Tim Parker lifts St. Louis City over Rapids

Tim Parker scored his second goal of the season – and his first since scoring the club’s first goal – to lead St. Louis City SC to a 2-0 victory against the visiting Colorado Rapids on Saturday night.

Jared Stroud scored his fourth goal of the season during St. Louis’ (11-7-2, 35 points) early outburst, which was enough to keep the Blues atop the Western Conference rankings.

Roman Burki made three stops to earn his fifth clean sheet of the season and only his second at home.

Colorado (2-10-8, 14 points) extended its winless drought to nine games and failed to score for the fourth time in four games, extending its scoreless streak to exactly 360 minutes.

Despite trailing from the start and having every incentive to put players forward, the Rapids were outshot 20-9 overall and 7-3 on target.

William Yarbrough made five stops for the Rapids and could not be blamed for either goal as Colorado conceded multiple goals for the sixth time in nine games.

Parker scored the first goal in the history of St. Louis, which joined the league as its 29th franchise and newest expansion team on February 25.

But the center-back hadn’t scored since before breaking away on a corner kick in the fourth minute on Saturday.

Stroud was involved, when the two crossed their runs inside the box during a corner kick, resulting in two Colorado defenders colliding.

Parker was able to run free to Aziel Jackson’s delivery and flash a header past Yarbrough as a result.

Stroud extended the lead only seven minutes later, capping off an attack that began when Samuel Adeniran beat a Colorado defender to Kyle Hiebert’s throw-in down the left.

Adeniran turned the corner and passed to Stroud, who finished low past Yarbrough to continue an outstanding season that has earned him his first MLS All-Star appearance later this month.