Chivas exhale after 'crazy' game
Club remains even with Galaxy atop Western Conference
Some players felt it was two points lost, as Chivas USA let a 1-0 lead slip away in the final 20 minutes. Others felt the match was a deserved draw considering the Galaxy threw everything at Brad Guzan and the Red-and-White's backline.
All in all, though, they agreed on one point.
"It was a crazy game," Chivas USA coach Preki said.
Chivas USA and the Galaxy finished even in the match and remained tied atop the Western Conference table with their intra-stadium rivals. With identical 6-6-4 records, the two clubs continue to set the pace out west.
Still, with the way the game finished, the result seemed both relieving and disappointing.
"Until the goal I thought we were OK. We were disciplined, organized and didn't give the Galaxy anything in the second half," Preki said. "We might have been lucky at the end that we got a draw. We opened up the game, we opened up the spaces behind us and they could have scored a goal or two. We had one chance with Sacha [Kljestan] where he hits the post and that was it."
However, Edson Buddle was able to pull the Galaxy even in the 72nd minute. Afterward, Galaxy attackers swarmed the Chivas USA defensive third and threatened to pull out a come-from-behind victory. Had Guzan not stopped Carlos Ruiz in second-half stoppage time, the Galaxy could have punctuated their comeback with a victory.
"As a goalkeeper you try to help your team preserve either a tie or a win," Guzan said. "Fortunately I was able to make the save."
Chivas USA forward Ante Razov continued his recent stellar play with a goal in the 15th minute. Razov accounted for Chivas USA's lone goal when he knocked in a 22-yard shot from straight away.
"Nice little buildup and played Sacha in and I kind of pulled out and he just laid one off," Razov said. "I was able to swing through it and caught it pretty clean and fortunately picked out a corner nicely."
The goal was the sixth Razov has scored against the Galaxy since joining Chivas USA in 2006. It was also the third consecutive match in which he's scored a goal. Razov now has 113 career goals and four on the season.
Chivas USA held David Beckham and Landon Donovan to a rather uneventful match. Particularly in the first half, the Galaxy's potent duo did little to break through Chivas USA's well-planted defense.
"We felt like we needed to not necessarily shut them down but slow them down especially in the first half, making it hard on them and make sure they didn't really have much of a rhythm," Chivas USA defender Bobby Burling said. "They are real good at finding one another and just taking one out of the play, we were just trying to be successful doing that."
As the first half ended, Galaxy right back Chris Klein ripped a shot off the post. However, it was Chivas USA who had the better of chances in the opening 45 minutes. The second half also started in the Red-and-White's favor. The game changed in the Galaxy's favor around the 70th minute in what Preki referred to as a "crazy moment."
Second-half substitute Justin Braun was ruled offside and moments later the Galaxy scored the equalizer.
"I felt like Justin Braun when Bornstein plays him the ball -- and I had a perfect angle -- is not offside when the ball is played," Preki said. "He was offside when he gets the ball. I understand the rules perfectly. After that, the Galaxy gets the ball, goes the other way and they score."
Moments after the goal, Preki saw red.
"I jumped off the bench and I just waved to the linesman on the other side," he said. "The next thing I know, the fourth official is calling the middle guy and I'm thrown out. I was furious because if that's the way they throw people out, it's disappointing."
In the end the draw was a bit disappointing, Guzan said.
"Anytime when you tie, especially when you have the lead, it's frustrating," Guzan said. "Obviously they're clasicos for a reason. We tried to have a good mentality, good attitude and I think we did that. We were able to go out and play how we wanted to play. We were the better football team today."
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
