Mls Standings: Hartel’s golazo opens 2026 season as St. Louis draws 1-1 with Charlotte
Marcel Hartel’s finish in the 60th minute produced the first goal of the 2026 campaign, but St. Louis CITY SC and Charlotte FC settled for a 1-1 draw on Feb. 21 — a result that immediately affects early mls standings after the league’s Matchday 1 opener at Energizer Park.
Mls Standings and the season opener
Hartel’s strike put CITY ahead in the league’s first match, yet both teams left with one point after the draw on Feb. 21 at 1: 30 p. m. CT; the scoreline means each club will sit on a single point in early mls standings following Matchday 1.
How the goal unfolded
The breakthrough came in the 60th minute when Marcel Hartel latched onto a through ball from Simon Becher and beat goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina with a first-time finish at the edge of the box, giving St. Louis CITY SC the lead at Energizer Park.
Charlotte’s reply and match details
Charlotte FC equalized 13 minutes later when Pep Biel converted off an assist from Wilfried Zaha, and the contest finished 1-1, leaving both sides to split the points after the league opener at Energizer Park.
The match marked several firsts and returns: it was the first match across the entire league for the 2026 regular season and the first competitive outing for new St. Louis head coach Yoann Damet, with gates opening at noon for the home opener on Feb. 21.
What fans saw at Energizer Park
Supporters attending the Feb. 21 home opener experienced a full matchday program that included the debut of the Tina Turner Kit as part of Black History Month celebrations, a CITY Block Party on Lou Fusz Plaza, and matchday entertainment such as anthem singer Marissa Menedez and Guest Chef Nick Williams.
St. Louis CITY SC opened its fourth MLS season with the draw; the club had been unbeaten in its three previous MLS season-opening matches prior to this result, and the team’s 2025 form — including 20 goals in its final 10 matches last year — was part of the buildup to the Feb. 21 opener.
Charlotte arrived with attacking firepower in 2025, featuring Wilfried Zaha and Pep Biel among its scorers, and the 1-1 scoreline on Matchday 1 leaves both clubs level as the league moves beyond the opener.
The next confirmed milestone is the continuation of MLS regular-season play after Matchday 1, with teams now shifting focus to their upcoming fixtures on the 2026 schedule.
