After beginning their two-game Eastern road trip with a loss to D.C. United, Saturday's night 1-1 draw with the Columbus Crew was a step in the right direction for Chivas USA.
"We scored a good goal right away -- after that I thought it would just be a matter of time before we scored the second one. Obviously, we made one crucial, major mistake and they punished us for it," said Chivas head coach Preki.
"It was frustrating not to get a second goal, but I thought the second half things kind of evened up. Basically, it was a fight in the middle of the field and both teams didn't give up too many things and we ended up with a draw."
With the contest only seconds old, Chivas took the lead. Crew defender Marcos Gonzalez recklessly fouled Laurent Merlin almost immediately after the kickoff, just 21 yards from the center of the goal. Ante Razov and Sacha Kljestan stood over the ball and Razov beat 'keeper Andy Gruenebaum to open the scoring in the second minute.
"He is a young goalie and he was cheating a little bit," Razov said after the game. "I saw him step right and I go left."
Kljestan was making his first start after missing two games due to suspension. While not entirely pleased with his team's performance, he was obviously happy to be back on the field.
"It's exciting to get back on the field. It wasn't my best night tonight but a point is OK here," said Kljestan. "We wanted three points here and thought it was a game we should have won, so it is a little disappointing to leave with just a point."
Still, it was a first point on the road for Chivas USA on the season. That includes a game at their Home Depot Center home, where they were the visitors in a 3-1 loss to the Los Angeles Galaxy in the first Honda Super Clasico of the season.
"We knew it was going to be tough coming in here and playing. It is a tough place to play," said Razov after the game. "We got off to a good start getting that goal early, but sometimes that happens. You make a mistake, give a ball away and then give another one away and they end up back in the game and it's a dogfight."
As far as how to maximize the points the teams picks up away from home, the Chivas players have similar ideas.
"We need to get some more creativity and playmaking," according to Razov. "We're a little bit lacking in that."
"We have to be a better team altogether," said Kljestan. "I know our lineup is a little young, but whether that means defending, not giving up loose balls, or whether it's putting away our chances overall we just have to work hard for each other and become a better team."
Nathan Linton is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
