Final: Chivas USA 3 Toronto 0
Win number eight for Chivas USA on the year equals their number of victories from last season – with three games remaining in the regular season.
More importantly, Chivas USA remain in their unlikely playoff hunt by picking up three valuable points, but are still out of the wild card spots.
This was Chivas USA’s first shutout win since beating Houston 3-0 July 23 and their first win in eight games.
More later.
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Toronto are in tatters, their season over.
Juan Pablo Angel added his second and Chivas USA’s third in the 77th minute, Ben Zemanski running from within his own half at a back-pedaling Toronto defense and passing the ball to Angel. He turned Andy Iro at the edge of the box and shot a bullet past Stefan Frei, who had no chance.
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How happy are these loyal Chivas USA fans that their team appears on track for a first win since August 6? All 14,357 of them are doing the wave.
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Justin Braun scored a second for Chivas USA in the 71st minute, getting on the end of a Michael Umana cross and beating Ashtone Morgan to the ball with a header from six yards out that beat Stefan Frei.
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Toronto’s Ashtone Morgan tried to gift Juan Pablo Angel with a second goal in the 63rd minute, a poor attempt at a clearance on the edge of the box popping up straight to the former Galaxy striker, who hurried his shot unnecessarily and aimed the ball straight at Stefan Frei.
Marcos Mondaini replaced Laurent Courtois in the 64th minute for Chivas USA.
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A defensive error by David Junior Lopes should have been punished with an equalizing goal in the 55th minute, but Danny Koervermans wastefully shot straight at Dan Kennedy.
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Toronto’s players were apparently put on notice by their coach to shoot on sight at the break, defender Richard Eckersley crashing a 35-yard effort off of Dan Kennedy’s crossbar just three minutes into the second half.
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Toronto midfielder Terry Dunfield entered the game at the half, replacing Julian de Guzman.
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A rather dire 45 minutes from Toronto who conceded plenty of time and space to Chivas USA in their own half and would have been punished more by a better team.
Still, they made Chivas USA look pretty good, allowing six shots while taking just one – a 26th minute effort by Ryan Johnson that forced a save from goalkeeper Dan Kennedy.
Former French second division player Laurent Courtois has looked fairly lively up the left wing and playmaker Nick LaBrocca was regarded warily by Toronto’s defense every time he advanced with the ball out of midfield.
All in all this was not exactly flowing stuff, but at this stage of the season results are all that matter for Chivas USA.
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Juan Pablo Angel scored his fifth goal in six games for Chivas USA in the 12th minute, heading home an Ante Jazic cross from seven yards after Justin Braun picked up a loose ball in the Toronto half.
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It took me just 30 minutes to get from my Torrance driveway to my press box seat tonight at Home Depot Center where a rather subdued atmosphere has greeted two struggling teams.
There are three changes tonight for Chivas USA: Andrew Boyens replaces Heath Pearce (hamstring) in defense, Justin Braun is favored over Jorge Flores in midfield and Frenchman Laurent Courtois is preferred over Marcos Mondaini. Both Flores and Courtois drop to the bench.
Chivas USA XI: Dan Kennedy-Michael Umana, Andrew Boyens, David Junior Lopes, Ante Jazic-Justin Braun, Nick LaBrocca, Ben Zemanski, Laurent Courtois-Juan Pablo Angel, Alejandro Moreno.
Toronto XI: Stefan Frei-Richard Eckersley, Ty Harden, Andy Iro, Ashtone Morgan-Julian de Guzman, Eric Avila, Torsten Frings-Nick Soolsma, Danny Koevermans, Ryan Johnson.
Refresh this post for updates throughout the game.
