CARSON, Calif. — There are a lot of positive things that Chivas USA can take away from their 3-0 victory over Toronto FC on Saturday night.
WATCH: FULL MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
First off, the Goats broke a three game losing streak and kept a perfect record against the Canadians in Carson. Furthermore, the Red-and-White bagged their seventh clean sheet of the year and scored more than two goals in a single match for the first time since July 31.
But perhaps the most exciting thing to come out of the result against the Reds was the dynamic play of left winger Jorge Flores.
“El Sueño” (The Dream), so nicknamed for winning the first-ever Sueño MLS open tryout back in 2007, was active all night and opened the scoring for the Goats by netting his first of the season in the 51st minute.
WATCH: Flores’ goal against Toronto
“It feels good to score again,” Flores admitted after the game. “I want to just keep working hard. The team did a good job today. We worked hard for the whole 90 minutes. We got three points and we have to keep working hard these three games that we have left.”
Flores was given the start, just his fifth of the season, after two solid weeks of training and a strong showing as a second-half sub against the Los Angeles Galaxy in last Sunday’s SuperClásico.
“He’s been working [hard],” said Chivas USA head coach Martín Vásquez of Flores. “He kept showing well in practice consistently. When somebody is consistent, he deserves playing time.
“The last game against the Galaxy, he gave us life in the second half. He gave us a great boost,” added the gaffer. “[On Saturday], he gets the first goal, so good for him.”
Flores has been used as a utility player for much of the season, often slotting in wherever needed. Naturally left-footed, he has been most useful at the left midfield and left back positions.
“I can play both positions,” he said. “I like to play in the midfield because you have more chances to score. I got a goal and I feel happy for it.”
At the left back position behind Flores on Saturday was Red-and-White captain Jonathan Bornstein. With the flurry of roster changes at Chivas USA in the last 12 months, Bornstein and Flores have become two of the longest-tenured players on the team – a fact that helps their chemistry on the pitch.
“I think we did a good job,” said Flores of his work with Bornstein. “He’s a good player. He talks a lot to me and he helps out.”
Chivas USA had been eliminated from the 2010 MLS postseason before facing Toronto, but Flores and the rest of his teammates had no intention of taking it easy on the Reds. The team will continue to push for wins as it prepares for its final three matches of the season.
“There’s no pressure for [the playoffs], but you always have to work hard and give a good impression,” said Flores. “The whole team worked hard and we got the win.”
