Crew's Schelotto scorches Chivas USA

Columbus extends unbeaten run to nine matches with victory

Guillermo Barros Schelotto leads Major League Soccer with 10 goals this season. (G. Bartram/Getty)

Schelotto took a pass from defender Gino Padula on the right side of the penalty area and fired to the near side past goalkeeper Zach Thornton in the 87th minute for the winner. He had seven goals last season when he was named league MVP.

The Crew (4-2-7) have four wins and five ties in their past nine matches and are unbeaten at home since June 7, 2008 with 12-0-5 record.

Chivas USA (8-4-3) were outshot 14-3 in the second half and failed to break a deadlock atop the Western Conference with Houston, losing for the second consecutive match and third time in the last four.

Columbus created the game's first goal that went to Eduardo Lillingston of Chivas in the 39th minute. Padula headed a ball from just beyond the midfield stripe back to his own end where teammate Eric Brunner and Lillingston battled for the high bouncer 25 yards from the goal.

Brunner went down, Lillingston got the ball and dribbled toward goal to force goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum off his line. Lillingston slid the ball past Gruenebaum at the top of the penalty area and regained possession to put the ball in the unattended net for his sixth goal.

Columbus got the equalizer off a nearly identical play in the 61st minute. A goal kick by Andy Gruenebaum went deep into Chivas territory where Schelotto shielded defender Carey Talley to collect the bouncing ball and dribble toward Thornton. Schelotto slotted the ball to the left corner.

Chivas continued to field a makeshift lineup highlighted by the absences of U.S. internationals Jonathan Bornstein and Sacha Kljestan for the FIFA Confederations Cup.

Veteran defender Jim Curtin was rested in favor of Mariano Trujillo, who returned from a one-game suspension. Jorge Floras went to the bench in favor of Ante Jazic, playing in his first game of the season after suffering a concussion in the preseason. Midfielder Bojan Stepanovic and Lillingston were in the first XI after substituting in the previous match as Michael Lahoud went to a reserve role and Sasha Victorine was given the day off.

The Crew made two changes from their win over Kansas City on June 6. With centerback Chad Marshall serving a red-card suspension, Danny O'Rourke moved into the position. O'Rourke filled the defensive midfield spot of Brian Carroll the past two matches but Carroll returned from a separated shoulder. Also, Alejandro Moreno regained his target forward spot after Pat Noonan started against the Wizards while Moreno played for Venezuela.

Injuries robbed the Crew of goalkeeper William Hesmer, defender Frankie Hejduk and midfielder Adam Moffat and midfielder Duncan Oughton (New Zealand) was at the Confederations Cup.

The loss of Marshall, the 2008 MLS Defender of the Year, was felt at both ends. His aerial presence was missed on the Crew's set pieces as evidenced by the first corner. Robbie Rogers took a short corner to Schelotto, the league leader in corner kicks. Schelotto took the ensuing six.

He had the Crew's first chance off a pass from Eddie Gaven but his one-hopper from the top of the box was easily stopped by Thornton.

It wasn't until the second half that the Crew were able to wear down Chivas, a loser Wednesday at Houston.

The Crew, who moved into a tie for third place in the Eastern Conference with Toronto and Kansas City, hit the road again next weekend when they travel to face FC Dallas. Chivas USA now have three weekends off from league play, next facing the LA Galaxy on July 11 in the next SuperClasico, though they begin play in SuperLiga 2009 next weekend.

Craig Merz is a contributor to MLSnet.com.

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