Final: Chivas USA at New York Red Bulls
New York Red Bulls 2 Chivas USA 3
After narrowly missing out on a point last weekend at the home of the best team in MLS, Real Salt Lake, Chivas USA went one better - and sent a message in the process to their next opponents, the Western Conference-leading Galaxy, - beating the Eastern Conference leaders Sunday who lost on their own turf this season for the first time this evening.
It was the perfect response to the Galaxy's best performance of the season
this past weekend, a dominating 4-1 home win over lowly Kansas, and sets up a perfectly poised SuperClasico Saturday against the Galaxy at Home Depot Center. Chivas USA has only one loss in their last seven games.
Much-maligned Chivas USA striker Justin Braun finally got around to scoring his first goal of the season - and his second and his third - forcing New York to respond at home and finding them wanting.
New York's reaction to the loss was somewhat condescending - suggesting Chivas USA had not as much won the game as they had lost it. But Chivas USA is a tight group who will surprise some people with their resilience - they sure surprised New York - and created chances the Red Bulls proved incapable of fashioning.
"This group is unbelievably motivated," said Chivas USA Coach Robin Fraser. "They have tremendous character. If you look at this season so far, some of the results we've had, the effort with which we've played, they're extremely motivated, and a focused group. They're very much concentrating on getting better and better every week, and finding a way to get results. Tonight was a prime example of a team that gutted out a result."
Notable: Chris Cortez, who Chivas USA officially announced they had signed around 5:30 p.m., - good thing the start of the game was delayed - made his MLS debut as a 69th minute sub after scoring four goals in four reserve team games. Cortez had worked his way up through the youth academy.
The highlights:
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About 100 Percent Soccer
Sportswriter Nick Green has written the 100 Percent Soccer column since 2005 for the Daily News, Daily Breeze and other Los Angeles area newspapers. The blog of the same name began in 2007. A native of England, he began writing about soccer in the mid-1980s and in 2000 permanently exchanged a seat in the stands for one in the press box. He lives six miles from Carson's Home Depot Center, home of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas USA and the training headquarters for U.S. Soccer and is married to a long-suffering soccer widow. Join Nick on FaceBook and follow him on Twitter.
Goat kabobs anyone? That defense will be cut to pieces by Landon and company on Saturday night.
Having said that, it's good to see the Goats playing better. Let's hope they start bringing in more fans on a regular basis.
Nick, any reason why the Goats don't play many of these lucrative exhibition games at HDC?
Nick, I'd love to know if MLS is going to reschedule the Chivas USA-Red Bulls game that's scheduled for the same night as Galaxy-Real Madrid -- or why the Galaxy decided to sabotage Chivas USA's best attempt to get a large crowd outside of the over-rated "Super Classico."
I know Leiweke is brutal but is MLS so desperate for recognition and "buzz" overseas that it's willing to sabotage one of its own teams?
Apparently, Jorge Vergara doesn't have a lot of juice in these parts, does he? Or maybe he stopped caring?