Chivas USA scored one goal on their own and received another from Colorado as the Red-and-White beat the Rapids 2-0 at The Home Depot Center on Saturday night.
Terry Cooke and Maykel Galindo accounted for the goals, but Cooke's went past teammate Bouna Coundoul to give Chivas USA a 1-0 lead in the 49th minute. Galindo scored a goal in the 63rd minute to help the hosts relax.
The victory was the third consecutive win for Chivas USA. Each victory has been a shutout win as they last allowed a goal in a 1-1 tie with the Los Angeles Galaxy on May 20.
Chivas USA made do without left back Jonathan Bornstein, who is away on national team duty. Orlando Perez started his second consecutive match in Bornstein's absence. The lineup remained unchanged from last week's 1-0 win in Chicago. Alex Zotinca started the match at right back as Lawson Vaughn remained sidelined with ankle tendonitis.
Ante Razov had the first shot on goal. Three minutes in, Razov ripped a 20-yard shot but Rapids 'keeper Bouna Coundoul dived to his left and stopped the shot from crossing the goal line.
The first half was plagued with missed opportunities from both sides. Both defenses were fairly neat and created little offense. Each team managed just two shots on goal in the opening 45 minutes.
Colorado defender Ugo Ihemelu mostly contained Galindo in the first half, as Ihemelu matched Galindo's pace and also used his body to muscle Galindo away from danger.
Chivas USA, meanwhile, nearly gift-wrapped a goal to Colorado. Alex Zotinca failed to clear a long ball and the ball bounced to Herculez Gomez, but Guzan turned away Gomez's 15-yard shot to keep the Rapids from scoring.
But while the Rapids were able to control the tempo of the match for long stretches in the first half, the second half was a different story as the speed of Chivas -- particularly Galindo and Francisco Mendoza -- caused problems for the Rapids defense.
Early in the second half, Chivas USA finally found the back of the net with the help of visitors. Sacha Kljestan struck a cross into the penalty area from the right flank. The ball skipped over to the far side of the area, bounced off Rapids midfielder Terry Cooke and floated over Coundoul and into the back of the net.
Galindo tried to score the more traditional way moments later when he raced into the penalty area. With a pair of Colorado defenders draped on his back, Galindo fired a 12-yard shot on Coundoul but the goalkeeper did well to turn Galindo away.
He had better luck the next time he raced into the penalty area. Jesse Marsch fed Galindo from deep in Chivas territory. With his back turned to the goal, Galindo shielded Colorado defender Brandon Prideaux, collected the ball, turned and sprinted to the goal. He slipped a left-footed shot past Coundoul to score his sixth goal of the season.
Guzan made a pair of stellar saves to keep the Rapids from scoring late in the match. Roberto Brown had a breakaway and ripped a shot from near the top of the penalty area but Guzan pushed the ball wide.
Later, Prideaux flicked a header on goal off a set piece and Guzan dived to save the shot.
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
