E. RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Ante Razov moved a bit closer to making history, helping his team make a little of their own on MLS Primetime Thursday. The MLS original scored the 104th goal of his career, moving four goals behind leaders Jason Kreis and Jaime Moreno while Chivas USA defeated the New York Red Bulls for the first time in club history, winning 2-0 at Giants Stadium.
The Red-and-White took a 1-0 lead on 38 minutes when Maykel Galindo set up Razov for his sixth goal of the year. Galindo dribbled on Seth Stammler, who backed off the Cuban defector as he entered the right side of the penalty area. He sent a cross towards the edge of the six-yard box, where Razov beat Leitch and sent a bullet header past Jon Conway, once again starting for injured starter Ronald Waterreus.
The Red Bulls were shut out for the fourth time in their last six games, while Chivas USA won on the road for just the second time this year.
Bruce Arena used his 17th different lineup in the Red Bulls' 17th game of the year Thursday night. With Jeff Parke out with a torn right hamstring and Carlos Mendes sitting on the bench with flu-like symptoms, Stammler and Leitch started centrally in the back for New York. For Leitch, who was signed by the Red Bulls earlier this month, it was first start for New York since Oct. 5, 2005.
After being used off the substitutes' bench for the last three games, Dave van den Bergh returned to the starting lineup as part of a three-man midfield. Joe Vide also played in the middle, along with Claudio Reyna, and Arena went with a three-forward combination of Jozy Altidore, John Wolyniec and Juan Pablo Angel, who returned from a one-game suspension for a red card against New England July 14.
In their return to league play after a two-week hiatus, Chivas fielded a starting XI similar to its last game, a 2-1 win against the Columbus Crew. The lone change was the inclusion of defender Alex Zotinca, back from a one-game suspension for an accumulation of yellow cards, for Orlando Perez.
Angel came close to scoring his 10th goal of the year five minutes into the game, but his flicked header off a Claudio Reyna free kick skimmed off the far post and out. In the 17th minute, Angel headed a Reyna free kick on target, but Chivas USA goalkeeper Brad Guzan dived to his right to make the save. Seth Stammler pushed the rebound from point-blank range wide of the net.
Four minutes later, Altidore made a strong run down the left side of the field and crossed to Wolyniec, but the ball was deflected out for a corner kick. Angel had a free kick from 30 yards out, but it was saved easily by Guzan on 28 minutes.
After missing the target on shots from distance by Kevin Goldthwaite and van den Bergh early in the second half, Altidore put Wolyniec's cross off the crossbar from the edge of the six-yard box in the 49th minute. Seven minutes later, Vide found Altidore on a long cross at the far post, but Guzan charged off his line when the 17-year-old took a touch and made the close save.
Four minutes after the second-half restart, Vide connected with Altidore on a long cross, but the 17-year-old put the ball off the crossbar.
Arena made a pair of changes in a one-minute span midway at the hour mark, bringing on Dane Richards for Altidore and Clint Mathis for Vide. The Red Bulls used their final sub to bring in Dema Kovalenko for Goldthwaite in the 72nd minute.
One minute later, Preki made his first chance, bringing on Laurent Merlin for Galindo, who left the field with a slight limp.
Three minutes from full time, Sacha Kljestan, who played his college soccer at nearby Seton Hall University, iced the win for Chivas, taking a pass from Razov and beating Conway inside the near post from 16 yards for his second goal of the season.
The Red Bulls missed a quality chance to get a goal back, but in the second minute of stoppage time, Angel was thwarted again. This time his header beat Guzan but was cleared off the line by Rodrigo Lopez.
Dylan Butler is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
