to doubling his side’s lead after weaving into the right side of the penalty area only for his shot to be denied by Morton at his near post.

Cicerone again went close in the 61st minute with a powerful long-range shot to the right corner that was saved by Lundt. Two minutes later, though, STLFC had its goal as Wal Fall delivered a beautiful through-ball with the outside of his right foot that led Samb into the right side of the penalty area, and his finish found the top-right corner of the net leaving Lundt little chance.

The rivals continued to exchange chances for a go-ahead goal as the game entered the final 20 minutes. Totsch almost notched his second with a near-post header off a corner by Gomez from the right that just went wide of the post for the visitors, and then moments later Wharton couldn’t control his close-range header as he stretched to get on the end of a cross by Cicerone inside the six-yard area. The game ended all square, however, as LouCity retained its two-point edge on its rival for second place and moved one point closer to Indy Eleven at the top of the standings.

USLChampionship.com Man of the Match

Sean Totsch, Louisville City FC – Totsch scored the visitors’ goal, almost notched a second and was solid on the back line, recording four interceptions and winning 5 of 7 aerials while completing 37 of 42 passes.