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Chivas USA Claim Top Of The Table Clash Against Seattle
The top two teams in MLS squared off in the Home Depot Center with home side Chivas USA coming away with all three points over Seattle Sounders FC. The open game ended 2-0.
Apr 19, 2009 1:37:41 AM
CARSON, Calif.--It was a top of the table clash, as the two teams with the best records in Major League Soccer faced each other. Chivas USA hosted expansion side Seattle Sounders FC in the Home Depot Center, and turned the one point difference between the clubs into four. An own goal from Seattle defender James Riley and a late strike by Chkwudi Chijindu gave Chivas the points in an open and enthralling game in front of a boisterous crowd of 15,463.
Last time Seattle coach Sigi Schmid visited the Home Depot Center, his Columbus Crew won the MLS Cup. Despite a convincing performance, his side wasn't as lucky this time around, as Seattle sunk to its second consecutive loss. Without the suspended Kasey Keller, Chris Eylander deputized in goal, conceding twice in his MLS debut.
First Half
Two major shifts from Chivas USA's last game, the SuperClasico against the LA Galaxy, were immediately apparent. First, referee Alex Prus was keeping his whistle in his pocket and letting play continue. This led, in part, to the second difference: the game was wide open and expansive.
With Schmid having shoved Brad Evans over to the right flank to accommodate designated player Freddie Ljungberg, there was more space in the midfield than usual. Chivas coach Preki had similar issues, but for differing reasons. Tenacious midfielder Paulo Nagamura was suspended, and so the usual double pivot of Nagamura and captain Jesse Marsch wasn't there to protect a slow defense.
As such, Ljungberg was causing all sorts of problems for the home side when on the ball. With the movement of Nate Jaqua and Fredy Montero in front of him, he had options to pick and chose to expose a high Chivas defensive line. The best chance the Swede created came in the 10th minute. After skipping around a Marsch tackle, Ljungberg set Montero free into miles of space between the central defenders. Montero tried a crafty chip from nearly 25 yards out and it cleared the on-rushing Zach Thornton, but edged just wide of the upright.
Chivas made the expansion team rue the poor finishing. Just after the half-hour mark, Sacha Kljestan's showed the sort of form that he's been missing since last season. The U.S. international played a quick one-two with lively Mexican striker Eduardo Lillingston on top of the box before slicing a ball through to the overlapping Jonathan Bornstein. The leftback whipped the ball back across the net, and Seattle defender James Riley poked it into the far top corner for the game's opener.
Ten minutes later, the Sounders drew Thornton's first save. Jaqua drifted wide to the right and curled in a cross towards the near post. Sebastien Le Toux headed the ball on net, but the imposing Thornton cut off the narrow angle and batted the ball away to preserve Chivas USA's lead.
Second Half
Schmid threw on rookie Steve Zakuani for Le Toux at the start of the half to inject some natural pace and width into his side's attack. Both teams came out looking energized after the half time talks, and it led to early chances.
Chivas had its opportunity six minutes after the restart. A Bornstein cross was headed over the goal for a corner, and Carey Talley's delivery found the head of Atiba Harris. In a goalmouth scramble, Lillingston looked to get a touch, but eventually the ball was cleared off the line.
Five minutes later, it was Seattle's turn. Ljungberg released Zakuani down the left, and the rookie played a quick low ball into the run of the streaking Brad Evans. From inside the box, however, Evans' near-post shot was pushed just wide of the upright by the diving Thornton.
Zakuani continued to torment his marker, Trujillo, with his pace and direct play. Soon after, he burned Trujillo and found Jaqua in the box, but the striker couldn't turn on the ball to release a shot before the ball was poked away.
From there, substitutions continued to pour in with Schmid looking to add some end product to his team's offensive display and Preki hoping to squeeze the midfield play out of the game.
It nearly paid off for Preki ten minutes from time. A breakaway spearheaded by Kljetan and Bojan Stepanovic was halted by Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, but the imposing defender fell on the ball and handled it. From a tight angle, Kljestan whizzed a free kick a few feet wide of the upright, missing a shot that surely would have killed the game.
Two minute later, the goal came anyway. Stepanovic was involved again, as the Serb latched onto a Gerson Mayen chip and poked the ball into the box from the left flank. Mayen's fellow substitute Chukwudi Chijindu slid and prodded into the net for Chivas' second with only six minutes of regular time remaining.
That was to be the end of the scoring. Despite out-shooting Chivas 11-6, Seattle fell by what turned out to be a comfortable margin.
Zac Lee Rigg, Goal.com
Last time Seattle coach Sigi Schmid visited the Home Depot Center, his Columbus Crew won the MLS Cup. Despite a convincing performance, his side wasn't as lucky this time around, as Seattle sunk to its second consecutive loss. Without the suspended Kasey Keller, Chris Eylander deputized in goal, conceding twice in his MLS debut.
First Half
Two major shifts from Chivas USA's last game, the SuperClasico against the LA Galaxy, were immediately apparent. First, referee Alex Prus was keeping his whistle in his pocket and letting play continue. This led, in part, to the second difference: the game was wide open and expansive.
With Schmid having shoved Brad Evans over to the right flank to accommodate designated player Freddie Ljungberg, there was more space in the midfield than usual. Chivas coach Preki had similar issues, but for differing reasons. Tenacious midfielder Paulo Nagamura was suspended, and so the usual double pivot of Nagamura and captain Jesse Marsch wasn't there to protect a slow defense.
As such, Ljungberg was causing all sorts of problems for the home side when on the ball. With the movement of Nate Jaqua and Fredy Montero in front of him, he had options to pick and chose to expose a high Chivas defensive line. The best chance the Swede created came in the 10th minute. After skipping around a Marsch tackle, Ljungberg set Montero free into miles of space between the central defenders. Montero tried a crafty chip from nearly 25 yards out and it cleared the on-rushing Zach Thornton, but edged just wide of the upright.
Chivas made the expansion team rue the poor finishing. Just after the half-hour mark, Sacha Kljestan's showed the sort of form that he's been missing since last season. The U.S. international played a quick one-two with lively Mexican striker Eduardo Lillingston on top of the box before slicing a ball through to the overlapping Jonathan Bornstein. The leftback whipped the ball back across the net, and Seattle defender James Riley poked it into the far top corner for the game's opener.
Ten minutes later, the Sounders drew Thornton's first save. Jaqua drifted wide to the right and curled in a cross towards the near post. Sebastien Le Toux headed the ball on net, but the imposing Thornton cut off the narrow angle and batted the ball away to preserve Chivas USA's lead.
Second Half
Schmid threw on rookie Steve Zakuani for Le Toux at the start of the half to inject some natural pace and width into his side's attack. Both teams came out looking energized after the half time talks, and it led to early chances.
Chivas had its opportunity six minutes after the restart. A Bornstein cross was headed over the goal for a corner, and Carey Talley's delivery found the head of Atiba Harris. In a goalmouth scramble, Lillingston looked to get a touch, but eventually the ball was cleared off the line.
Five minutes later, it was Seattle's turn. Ljungberg released Zakuani down the left, and the rookie played a quick low ball into the run of the streaking Brad Evans. From inside the box, however, Evans' near-post shot was pushed just wide of the upright by the diving Thornton.
Zakuani continued to torment his marker, Trujillo, with his pace and direct play. Soon after, he burned Trujillo and found Jaqua in the box, but the striker couldn't turn on the ball to release a shot before the ball was poked away.
From there, substitutions continued to pour in with Schmid looking to add some end product to his team's offensive display and Preki hoping to squeeze the midfield play out of the game.
It nearly paid off for Preki ten minutes from time. A breakaway spearheaded by Kljetan and Bojan Stepanovic was halted by Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, but the imposing defender fell on the ball and handled it. From a tight angle, Kljestan whizzed a free kick a few feet wide of the upright, missing a shot that surely would have killed the game.
Two minute later, the goal came anyway. Stepanovic was involved again, as the Serb latched onto a Gerson Mayen chip and poked the ball into the box from the left flank. Mayen's fellow substitute Chukwudi Chijindu slid and prodded into the net for Chivas' second with only six minutes of regular time remaining.
That was to be the end of the scoring. Despite out-shooting Chivas 11-6, Seattle fell by what turned out to be a comfortable margin.
Zac Lee Rigg, Goal.com
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