Carnell & Blom Write History, Hlongwane On Fire

Bradley Carnell and Njabulo Blom have written history with St. Luis City after qualifying for the Major League Soccer Cup in their inaugural season, while Bongokuhle Hlongwane scored a brace for Minnesota United.

St. Louis City are still leading the Western Conference of the MLS following a 0-0 draw with defending champions Los Angeles FC.

As a consequence, they qualified for the MLS with four games of the regular seasons to spare. Each MLS season has 34 regular games, before top-seeded teams from the Northern- and Western streams qualify for the MLS play-offs. The winner of those play-offs will be crowned the league’s champions and lift the MLS Cup.

Overall, St. Louis have collected 50 points during the regular season so far, sitting in second spot on the overall log, nine points behind leaders Cincinnati.

Meanwhile, Hlongwane netted a brace for Minnesota but he couldn’t prevent their 4-3 defeat to LA Galaxy.

The Bafana striker scored his side’s second and third goal to give them a 3-1 half-time lead but the hosts turned the tie around in the second stanza. Despite the defeat, Hlongwane was also named Man of the Match.

Minnesota have dropped to 18th on the overall log and sit in 10th place in the Western Conference, just one point behind Dallas. They have five more games to move at least into ninth spot and clinch their MLS Cup play-offs position.

Meanwhile, Cassius Mailula wasn’t in the squad for Toronto’s 4-0 defeat to Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami. His side sit in 29th place overall and at the bottom of the Eastern Conference.

Olwethu Makhanya also wasn’t in the squad as Philadelphia Union drew 2-2 with Charlotte FC. Makhanya’s side sit in fifth on the overall MLS log and are fourth in the Eastern Conference, being well on track for the MLS Cup play-offs.

Finally, Tsiki Ntsabeleng was an unused substitute as his side FC Dallas beat Real Salt Lake 3-1 away from home. Dallas currently are 16th on the overall log and ninth in the Western Conference.