including its entire starting defensive backline -- due to injury.
Despite the opportunity, DC United's road struggles continued as they have now lost all four of their away games this season by a combined score of 11-1.
The match started in bruising fashion. In the fifth minute, Zach Wells and Chivas USA forward Ante Razov both slid at a loose ball five yards outside the penalty area. The two collided and had to be tended to by trainers before play resumed two minutes later.
Gallardo had his first look at goal in the 11th minute when he attempted a long-distance shot off a 30-yard free kick. His shot nearly fooled Brad Guzan who had to drop to the ground to make the save.
On his next attempt, Gallardo demonstrated his quality. Santino Quaranta sent a pass to the Argentinean playmaker near the top of the penalty area. Gallardo collected the pass, made a quick fake to his right that fooled Jesse Marsch, cut back to his left and hit a perfect shot past a diving Guzan and into the upper left corner of the goal to give the visitors a 1-0 advantage. The goal was Gallardo's third of the year and the team's first goal on the road all year.
Six minutes later Chivas USA appeared to equalize but Razov's headed goal was disallowed for offside.
D.C. United nearly doubled its lead moments before halftime. Gallardo hit a square ball across the top of the Chivas USA penalty area that Francis Doe let roll between his legs before Jaime Moreno unleashed a hard right-footed shot that sailed just over the crossbar.
Luciano Emilio entered the match in the 58th minute in place of Doe. Emilio, last year's MVP and leading goal scorer, started the match on the bench because of his poor form (one goal, one assist in seven matches) thus far this season.
Marsch struck back for Chivas USA in the 73rd minute. Eric Ebert sent a pass into the D.C. United penalty area as Atiba Harris tried to run it down. Wells went to the ground to stop the ball but it deflected off of him and toward Marsch who kicked the ball into the empty goal.
Three minutes later, Chivas took the lead. Harris got past Gonzalo Martinez on the right flank before sending a pass across the D.C. United penalty area. Kljestan reached the ball in time to hit a one-time shot past Wells to give the hosts a 2-1 lead.
Chivas USA sealed the result in the 83rd minute. Sprung free by a ball from Kljestan over the United backline, Harris sent a ball across the area from the right side to an unmarked Jorge Flores, who made no mistake in his finish past Wells.
The goal was Chivas USA's third in 10 minutes and sent D.C. United to its third consecutive loss. D.C. United now must quickly shift their focus to their next match at Toronto FC on Wednesday, the first of a home-and-home series between the two clubs next week.
Danny Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
