Galaxy, Chivas stay put
The clock showed 90 minutes and counting when Chivas USA goalkeeper Brad Guzan spotted the wave approaching.
David Beckham, Landon Donovan, Edson Buddle and Carlos Ruiz, the four horsemen of the Galaxy attack, swept down the field in one final concerted effort to grab the winning goal.
But Guzan did not flinch, and when Ruiz unleashed his shot, the ‘keeper stuck out a leg and made an excellent foot save.
It was enough to earn Chivas a 1-1 tie Thursday in front of a sellout crowd at the Home Depot Center and keep both teams atop Major League Soccer’s Western Conference, each with a 6-6-4 record.
It was also, quite possibly, the last save Guzan will make in MLS, at least for the conceivable future.
The 23-year-old U.S. national team goalkeeper reportedly is on the verge of signing a contract in Europe, most likely with Aston Villa of the English Premier League, although sources said Celtic of the Scottish Premier League was still in the running.
If Guzan does move on, it has been an amazing three years for a player who came virtually out of nowhere to carve out a noteworthy career after being Chivas USA’s first draft pick in 2005.
On Thursday night, his control of his goal area and his leadership from the back were everywhere in evidence, and if Sacha Kljestan was the best player on the field, Guzan was not far behind.
He certainly was the difference on a night when nothing could separate the rivals.
Ante Razov scored for Chivas in the 15th minute, sailing a shot over the head of Galaxy goalkeeper Steve Cronin with such precision that the ball dipped just beneath the crossbar.
The goal was set up by some excellent approach work by Kljestan, who if he wasn’t heading for the Beijing Olympics with the U.S. team would be going to the MLS All-Star game.
Buddle tied it up for the Galaxy in the 72nd minute, taking a pass from Pete Vagenas, eluding late-arriving defender Shavar Thomas and sliding a shot inside the far post as Guzan guarded the near post.
Those were the only goals, but there were also two close calls at either end.
Chris Klein rocketed a shot off the right post in the first half for the Galaxy, and Kljestan struck the same post in the second half when he powered a downward header off a pass from Jonathan Bornstein.
When the final statistics were tallied, Chivas wound up with a 12-9 edge in shots, but the Galaxy had a 5-3 advantage in shots on target.
Chivas did lead in one category, with Coach Preki being ejected from the match not long after the Galaxy had tied it. Preki’s criticism of the match officials was the presumed cause.
The Galaxy lost Canadian international defender Ante Jazic when he suffered lower back spasms and had to be replaced.
All in all, it was a interesting game but not a great one.
It didn’t come close to the excitement produced by the team’s previous game in April, when the Galaxy won, 5-2.
But the night was not without its moments.
There were close calls at both ends.
An excellent through ball by Klein was dummied by Beckham, with the ball rolling through to an unmarked Ely Allen, but the rookie did not have the presence of mind to beat Guzan, who blocked his point-blank shot.
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