Chivas USA's dream season is over after the Kansas City Wizards protected their slim advantage and held Chivas USA to a scoreless draw at The Home Depot Center on Saturday.
The Wizards won the first leg of the Western Conference Semifinal Series by 1-0 a week ago and ultimately the goal was enough to see the Wizards through to the Western Conference Championship next Saturday at Houston Dynamo.
Chivas USA, thus, will have only the Western Conference regular season crown for its efforts in 2007.
The Red-and-White won the West with a 15-7-8 record but finished the season with one goal in its final three games. Ante Razov sprained his left knee on Oct. 11 and Chivas has scored one in four games since.
Maykel Galindo started the match for the Red-and-White. After trying to regain his health throughout the week -- a strained abdomen that has bothered him for more than a month -- Galindo was deemed fit enough to start. He missed the first leg and did not train on Tuesday but with the help of a cortisone shot recovered in time to start.
Ramon Nunez earned the start in the other forward spot. Laurent Merlin and John Cunliffe have each started in forward in place of Razov but Nunez got the nod on Saturday. As well, Lawson Vaughn returned to the field after serving a one-match suspension.
Chivas set out against a defensive-minded team, as expected. The Wizards typically had nine players behind the ball as strikers Eddie Johnson and Scott Sealy were back awaiting a quick counterattack.
Still, the Wizards only settled into their defensive shell until after a quick build-up in the third minute. Johnson ran down the right flank and centered the ball towards Sealy, who could not get to the ball. Sasha Victorine crossed from the left side of the box but Davy Arnaud powered a header wide of goal.
Paulo Nagamura tried Chivas USA's first shot on goal in the 12th minute but Kevin Hartman easily caught the ball.
After Kansas City defender Jimmy Conrad tackled Nunez from behind in the 19th minute, Jesse Marsch was booked. Referee Mark Geiger did not call a foul on the play and Marsch was booked after arguing the call.
In the 25th minute, Chivas USA tried a pair of long-range shots on goal. First, Nagamura forced Hartman to leave his feet on a low shot from 22 yards. The rebound bounced out to Nunez, who ripped a 27-yarder. But Hartman dived and made the save.
Chivas USA put immense pressure on the Wizards goal near the end of the first half. Sacha Kljestan tried to control a cross some 10 yards out and appeared to have been pulled down by K.C. defender Jack Jewsbury. But with Kljestan tumbling to the ground, Francisco Mendoza slammed a shot on goal that Hartman dived and saved.
The ball made its way to the right side of area and back to the middle where Kljestan attempted a side volley. The shot, though, deflected off a teammate and bounced harmlessly over the end line.
In the 59th minute, Chivas had a pair of attempts on set pieces. Ramon Nunez swung a free kick from the right side of the area to the far post but K.C. midfielder Sasha Victorine headed the ball out of bounds before Shavar Thomas could get to it. On the ensuing corner kick, Thomas found the ball and sent a header on goal but Kurt Morsink cleared the ball off the line.
Galindo nearly drew the series even in the 69th minute but his 15-yard attempt hit the post and rolled out of bounds.
Chivas USA coach Preki went to the bench for the first time in the 74th minute when he replaced Nunez with John Cunliffe. In the 82nd minute, Preki took out Mendoza and replaced him with Anthony Hamilton, who played in 22 minutes during the regular season.
Chivas fought until the end. Galindo threatened the goal again with a six-yard shot. His aim was off though, and the ball hit the side netting.
Then in stoppage time, Cunliffe headed a corner kick that slammed off the corner of the crossbar, a last gasp for Chivas USA as their season came to an end.
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
