Chivas USA were finally able to get their act together Saturday and beat San Jose 2-1 at Buck Shaw Stadium. The win was the first of the season for the Goats, and despite being the last team in the league to get a victory this year, they are currently on a four-game unbeaten streak. While perhaps not ready to fight for a Supporters Shield just yet, this match demonstrated the improved play on all ends of the field, and shows this club may be more competitive than most people imagined coming into the season.
Initially, it did not seem to be Chivas’ day when Chris Wondolowski scored in the 16th minute on an angled header. Both teams started the game with a great deal of energy, and the action was pretty open to start the game. Coming into this match the statistics were that the team that scored first this season in MLS had yet to lose, which was another ominous sign for the Goats. But to their credit, that setback didn’t phase them and they continued their improvement on the offensive end, as San Jose goalkeeper Jon Busch was busy all day, tallying four key saves. Jorge Flores provided good play on the wing and tired the Earthquakes defense, and defender Heath Pearce was finally able to get his free kicks in the right place, as he nearly scored directly before Busch barely kept the ball from going over the line. In first half injury time, Pearce broke through and hit another free kick that may have grazed forward Alejandro Moreno’s head in the box before going past Busch for the equalizer. Although replays weren’t definitive, Moreno got credit for the goal, at least for the time being, and Chivas had momentum going into the half.
In the second half, Chivas kept their intensity while San Jose seemed to lose theirs. The defense of Chivas seemed to neutralize the threats of Wondolowski, Bobby Convey, Khari Stephenson and Simon Dawkins, while on the offensive end Moreno, Marcos Mondaini, Flores and Nick LaBrocca kept pushing for a second goal. The real difference came when Justin Braun came on in the 60th minute. Although Braun had played on the wing this season, he slotted in up top in this match and his comfort at the striker role showed. Braun’s pace really upset the San Jose defenders, and his shot in the 85th minute, saved by Busch, left a rebound that Mariano Trujillo pushed into the goal. It was Trujillo’s first MLS goal, and it was an important one, but full credit goes to Braun for setting it up.
Although it is just one win, this game demonstrated that Chivas could control a game in all facets, come from behind, and win on the road. They are out of the basement in the Western Conference, and have a promising game next week when they host New England before facing a brutal stretch where they’ll play Real Salt Lake, New York, and the Galaxy in a row. For now, however, Chivas can be proud that their hard work is paying off.
(image courtesy of Getty Images)
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