Chivas USA came to Pizza Hut Park on Sunday afternoon hoping to extend one streak and start another against host FC Dallas. They weren't successful on either front as they fell to the Hoops 2-1 in stifling Texas heat as Carlos Ruiz tied the MLS record with a goal in his seventh consecutive game.
The loss ended the Chivas club-record winning streak at three games and also kept them winless in five matches all-time against FCD (0-4-1).
Ruiz gave the Hoops a 28th-minute lead, then Roberto Mina doubled the advantage in the 82nd minute. Ante Razov got a goal back for Chivas just a minute later, but it wasn't enough.
The goal from Ruiz from about 25 yards out in the 28th minute was his seventh straight game with at least one goal, a new FCD club record. It also matched Raul Diaz Arce (1997) and Wolde Harris (2000) for the league record.
His eighth goal of the season, which briefly tied him for the MLS lead with Razov, came after a perfect setup from Greg Vanney. "El Pescadito" did the rest, spinning past Chivas defender Jason Hernandez with a heel touch and then putting the ball top shelf inside the far post from just outside the area to give the Hoops the lead.
Chivas actually outshot FCD 6-4 in the opening stanza, but trailed 1-0 at the break. Their best chance in the opening 45 minutes came in the 35th minute when Razov beat Vanney into the box just to the right of the Hoops goal. However, FCD goaltender Dario Sala scurried out from the goalmouth to secure the ball and end the threat.
In the second half, the visitors nearly tied the game just after halftime. Razov got a nice feed from Sacha Kljestan in the 48th minute, but his effort hit the near post, bouncing to the left of the goal and away from harm.
Razov nearly tied it again in the 74th minute. Chivas midfielder Jesse Marsch stripped Vanney of the ball and then sent it over to Razov, who was just inside the FCD penalty area. The veteran striker had a free shot at an empty net after Sala came out to challenge Marsch's pass, but Razov's attempt went wide right.
Mina made it 2-0 in favor of the Hoops when he scored his second goal of the season in the 82nd minute. Ronnie O'Brien laid a perfect pass inside Hernandez from the right touchline and Mina beat the Chivas defender into the penalty area before then shooting the ball past goalkeeper Preston Burpo inside the far post for what would prove to be the game-winning tally.
Razov finally scored in the 83rd minute, sending a shot inside the near post past Sala to make it 2-1. His league-leading ninth goal of the season came after a neat layback from Matt Taylor, who entered the game for Chivas in the 68th minute.
The teams finished the game with a whopping five minutes of stoppage time, but neither squad could muster much of a chance. The teams had just seven total shots in the second half as the nearly 100-degree heat produced sluggish play and many tired players on both sides.
Another streak ended for Chivas with the loss. Coming into Sunday's game, they had been a perfect 3-0 with Burpo in goal. His first game between the posts came on May 27 against Chicago at The Home Depot Center, a game they won 1-0 to begin their win streak.
Next Sunday, Chivas USA will look to return to the win column as they play host to the Columbus Crew in a game at The Home Depot Center. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. PT.
Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.