CARSON, Calif. - Jesse Marsch and Maykel Galindo scored second-half goals and Chivas USA survived a late ejection to beat the New England Revolution 2-0 at The Home Depot Center on Saturday.
Marsch's goal was the match-winner as he scored in the 60th minute to open the scoring. Galindo, meanwhile, caught Revolution forward Taylor Twellman at seven goals for the season with his 89th-minute strike. Twellman did not play as he is with the U.S. national team in Copa America.
Chivas survived the final nine minutes a man down, after captain Claudio Suarez was sent off after apparently throwing an elbow in a midfield challenge.
With the victory, Chivas USA maintained a spotless home mark. Chivas USA improved to 5-0-1 at home and are the only MLS team without a home loss this season.
The club also made do without absent U.S. international trio Jonathan Bornstein, Sacha Kljestan and Brad Guzan, who are also at Copa America.
Defender Shavar Thomas was also missing as he served a one-game suspension for receiving a red card against Houston on June 21. Jason Hernandez got the nod at center back and Lawson Vaughn returned from an ankle injury to start at right back. Alex Zotinca moved into the midfield and started in Kljestan's spot.
Zotinca tried to catch New England 'keeper Matt Reis napping early when he fired a shot from 40 yards out on the right flank to goal but the ball landed on the top of the net instead.
On a corner kick in the fifth minute, Marsch found the ball at the penalty area but launched a shot well over the crossbar.
Galindo proved dangerous for the first time in the match eight minutes in. He dribbled the ball inside the penalty area and fought off Revs defender Jay Heaps. Galindo slipped a ball from 16 yards out but the ball deflected off Heaps and skirted just outside of the left post.
Ante Razov took a hit to the back of the head in the 27th minute. Revs defender Avery John tried to head a ball away from Razov but instead hit Razov in the back of the head. The Chivas striker lay on the ground in apparent pain and was helped off the field but stayed in the match.
Suarez had a bad giveaway in the 33rd minute that led to the Revs' first clear chance of the match. He sent a ball right to Revs' midfielder Andy Dorman, who was unmarked when he received the ball. Dorman turned and fired but the ball sailed wide of the left post.
On the next Chivas possession, Galindo wound up with the ball inside the penalty area. He turned and fired a shot but Reis turned him away.
Minutes before halftime, Pat Noonan had a good look at goal but his close-range header attempt was sent straight into the arms of Chivas 'keeper Preston Burpo.
Both teams were wasteful right after the break. Razov had an free header in the 51st minute but hit it poorly with the whole net to aim at and the ball floated harmlessly out of bounds. At the other end, Cristman got onto the end of a cross at the back post as Burpo desperately tried to scramble back, but the Revolution striker also missed wide.
But Razov atoned for the earlier miscue when he set up the game's first goal. Razov held the ball inside the penalty area and was surrounded by three Revolution defenders. As the trio stood and watched, Razov flicked a pass to his left and Marsch charged in, rifling a shot in off the left post from just inside the area.
The goal was Marsch's first of the season. A year ago, Marsch also scored against the Revolution on a similar play. Marsch knocked a long-range shot in against the Revs on Aug. 6, 2006 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in the first match of a doubleheader that featured Chivas de Guadalajara and FC Barcelona.
Suarez was sent off in a bizarre sequence in the 81st minute. He was whistled for an elbow on Cristman. Referee Michael Kennedy at first showed Suarez a yellow card but after protests from Revolution players and a quick conference with assistant referees, Kennedy flashed Suarez a red card, apparently having inadvertently shown the veteran defender a yellow card in the first place.
Without Suarez, Chivas dropped Francisco Mendoza to left back and Orlando Perez slid to central defense.
Galindo, though, made the Revs pay for throwing numbers forward in search of an equalizer. Orlando Perez launched a long ball from well in the Chivas half, and Galindo corraled it before beating Jay Heaps on the left side. The Cuban then slammed a hooking left-footed shot past Reis and high inside the far post for his seventh goal of the season.
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
