Chivas USA moved closer to securing their first-ever playoff berth with a 1-0 win against the Colorado Rapids at The Home Depot Center on Saturday.
Francisco Mendoza bagged the only goal Chivas needed in the 34th minute while goalkeeper Brad Guzan picked up his third consecutive shutout.
Chivas improved to 10-7-12 and moved past Houston for second place in the Western Conference standings. A win in next Saturday's Super Clasico against the Los Angeles Galaxy would put Chivas on the brink of the playoffs, just one season after winning four games.
Colorado came out in the same defensive posture as last week in a scoreless draw in Carson against the Galaxy. Chivas controlled the ball and tried diligently to find space by swinging the ball around and looking for a seam but there were none in the early going.
It was not until the 21st minute that Chivas beat the Rapids tactics, but even then they were no match for the assistant referee's flag. Jonathan Bornstein took a pass down the left flank and sent a precise pass to the far post, where Ante Razov coolly slammed the ball into the back of the net. The goal, though, was called back as Bornstein was ruled offside when he first received the ball.
Colorado nearly scored a fortuitous goal but failed to make good on a wayward ball. Thiago Martins collected the ball some 25 yards from goal and unleashed a shot. The ball went off Chivas defender Orlando Perez into the path of Clint Mathis, but Mathis pushed the ball just wide of the right post on an attempt that Guzan was helpless to stop.
Just two minutes after dodging a bullet, Chivas fired one of their own that found the mark.
Mendoza's nimble feet allowed Chivas to break open the scoreless match. Bornstein fed Mendoza outside the penalty area. Mendoza dodged Dan Gargan, danced into the penalty area, avoided Aitor Karanka's slide tackle, settled the ball and slipped it into the corner of the net past a diving Joe Cannon.
It was Mendoza's third career goal, all of which have come this season for the second-year player.
Rapids defender Mike Petke nearly leveled the score but his header on a corner kick went wide of the far post.
Guzan made a pair of stellar saves in the second half. In the 58th minute, Claudio Suarez turned the ball over deep in Chivas' third and Rapids winger Nicolas Hernandez raced onto the loose ball. Hernandez ran inside the penalty area and unleashed a shot from the right side but Guzan kicked away the chance.
Late in the match, Guzan raced off his line and beat Hernandez to a loose ball.
Chivas threatened little in the second half but did well to put the game away. Johnny Garcia made his MLS debut in the 69th minute when he replaced Sacha Kljestan in Chivas' midfield. Garcia nearly scored some 10 minutes later but his header attempt went just over the crossbar.
There was one last gasp for the Rapids, as Jovan Kirovski got up to meet a cross midway through the five minutes of stoppage time. But Guzan was perfectly positioned to claim the clear header, and Chivas had a vital victory.
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
