Chivas USA scored their first-ever goal at RFK Stadium on Sunday afternoon through Maykel Galindo, but failed to capitalize on numerous opportunities and fell 2-1 to D.C. United. The home squad earned its first victory of the season, while Chivas have yet to win a match on the road this year and dropped to 0-5 all-time against United.
Chivas USA came into the game with some team selection issues. Mercurial playmaker Amado Guevara - the 2004 MLS MVP - was suspended for the game after receiving a red card last week and currently is no longer with the team, while midfielder Sacha Kljestan was serving the second game of a two-game ban.
Paulo Nagamura started for the Red-and-White in the midfield after joining Chivas on Friday through a trade with Toronto FC to replace former U.S. international defender Carlos Llamosa (out for the season with a partial tear of his left ACL).
United, too, shuffled their starting lineup once again as first-year coach Tom Soehn searched for the right combination to earn a first victory of the year. Brazilian import Luciano Emilio, who had started every game in the preseason and the first four games of the year, and Nicholas Adderly, a recent signing from Jamaica, both found themselves on the bench after starting Thursday night's tie with the New England Revolution.
Jaime Moreno, who had made a rare appearance as a substitute in the second half on Thursday against New England, found himself paired up top with Guy-Roland Kpene, a native of the Ivory Coast who just recently received his visa clearance to play and received his first MLS start.
There were some good opportunities for both sides in the opening portion of the first half. Kpene showed his raw speed in the third minute, getting behind the Chivas defense to earn United's first corner of the day.
Mexican legend Claudio Suarez grabbed Gomez on the right wing, giving the Argentinean a dangerous inswinging free kick that Chivas goalkeeper Brad Guzan punched away just before United defender Bobby Boswell crashed into the 'keeper going for the ball.
United, who have been plagued by errors in the middle of the field, almost made another costly midfield mistake when rookie Kpene gave away the ball at midfield. Chivas got behind the United defense and Englishman John Cunliffe's breakaway shot from the top left-hand side of the penalty area smacked into an onrushing Troy Perkins.
Ante Razov almost made the highlight reel in the 10th minute as he hammered a leaping scissors kick side volley on a cross in the box, but struck it directly at Perkins.
Kpene showed some fancy footwork at the top of the box in the 16th minute to get off a shot on goal, but was stopped by Guzan, who made another excellent stop moments later on a knuckling, swerving shot from 30 yards off the foot of United midfielder Justin Moose.
Chivas left back Jonathan Bornstein made his only trademark dangerous foray of the half into the United area minutes later, but his hard left-footed cross sailed too high for the Chivas forwards awaiting the ball.
United were now controlling the flow of play and the home side gained some more solid attempts at net as the half progressed. Gomez flicked a cross from the endline on the left of the goal over the Chivas defense to Justin Moose, whose driven shot just sailed over the top right hand side of the crossbar.
Then United missed a clear opportunity in the 34th minute. Josh Gros made a strong run up the wing from his left back position and dropped the ball off to Kpene, who then redirected the ball over to an open Moose on the right side of the penalty area. Moose took a dribble and fired a low shot that went wide of the goal on the far side, just out of the reach of an open Ben Olsen in front of the net.
Poor marking gave United another opportunity in the 41st minute. Olsen's outswinging corner kick from the right found Kpene wide open directly in front of the net, but the young forward could do no better than to head it straight down and into the hands of Guzan and the half remained scoreless.
United came out firing to start the second half when Gomez gave United their first lead of the season in the 48th minute. Olsen crossed the ball into the box from the right corner to Kpene, who flicked the ball up and behind him for Gomez. His outstretched right boot just beat Chivas defender Alex Zotinca to the ball, knocking it in for his second goal of the season and an early lead to start the half.
Chivas' first opportunity after the restart came in the 57th minute as Razov's free kick from 25 yards out curled around the wall, forcing Perkins into a low diving save to his left.
Chivas coach Preki, looking for an offensive spark after falling behind 1-0, inserted forward Matt Taylor in the 60th minute for John Cunliffe and Taylor almost provided an answer a few minutes later as he found himself shoulder to shoulder at the top of the box with Erpen, but the forward's shot was well handled by Perkins.
However, it was the substitution made by Soehn that proved to pay dividends in the 64th minute. He had inserted Kasali Yinka Casal for Moose at the half, and Lawson Vaughn clipped Casal in the 64th minute just inside the edge of the box as the Nigeria native slipped by the Chivas defender. Referee Kevin Stott immediately pointed to the spot, awarding a penalty to United.
Jaime Moreno stepped up to take his second penalty in as many games and waited for Guzan to dive to his left before hitting a deft chip shot down the center as Guzan helplessly watched the ball fall into the net for a 2-0 deficit.
However, Chivas refused to quit as Razov nearly added to his career total of 100 goals minutes later after receiving a pass from Francisco Mendoza at the top left-hand side of the box. Razov's wicked strike was just barely nicked by Perkins and the ball slammed into the framework.
Finally, Galindo used his blistering speed and a little show of skill in the 73rd minute to pull one back for Chivas. After receiving the ball on the right side from Jesse Marsch, the Cuban forward surged past Gros into the box, cut the ball back to his left, and then rocketed the ball past Perkins at the near post to bring Chivas within striking distance. It was Galindo's third goal of the campaign.
Chivas had a perfect opportunity to equalize in the 82nd minute as Suarez found himself open at the back post, but he could only manage to head Mendoza's free kick cross into the hands of Perkins. As the clock ran down, Chivas had yet another clear chance at the back post, but Mendoza was again denied by a sprawling Perkins to secure the victory for the home squad.
Jordan Brown is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
