A Fitting Result

The much anticipated grudge match between the St. Louis Cure and Gateway United ended up the way it probably was meant to end, a 2-2 draw. It was a rough, physical and defensive battle, with both teams blowing good opportunities to take the first leg of the Show Me Cup. The Cure were put in an immediate hole Thursday. Jeff Cunningham scored after a soft penalty was whistled; he added a second on an EVEN softer penalty later that night. The sluggish Gateway offense would be unable to pull away, offering the Cure a chance to take the match. But the Cure offense was just as anemic. Only Patrick Nyarko managed to get on the scoresheet, notching his third assist of the year. The real hero of the game was KC keeper Jimmy Nielsen, who kept his second clean sheet in as many games. Nielsen shut down his star teammate Edson Buddle, but in keeping Landon Donovan pointless, he earned the crucial point that kept the Cure unbeaten. Gateway still had the game offered up on a platter, as Fredy Ljundberg and Julian de Guzman played on Sunday. All it would take was one simnple point, but the two Saints players came up empty--leaving the two St. Louis teams to continue squabbling over who is best.