Only 10,214 were on hand tonight at the HDC to watch Chivas USA (7-5-3) win their sixth game of the season at home, the best record in MLS.

Panchito Mendoza’s 69th minute shot that led to Chivas USA’S winning goal deflected off Eddie Gaven en route to the net and was credited to the Crew midfielder as an own goal.

The result meant Chivas USA gained two points on FC Dallas (5-5-8), who sit in third place in the Western Conference and tied 3-3 with D.C. United today. The Crew were beaten for the first time in seven games and remained fifth in the Eastern Conference.

It was a fairly flat game, as Crew Coach Sigi Schmid observed afterward.

“The forward passes for both teams were off tonight,” Schmid said, “Sometimes we stymied ourselves because we didn’t play out of midfield quick enough.”

While the Chivas USA attacking duo of veteran Ante Razov and Cuban defector Maykel Galindo has produced 11 goals so far this season, their partnership is perhaps not as cohesive as it should be 14 games into the season.

Chivas USA Head Coach Preki agrees.

“I would like to see them gel a little more,” he said, while conceding they are very different players. “Good players, they find a way to play with each other.”

The details.

Chivas USA doesn’t play another MLS game in Carson until Aug. 26; next up July 26 are the New York Red Bulls.

But Chivas USA plays at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in a U.S. Open Cup third round game against United Soccer League’s Seattle Sounders, Galindo’s former team.