Sacha Kljestan and Justin Braun scored first-half goals and Chivas USA withstood playing the second half a man down, defeating the Chicago Fire with a resounding 2-0 result Thursday evening before a Chivas USA season-high crowd at The Home Depot Center.
The Fire's Cuauhtemoc Blanco, who scored a year ago in the Fire's 1-1 draw at Chivas USA, drew loud ovations throughout the match and earned a yellow card but otherwise was kept relatively quiet by a combination of Chivas USA's tight defense and poor finishing, namely from Chad Barrett.
Kljestan and Braun scored five minutes apart midway through the first, but the hosts had to play the final 45 minutes with 10 men after Paulo Nagamura was sent off late in the first half after receiving a second yellow card.
Chivas USA used yet another different starting lineup as players continued to regain their health. Offseason acquisition Raphael Wicky cracked the starting lineup for the first time and played mostly on the left side of midfield. Back problems had limited the former Swiss international to 93 minutes over four appearances off the bench. Claudio Suarez also regained his familiar position on the starting backline and once again donned the captain's armband.
Kljestan had Chivas USA's first shot on goal. Three minutes in, Kljestan found the ball inside the penalty area and fired a shot on goal but Chicago 'keeper Jon Busch turned Kljestan away.
On the quarter hour, Wicky tried his luck from 25 yards out but his attempt whistled just wide of the left post.
Kljestan finally broke through in the 26th minute. Razov slipped a ball through to Kljestan on the right side of the penalty area. Kljestan held off Diego Gutierrez's mark and beat Busch with a low shot inside the far post. Afterward, Kljestan added a wrinkle to his now-trademark karate celebration. After leaping and kicking the air before him, Kljestan went down to one knee and did his version of Blanco's famed quick-shot celebration.
Braun bagged his second goal of the year in the 32nd minute to give Chivas USA a 2-0 edge. Francisco Mendoza held the ball on the left side and fed Razov, who raced down the left side of the penalty area. Razov centered the ball to the front of the goal and Braun slid past Chicago defender C.J. Brown and knocked the ball into the goal.
Though Chicago had their chances in the first half -- notably a pair of Barrett shots that went just wide of the goal -- the hosts soundly controlled the first half.
However, Chivas USA tipped the scales in Chicago's favor in terms of manpower. Nagamura, who earlier had picked up a yellow card, received his second yellow card and was subsequently sent off after a rough challenge on Barrett in midfield in stoppage time before the halftime break.
Chivas USA adjusted to the 10-man situation by inserting Jonathan Bornstein at left midfield. Normally a left back, Mendoza solidified that position when Bornstein went down with a knee injury in May.
Chicago had the ball for large stretches early in the second half but rarely tested Guzan.
Chivas USA coach Preki made a pair of changes in the second half, as Atiba Harris and Jorge Flores replaced Razov and Braun, respectively.
Even down a man, Chivas owned most of the play down the stretch. Harris hit a hard shot on goal that was knocked away by Busch and Kljestan had a late breakaway and nearly scored his second goal of the match but could not beat Busch after getting past Fire midfielder John Thorrington inside the penalty area.
Barrett and substitute Andy Herron each had clear headers in the final seconds, but neither could find the target as the Fire now have just one win in their last five tries and have been shut out in their last two.
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
