It might not have been the way they wanted to get there. But despite a 2-1 loss to the Kansas City Wizards on Saturday night in the final-ever regular-season game at Arrowhead Stadium, Chivas USA still qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time ever.
After Dave van den Bergh gave the Wizards the lead in the 50th minute, the teams traded penalty kicks three minutes apart, Jose Burciaga Jr. again giving Kansas City the lead after Claudio Suarez pulled Chivas level.
But while Chivas had no further comeback, Real Salt Lake's 1-1 tie with Houston Dynamo meant Chivas had clinched a top-four spot in the Western Conference, a year after finishing with an all-time league single-season low four victories. Chivas USA has 42 points; Real was left on 38 points after their tie at home, while the Los Angeles Galaxy were eliminated from the postseason for the first time ever after their loss to FC Dallas.
The Wizards' chance at a playoff spot will all come down to the season finale against the New York Red Bulls at Giants Stadium. If the Wizards win or tie, they will claim fourth place and the final spot in the Eastern Conference.
With the playoff implications well in mind for both teams, the game got off to a tight start. There was only one shot over the first quarter of the game, coming from the Wizards through a good combination between Scott Sealy and van den Bergh.
Sealy drove though the Chivas defense and passed across the field to van den Bergh. The Dutchman fired a shot on goal. but Chivas goalkeeper Brad Guzan was in perfect position for the save. The scoring chance came in the 12th minute of play.
Both teams kept up the defensive pressure, as the midfield lines of defense trampled the transition game of both teams.
In the 28th minute, Wizards defender Jimmy Conrad skipped past a fallen Chivas defender and fired a shot from 10 yards out. But Guzan came out of the goal to stuff the shot.
Then Wizards forward Josh Wolff found himself free near the corner of the net. But Guzan rose to the occasion deflecting the shot out of bounds in the 38th minute. The play resulted in a corner kick for the Wizards, but the Wizards failed to capitalize on it.
Chivas had to breathe a sigh of relief to head for their locker room tied at zero. But the Wizards broke through just after the break.
Burciaga lobbed a pass from the left flank to van den Bergh, and he headed home into the upper right corner for his second MLS goal and the Wizards lead.
Chivas attempted to strike back three minutes later. Second-half substitute Jesus Morales blasted a shot on goal that Wizards goalkeeper Bo Oshoniyi deflected. But Chivas failed to take advantage of the rebound.
In the 58th minute, Chivas midfielder Francisco Mendoza found an opening on the left flank and struck a rising shot toward the goal. Oshoniyi reached high to stop the shot and it bounced in front of him, before he was able to secure the ball.
Then Chivas pulled level in the 71st minute. K.C. defender Nick Garcia was called for tripping midfielder Jonathan Bornstein in the box, and Suarez converted from the spot to tie the game.
But just three minutes later Wolff was fouled by Chivas defender Jason Hernandez inside the penalty area. Burciaga's shot bounced off the inside of Guzan's left-hand post for his eighth goal of the season, most by a defender.
That was all the Wizards needed for the win, and after the New York Red Bulls tied the Colorado Rapids on Saturday, they now head into the season finale secure in the knowledge they need only a draw. And although they were on the wrong end of the scoreline, there were celebrations ahead for Chivas USA.
Thomas Foote is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
