Defender Mark Bloom knocked in a corner kick in the 70th minute as AC St. Louis got its second straight tie against conference-leading Vancouver, 1-1, in Burnaby, British Columbia. Randy Edwini-Bonsu tied the game for Vancouver with a goal in the 87th minute as AC St. Louis almost got its first win for new coach Dale Schilly. The teams met in Fenton on June 26 and played to a 0-0 tie. AC St. Louis faces Montreal at the A-B Center on Saturday at 7 p.m.

AC came close to getting a win, as Vancouver brought plenty of pressure late in the game but couldn't get anything to go in. But finally a long ball was played to Edwini-Bonsu in the box, he got behind the AC St. Louis and scored. Bloom's goal was off a corner kick from Luke Kreamalmeyer, and Bloom had time to control the ball in the box and shoot. It's his first goal of the season and the first in Schilly's four games as coach. It was pretty much the only scoring chance AC St. Louis had.

At least as measured by Vancouver, which is in the lead in the NASL Conference, AC St. Louis is taking steps. It got a point on the road against one of the best teams in the league, second overall, and was without its top goalscorer, Mike Ambersley, who has a hip injury.

It will now be a very quick turnaround for AC, which will fly home on Friday and then face Montreal, which is in third in the NASL Conference with 17 points. The tie gives AC St. Louis 9 on the season.