Chivas rallies but falls just short vs. K.C.
Red-and-White score two late goals in furious flurry
Highlights: K.C. 3, CHV 2Goals from Sasha Victorine and Claudio Lopez gave the Wizards a 2-0 first-half lead, then Davy Arnaud made it 3-0 in the 58th minute to seemingly put it away. But Carey Talley converted a penalty and Justin Braun headed home a corner to bring Chivas within one, and only some quality saves from Kevin Hartman kept the Red-and-White from getting a draw.
The Wizards started off the match with a dash to the goal. Midfielder Michael Harrington charged up the left flank. He stumbled with the ball briefly before unleashing a cross to forward Josh Wolff. But the timing of the play was amiss, and Wolff was unable to get a shot on goal. The first minute proved to be a harbinger of action yet to come.
Chivas mounted a counterattack that saw Hartman making two dazzling saves back-to-back in the third minute. Roberto Nurse nearly scored his first MLS goal, but the ball was cleared away from the line. On the ensuing corner, Hartman denied Jim Curtin's header.
The Wizards took the lead in the 22nd minute. Claudio Lopez took the ball on the right flank and swung in a low cross that Victorine dove to meet with a header he turned past Zach Thornton in the Chivas goal.
Lopez came close again just three minutes later, when he was the second choice on a corner kick. But his try wound up in the stands behind the goal.
The Wizards cracked the Chivas defense with a string of passes that resulted in the second goal in the 44th minute. Midfielder Kerry Zavagnin provided the lead pass to Arnaud down the right flank. Arnaud raced alone behind the Chivas defense before rolling a pass into the area that Lopez tapped home for an easy goal, giving Thornton little chance.
After the break, Chivas came close. Braun created space inside the box, turning and firing on the goal. The shot had plenty on it, but was wide of the near post in the 54th minute.
But the Wizards scored a killer third goal four minutes later. On another long ball played over the Chivas defense, Arnaud touched the ball over Thornton, and then caught up with the ball behind the goalkeeper. Arnaud grazed the ball into the goal with his head as Jim Curtin tried to stop the second attempt, but it was in vain.
That set the stage for the Chivas comeback. Hartman fouled Atiba Harris in the penalty box and referee Ricardo Salazar ruled it was a penalty kick. Talley found the left corner past a lunging Hartman with a solid strike.
Then nine minutes later, the lead was cut to one. Talley put in a corner kick from the right side and Braun's header bounced past Hartman.
Substitute Keith Savage nearly tied the match in the 86th minute, but his charging shot was deflected up and away over the goal by Hartman.
Then in the 88th minute, Braun pounded a shot that Hartman deflected as he came off his line, leaving the crowd gasping. It was the fifth save of the night for Hartman as Chivas out-shot the Wizards 16-11 overall, but they couldn't get the last one they needed.
Thomas Foote is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
