Chivas comes up short again
The multinational jigsaw puzzle that is Chivas USA remains very much a work in progress, one with the key piece still missing.
The absence of a creative midfield leader, one capable of taking charge of a match, of dictating its pace and orchestrating his team’s attack, was clearly evident Sunday as Chivas lost its second Major League Soccer game in a row.
Last weekend it was a 3-1 loss to the Galaxy in Carson. This time it was a 2-1 loss on the road at D.C. United. On both occasions, the Chivas shortcomings were painfully obvious.
The work rate demanded by Coach Preki was there. The skill required was evident in brief flashes.
But the ability to play 90 minutes of cohesive, error-free soccer was nowhere in sight.
For both teams, in fact, Sunday’s match was little more than a kick-and-rush affair, schoolyard stuff unworthy of being called professional. Fortunately, the season is still young.
After a dismal first 45 minutes, previously winless D.C. United took the lead just over two minutes into the second half when last season’s league MVP, Christian Gomez, sent a side-volley sailing past Chivas goalkeeper Brad Guzan off a cross from Ben Olsen that was flicked on by Guy-Roland Kpene.
The Chivas defense was caught ball-watching and did not react to the cross, something Guzan pointed out in no uncertain terms to his defenders before he fished the ball out of the net.
Another defensive miscue in the 64th minute led to the second D.C. goal. With Chivas right back Alex Zotinca momentarily caught up field, central defender Lawson Vaughn had to defend the lively Kasali Yinka Casal and did so in rudimentary fashion by kicking him in the groin.
Referee Kevin Stott awarded the obvious penalty kick and, as Guzan dived low to his left, D.C. United captain and 12-year veteran Jaime Moreno cheekily chipped the ball into the net. Had Guzan simply stood his ground, it would have been an easy catch.
Trailing by two goals, Chivas showed some fight and a good bit of work by Cuban forward Maykel Galindo, who twice beat defender Joshua Gros before firing over D.C. United goalkeeper Troy Perkins, made it 2-1 and gave the visitors some hope.
But Perkins later was alert enough to smother an Ante Razov free kick and another Razov shot slammed into the crossbar. Perkins also saved close-range near-post headers from Claudio Suarez and Francisco “Panchito” Mendoza, and the final whistle came before Chivas could get the equalizer it only barely deserved with its 9-6 advantage in shots on target.
Preki changed the Chivas formation, going to a 4-3-3 lineup, with England’s John Cunliffe getting his first start, up front with Razov and Galindo, and Brazil’s Paulo Nagamura making his Chivas debut, as a defensive midfielder alongside Jesse Marsch.
The introduction of the pair gave Chivas six nationalities in the starting 11, but it will take Preki some time to find the right blend.
Even then, co-owners Antonio Cue and Jorge Vergara, who have the lowest combined payroll in MLS, might have to dip into their pockets and spend the sort of cash that will keep Chivas (2-3-0) competitive. Look for a Mexican playmaker on the horizon.
For D.C. United (1-3-1), the victory was welcome relief. The four-time champions had been floundering badly, but on the evidence of Sunday’s performance, Coach Tom Soehn’s team also has a long, long way to go.
Jones reported from Los Angeles.
