St. Louis sensations! Navarro, Holse golazos push unbeaten run to 15 | OneFootball

By Jaime Uribarri

Three games in, Rafael Navarro has been money for St. Louis CITY SC.

The club-record signing, acquired two weeks ago from the Colorado Rapids in a league-record $12 million trade, scored his second straight brace and added an assist on Saturday as St. Louis topped Minnesota United FC, 4-2, to extend their MLS-best unbeaten streak to 15 games (10W-0L-5D record). 

Fellow summer Designated Player arrival Carlo Holse was equally impactful, contributing 1g/1a to give the league’s hottest team even more momentum heading into the final stretch for the Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs.

"There is a sense of responsibility... for those guys coming in," head coach Yoann Damet said of the club's new DP duo. "So, very happy that they're able to express their abilities."

Starry Night

Navarro and Holse are fitting in seamlessly to a St. Louis side that recently parted ways with two beloved club figures, Marcel Hartel and Eduard Löwen.

The new marquee duo further endeared themselves to the Energizer Park faithful in the best way possible: by scoring golazos. 

The pair linked up with the game even at 1-1 in the 22nd minute, the Brazilian getting the secondary assist on Holse’s stunning first-time curler into the upper left corner.

Set up by a Holse long ball over the top, Navarro followed by brilliantly chipping goalkeeper Drake Callender shortly before the half-time break. He made it two braces in as many games in the 57th minute from the penalty spot.

Trophy chase

Saturday’s result pushed St. Louis to fifth place in the Western Conference (41 points), in search of home-field advantage in the Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs with a top-four finish. The club are chasing a first postseason berth since their 2023 expansion campaign. 

It also gives a huge morale boost ahead of Wednesday’s US Open Cup semifinal at Colorado.

"We try to focus on our plan, on our execution, focusing on the task. And I think it helps," said Damet, the first-year coach who’s two USOC wins away from guiding St. Louis to their first-ever trophy.

"We shouldn’t pay too much attention to the outcome. The scoring is the scoring, but at the end of the day, if we want to make a step as a group, we need to keep looking at the way we want to play the game."

WATCH: Red-hot St. Louis CITY continue to roll