A 10-man Chivas USA side held off a hard-charging Houston squad and walked away with the regular season Western Conference title following a scoreless draw with Dynamo at The Home Depot Center. The result was always in doubt, but especially over the final 50 minutes on Saturday.
Chivas USA finished atop the conference table for the first time in its three-year history and will await one of three clubs in the Western Conference semifinals: Los Angeles (if the Galaxy beats Chicago on Sunday), Chicago (if the Galaxy-Fire match ends in a draw) or Kansas City (if Chicago wins).
Chivas USA goalkeeper Brad Guzan picked up his 13th shutout of the season, the second-most shutouts any MLS goalkeeper has had in one season.
Jesse Marsch and Francisco Mendoza missed the season finale with respective groin injuries. Both players are expected to recover in time to participate in the first playoff match.
To make up for their losses, Chivas USA coach Preki again started Jonathan Bornstein on the left side of the midfield with Orlando Perez filling in on the left side in a repeat of last week's formation. Also, Lawson Vaughn started in the center of the midfield along with Paulo Nagamura.
Maykel Galindo took Chivas USA's first shot but placed his seventh-minute attempt over the crossbar.
Houston's Stuart Holden nearly put Houston ahead in the 16th minute. Holden was open on the far post but misplayed a cross as he slid and sailed the shot attempt well over the open goal.
Chivas USA had a pair of chances in the 26th minute. Orlando Perez pounced on a loose ball on a set piece but slammed his 12-yard effort of teammate Alex Zotinca's back. The rebound eventually found its way to Laurent Merlin but Houston's Pat Onstad easily collected the Frenchman's attempt.
The game took a downturn for the hosts in the 40th minute. Vaughn had a vicious slide tackle on Houston's Richard Mulrooney and referee Baldomero Toledo gave Vaughn a straight red card.
Chivas USA compensated for Vaughn's absence by dropping Merlin back a bit into the midfield and left Galindo as the lone man up top.
Houston, however, took the initiative in the start of the second half. In the first seven minutes of the second half, Joseph Ngwenya flicked a header on a set piece that barely missed the far post, Dwayne De Rosario nearly curled in a shot from the left side of the penalty area while Holden nearly connected on a 25-yard attempt but his shot went just high of the goal.
Houston upped their pressure in the 60th minute when coach Dominic Kinnear put in midfielder Corey Ashe in place of left back Wade Barrett. With the speedy Ashe on the left flank, Houston began searching immediately for offense down that side of the field.
In the 68th minute, Houston defender Patrick Ianni upended Galindo with a slide tackle some 35 yards out. Although the play was eerily similar to Vaughn's challenge on Mulrooney, Ianni saw only a yellow.
Galindo was immediately replaced by defender Jason Hernandez as the striker limped off the field, stood on the sideline a moment and limped to the bench.
Ramon Nunez replaced Merlin with a quarter-hour left and played as the lone attacker up front in Chivas USA's makeshift 4-4-1 formation.
Chivas USA, though, had little forward movement in the final half hour as the club tried to preserve the result and keep Houston from scoring. Still, Bornstein nearly won a penalty in the 82nd minute when he fell inside the penalty area after contact with Brian Mullan. No call was made, though.
Sacha Kljestan nearly won the match with a 10-yard attempt in stoppage time but Onstad did well to slide and turn Kljestan away.
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
