his second booking -- and it took Chivas just six more minutes to pull level. Jonathan Bornstein -- a threat all night long as he was given the start in attack in place of the suspended Ante Razov -- finally hit home, racing past one defender and cutting inside a second before coolly placing his shot past Cannon and inside the far post.
Bornstein then completed his double, and gave Chivas what looked to be the winner a minute into stoppage time. Taking a pass just outside the area, he spun around defender Dan Gargan and ripped a blistering left-footed half-volley that Cannon couldn't get close to.
But the Rapids weren't done, and they again pulled level within a minute. Cooke remarkably flicked the ball over his own head to himself on the right flank and then hooked a cross across the top of the six where it was met by rookie Jacob Peterson, who bundled the ball across the line for his second goal of the season.
Here's Clavijo's team (4-4-2): Joe Cannon - Dan Gargan, Aitor Karanka, Mike Petke, Eric Denton - Terry Cooke, Kyle Beckerman, Pablo Mastroeni, Dedi Ben Dayan (Jacob Peterson 79) - Nicolas Hernandez (Thiago Martins 56), Jovan Kirovski (Clint Mathis 56). [Substitutes Not Used: Bouna Coundoul, Hunter Freeman, Fabrice Noel, Daniel Wasson]
Here's Bradley's team (4-4-2): Preston Burpo - Tim Regan (Lawson Vaughn 65), Jason Hernandez, Claudio Suarez, Orlando Perez - Juan Pablo Garcia, Sacha Kljestan, Jesse Marsch, Francisco Mendoza (Matt Taylor 75) - Jonathan Bornstein, Juan Francisco Palencia. [Substitutes Not Used: Carlos Borja, Rene Corona, Brad Guzan, Drew Helm, Carlos Llamosa]CHIVAS USA
Chivas USA wrapped up their two-game Texas swing with a quality result, extending their unbeaten streak to three games with a scoreless draw against Houston Dynamo after going down a man, on Sunday evening at Robertson Stadium. Chivas now have 39 points from 28 matches are still tied for third place in the Western Conference with the Colorado Rapids, still just a point behind Houston Dynamo while now three points ahead of Real Salt Lake in the race for the final playoff spot.
LAST MATCH
Chivas USA were playing the second game on their Texas swing, after defeating FC Dallas at midweek, while Dynamo were back home after a five-game league road trip that saw them go 1-3-1.
Despite playing with a man advantage for the final half hour, Chivas held on to grab a share of the points in the scoreless draw and stay within a point of second-place Dynamo.
Chivas were reduced to 10 men when defender Tim Regan receiving his second yellow card of the game in the 59th minute for a tackle from behind. Regan received his first yellow card in the 32nd minute after pushing Dynamo forward Alejandro Moreno.
Both teams put the ball in the net on the night, each ruled out for offside. In the first half, Ante Razov hit a stunning blast on the turn from outside the area, but he was ruled to have come back from an offside position to collect the pass.
Then the home side seemed to have gotten a dramatic winner deep into second-half stoppage time. Dwayne De Rosario hooked in a cross from the left and Alejandro Moreno stooped to head it home under the bar, but again the flag as Moreno and strike partner Brian Ching both appeared to be ahead of the last defender when the ball was struck.
Chivas USA head coach Bob Bradley made one change to the team that defeated FC Dallas 1-0 the previous Wednesday. Juan Francisco Palencia was out with a knee injury, and so Sacha Kljestan returned to the lineup as Bradley readjusted his lines.
Here's Bradley's team (4-4-2): Brad Guzan - Tim Regan, Carlos Llamosa, Claudio Suarez (Jason Hernandez 68), Orlando Perez - Juan Pablo Garcia (Lawson Vaughn 63), Sacha Kljestan (Brent Whitfield 84), Jesse Marsch, Francisco Mendoza - Jonathan Bornstein, Ante Razov. [Substitutes Not Used: Preston Burpo, Johnny Garcia, Juan Francisco Palencia, Matt Taylor]
"It took a very good effort by everybody to play down a man for 30 minutes. I think we stayed organized. I'm disappointed. The key was the mentality of the group, and I think it's getting stronger," Bradley said.TEAM NEWS
The draw in Houston followed a 1-0 victory at FC Dallas. Chivas now have just one loss since July 8.
"Four points on this road trip was very good by all the players. Our team continues to get confidence. The mentality continues to get stronger and I think we sensed that there are better things to come," Bradley said.
It was also a potential preview of what's ahead for the Red-and-White. "It was a playoff atmosphere for sure -- I mean, the intensity was there," Jesse Marsch said. "It's getting that time of the year. Four points on a two-game road trip I think it's pretty darn good. We just now have to get ready to win some games at home."
Chivas will be without Francisco Palencia certainly through the remainder of the regular season with a sprained knee he suffered on Sept. 13 at FC Dallas. Bradley said he was hopeful to have Palencia back by the playoffs, should the club qualify for the postseason.
"Ante's got to make some of the tough plays that Paco was making. Some of us old guys have got to pick up his leadership. Somebody has got to do more of the scoring and assisting," Chivas midfielder Jesse Marsch said. "I think we've got the guys to do it. We'll move forward but it's not easy to replace him."
Palencia had just returned after missing three games with a hamstring injury when he went down with a knee injury at the end of the first half against FC Dallas last Wednesday. Without Palencia in the lineup, Chivas actually did well. The club scored six goals in the three games he missed and won two of them. But Chivas has scored just two goals in the last four games, and Palencia played in two of those games.
To replace Palencia in the lineup, Chivas coach Bob Bradley is not limited in his choices. Jonathan Bornstein has filled in for Palencia before. So has Jesus Morales. Also, moving Juan Pablo Garcia higher on the field is another possibility. If Bradley tinkers with the midfield, newcomer Johnny Garcia might show his worth.
"That's possible. We're at a point in the season where we've got to have options," Bradley said. "Johnny can help us in the back and in the midfield so his ability to help us tighten up the midfield at times and use Loco (Juan Pablo Garcia) and Johnny Bornstein pushed up a little more, those are all things clearly we like to keep in mind."
COLORADO RAPIDS
The Colorado Rapids went to The Home Depot Center and came away with a vital point, playing to a scoreless draw with the Los Angeles Galaxy last Saturday evening. The Rapids remain tied with Chivas USA for third place in the Western Conference with 39 points from 28 matches, both now three points ahead of Real Salt Lake in the race for the final playoff spot and still just a point behind second-place Houston Dynamo.
LAST MATCH
The Galaxy were finishing a three-game homestand where they had split the first two games, while the Rapids were beginning a three-game road swing that will see them play just once in Denver over their final five games.
Despite the necessity of taking the full three points, the Galaxy struggled to break down the massed Colorado defense over the entire night. The home side put just three shots on goal for the contest, none really testing Rapids goalkeeper Joe Cannon.
The best chances in the game fell to the Rapids. Thiago Martins shot weakly into Galaxy 'keeper Kevin Hartman from point-blank range in the opening half, then Jacob Peterson put his clear header wide of the post midway through the second half.
Rapids head coach Fernando Clavijo made three changes to the team that defeated the Chicago Fire 1-0 at midweek. Dan Gargan returned to the lineup, coming in for Matt Crawford in the back four. Alain Nkong was injured and Jovan Kirovski as Jacob Peterson and Clint Mathis both came back into the team.
Here's Clavijo's team (4-4-1-1): Joe Cannon - Dan Gargan, Aitor Karanka, Mike Petke, Hunter Freeman - Jacob Peterson (Colin Clark 66), Kyle Beckerman, Pablo Mastroeni, Nicolas Hernandez - Clint Mathis (Daniel Wasson 92+) - Thiago Martins. [Substitutes Not Used: Bouna Coundoul, Eric Denton, Jovan Kirovski, Fabrice Noel, Chris Wingert]
""We knew that they needed to come out and dominate the game. So, we came up with a good game plan, and we came out with what we were looking for, to make sure that we keep adding points," Clavijo said. "We got to keep doing that. If we play this way, we are going to get more points. I have no doubts whatsoever. I thought it was a total team effort."
TEAM NEWS
For the moment, the Rapids sit in a comfortable position. Nevertheless, three of the Rapids' final four games will be played away from Invesco Field at Mile High. "It's always a hard challenge," Clavijo said. "We need to come to play regardless of where we play and we need to show that we are capable that we are winning on the road."
The Rapids' challenging road to the playoffs made Saturday's result much more valuable, Clavijo said. "Every point is important for us right now. We've got four more games so we need to keep adding," he said. "We have to do our job."
Still, if the Rapids can duplicate Saturday's effort in upcoming games, Clavijo said he is confident the postseason will await. "I told our team that if we play this way we should be able to make it into the playoffs and not depend on anybody else," he said.
The Rapids concluded the league season series unbeaten and unscored upon against the Galaxy, getting three 1-0 victories and a scoreless draw. The Galaxy defeated the Rapids 3-1 in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals.
"We have a pretty good rivalry with the Galaxy, and whether it is at our place or their place, it is always a good game. They always come to play, and with playmakers like Landon Donovan and Cobi Jones, it is a testament to our defense when we shut them out," said Dan Gargan. "When we play like we did today, it is great defense from top to bottom."
It was a third shutout in four games for the Rapids - but defender Mike Petke said it was not so much that the Galaxy came out flat and listless as it was the Rapids' suffocating defense and hard work.
"Our motto was to get a point, hopefully three, but do not lose that point that we had already," he said. "We worked hard, frustrated them a lot, didn't give them a lot of chances and we came out with a well-deserved point and a valuable one too. From Joe (Cannon) all the way up front we put in a solid performance tonight. Forget about playing well, we worked our [butts] off, every one of us."
