Chivas USA's 2009 playoff campaign came to an end on Sunday evening as the Red-and-White fell to the Los Angeles Galaxy 1-0 at The Home Depot Center. A 73rd-minute penalty kick from Landon Donovan was the difference for LA, who take the first ever playoff SuperClásico series with a 3-2 aggregate score.
Chivas USA enjoyed some strong spells of possession and forced some good saves from Galaxy goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts, but were unable to break through a resilient Galaxy defense. Sacha Kljestan and Jesus Padilla were bright spots for the Red-and-White, providing good distribution from the left and right flanks.
Chivas USA now falls to an 0-3-2 record against Los Angeles this season, and haven't beaten their in-stadium rivals since Sept. 13, 2007. It also marked the fourth consecutive year Chivas has seen their season end at the conference semifinal stage of the MLS Cup Playoffs.
It was clear from the opening whistle that Sunday's match would be a thrilling affair. Both sides came out of the starting box at full speed, attacking hard in the opening minutes. The Galaxy had the best of it, creating two good chances on net within the first 15 minutes.
The first opportunity came in the sixth minute when Donovan found some space on the left side of the field blasted a line drive toward the inside post that was tipped wide by Zach Thornton. David Beckham orchestrated the second chance, lofting a ball into the Chivas USA box in the 12th minute that landed just a step ahead of Mike Magee in front of the net.
Bolstered by a raucous Home Depot Center crowd, the home side continued to pour on the pressure. Chivas USA narrowly escaped conceding a goal in the 16th minute when Chris Klein ripped a shot from the top of the 18-yard box that took a strange deflection off of a sliding Jonathan Bornstein and skimmed just over the top right corner of the goalmouth.
The Red-and-White finally started to show some offensive legs as the game passed into the 20th minute. Padilla was providing much of the spark for Chivas USA on the right wing, and it was he who had the first real chance on goal for the visitors. Collecting a loose ball at the top of Galaxy box in the 22nd minute, Padilla raced toward the near post and hammered a low shot that was swallowed up by Ricketts.
Chivas USA tested Ricketts again in the 32nd minute. After a series of quick one-touch passes through the midfield, the ball fell to the feet of Justin Braun about 25 yards straight out from the Galaxy goal. The young striker took a quick touch and drilled a shot toward the upper left corner of the net that was only kept out by a diving fingertip save from Ricketts.
The Galaxy pushed right back, charging back into the Chivas USA end with quick passing from Donovan and Beckham. They nearly went ahead in the 35th minute when Donovan found Klein on the right side. Klein drilled a shot but his effort was tipped over the crossbar by a leaping save from Thornton.
The final 10 minutes of the half saw the game's pace slow just slightly as both teams settled into a more even rhythm. The Galaxy continued to rely on Beckham and Donovan for its offensive spark, while Kljestan began making his presence felt for the Red-and-White.
The second half began in the same way that the first had ended. Strong play in the midfield from both sides stifled much of the attacking play as each side struggled to establish a foothold in the other's half.
The first real chance on net belonged to the Galaxy in the 59th minute. Finding some room on the right side, Beckham skirted around Bornstein and lofted a ball across the Chivas USA goalmouth. It was received on the far side by Magee, who sent an identical ball back across the penalty area. Both crosses were well-played, but beyond the reach of LA's attackers.
Chivas USA got their first opportunity of the half just three minutes later. Counterattacking quickly, Kljestan collected a long pass from Braun and headed toward the left side of the Galaxy area. He slipped a quick ball into Maicon Santos on the edge of the 6-yard box, but Santos' ensuing cross was just a step beyond substitute striker Maykel Galindo's attacking run.
The Galaxy pushed right back, testing Thornton twice in the span of two minutes. The first came in the 67th when Donovan fed Klein at the top of the box. Klein drilled a shot that Thornton only managed to tip wide with a leaping save. It was Donovan causing problems again in the 69th minute, this time feeding Dema Kovalenko on the left side of the Chivas USA goal area. Kovalenko tried to poke a low shot under Thornton, but the Red-and-White 'keeper quickly dove on the effort.
LA finally broke through in the 73rd minute. The play began with a long pass from Beckham from midfield that found Donovan on the left side of the Chivas penalty area. Donovan chipped the ball into the area, but Magee was taken down by Yamith Cuesta and referee Ricardo Salazar pointed to the spot. Donovan calmly stepped up and slotted the ball home to put LA ahead 1-0.
Needing a goal to keep their postseason hopes alive, Chivas USA quickly brought on more offensive reinforcements. Eduardo Lillingston came on in the 76th minute and joined Santos, Braun and Galindo as the fourth striker on the field for the Red-and-White. The visitors were going to throw everything they had at the Galaxy in the game's closing minutes.
The move nearly paid off for Chivas USA. The Red-and-White pounded the Galaxy area in the game's closing minutes. The fresh legs of Lillingston and Galindo proved to be difficult for LA to keep up with, but with all their men behind the ball at nearly every moment, the Galaxy were able to protect their one-goal lead and move on the Western Conference Championship against the Houston Dynamo.
Jeffrey King is a contributor to MLSnet.com
