Luciano Emilio put visiting D.C. United ahead by two goals but Chivas USA battled back for a historic result as both teams saw winning streaks come to an end but leave nothing between them in a 2-2 draw Thursday evening at The Home Depot Center.
Emilio struck after just three minutes and doubled his count and United's lead midway through the first half. But Ante Razov scored in the 31st minute and Lawson Vaughn bagged the equalizer in the 60th minute. It marked the first time in Chivas USA history that the club overcame a two-goal deficit to tie a match regardless of the final score.
With the point, United saw their MLS season-high six-game winning streak come to an end. But they still grabbed sole possession of the Eastern Conference lead and the best overall record in MLS by one point ahead of New England, who they play Sunday in Washington. Chivas USA moved into sole possession of second place in the Western Conference, two points behind Houston Dynamo, and also hold one of the conference's automatic berths in the MLS Cup Playoffs, despite seeing their three-game winning streak end.
Still, Chivas USA played uncharacteristically. The club's defense had been tough-as-nails at home having surrendered two goals at home before Thursday's contest. But Emilio matched that total 26 minutes in, taking the league lead with his 15th and 16th goals of the season.
Chivas USA players, though, fought throughout the match in an attempt to gain something from the match, which they eventually achieved.
The night got off to a terrible start for the hosts. Christian Gomez, Jaime Moreno and Emilio worked their magic and D.C. United benefited. Gomez held the ball in the center of the field and slipped a ball to Moreno on the left side. Moreno threaded the needle and found Emilio at the top of the penalty area. Claudio Suarez provided too much of a cushion and Emilio buried the ball in the top corner of the net.
The goal marked the first time Chivas USA has trailed at home this season and also put the club in a precarious situation. Entering the match, Chivas USA had never come from behind to win a game.
Gomez nearly scored on a tremendous blast from behind the midfield line but the ball landed on the top of the net as Chivas USA goalkeeper Brad Guzan was well off his line and not in position to stop the shot.
Given a reprieve, Chivas USA started to cause the United defense some trouble. Sacha Kljestan rifled a shot in the 18th minute on goal but Troy Perkins dived and saved Kljestan's blistering attempt.
Chivas USA threatened again in the 20th minute when Galindo carried the ball inside the penalty area. He fed Francisco Mendoza but his pass was knocked away. Galindo found the ball at his feet and took a shot from the top of the penalty area but his attempt had little on it.
Razov flicked a pass onto Galindo's path in the 23rd minute and Galindo appeared to have some space. He dribbled into the area, held the ball and apparently tried to make Perkins dive but a United defender knocked the ball away before Galindo let a shot off.
As Chivas USA continued to push forward, though, it was D.C. United who found the back of the net. Emilio took a pass from Bryan Namoff and flicked it to Moreno. The Bolivian ripped a shot on goal from the corner of the penalty area. Guzan stopped the ball but left a rebound that Emilio knocked into the back of the net.
Chivas USA, though, benefited from a goalkeeper mistake. As D.C. looked for a third goal, Chivas USA's Paulo Nagamura cleared the ball from his own third of the field. The ball sailed toward the top of United's penalty area. Perkins tried to send the ball right back but Razov stepped in front of him. The ball caromed off Razov's midsection and rolled toward the goal line. Perkins scrambled back but the ball had too much pace and he couldn't keep it from crossing the line.
Perkins had been struck by misfortune against a red-striped club earlier this year. Facing Chivas de Guadalajara in a CONCACAF Champions' Cup match, Perkins mishandled a long-range shot from Gonzalo Pineda. The ball hit Perkins' hands and floated over his head and across the goal line.
D.C. then nearly helped Chivas USA find the equalizer. Kljestan crossed the ball to the front of the goal and D.C. defender Bobby Boswell slid and tried to clear the ball. Instead, his attempt slammed off the post and to the top of the area, where it was eventually cleared.
Galindo had another scoring chance in the 57th minute. Shavar Thomas sent a long ball from the back and Marsch flicked a pass onto Galindo. The Cuban raced inside the penalty area but fired a shot well over the crossbar.
Luck smiled on Chivas USA later in the half, however. Kljestan chased down a long cross and held the ball near the end line before feeding Vaughn near the top of the box. Vaughn slammed a low shot at goal that deflected off Clyde Simms and into the back of the net as Perkins was left helpless.
D.C. United defender Greg Vanney was shown a red card in the 69th minute but it was inadvertent. Vanney was first shown a yellow card for a hard challenge on Nagamura and then a red card but Vanney had not been booked prior and referee Kevin Stott waved off the red.
Chivas USA coach Preki made a pair of forward-for-forward substitutes. First, he took Razov off in the 64th minute and replaced him with Ramon Nunez. Then, he took Galindo off in the 76th minute and inserted Laurent Merlin.
Nunez and Merlin were active but neither was able to find much space in the midst of a D.C. defense that appeared content to walk away with a draw as the game wore on.
Preki found cause for complaint minutes from the end when Francisco Mendoza appeared to get in alone behind the United defense as he raced on to a through ball. But the linesman's flag went up for offside, though television replays showed a United defender might well have kept Mendoza onside.
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
