Chivas USA stamped their ticket to the MLS Cup Playoffs on Saturday night, downing the visiting Kansas City Wizards 2-0 at The Home Depot Center. Goals from Justin Braun and Sacha Kljestan two minutes apart in the second half were the difference as the Red-and-White posted their 13th shutout of the year.
The win guarantees Chivas USA a spot in what will be the team's fourth consecutive postseason. And with at least one game in hand on all their conference rivals, taking the No. 1 seed in the West remains a tangible possibility for the Red-and-White. Kansas City remains in the playoff hunt, but the Wizards must win the remainder of their games and hope New England loses their final two games, against Chicago and Columbus, if they are to play in November.
Kansas City looked the more dangerous side in the game's opening minutes, pushing forward right from the opening whistle. Josh Wolff and Kei Kamara were firing on all cylinders, keeping Zach Thornton on his toes with a few crosses into the area that forced the Chivas USA goalkeeper into action.
The Wizards almost broke the deadlock in the 17th minute when midfielder Graham Zusi intercepted a back pass intended for Thornton from Yamith Cuesta. Zusi crossed the ball into the middle for a give-and-go with Josh Wolff, but his shot skipped wide right of an open net.
Looking to find a bit more offensive cohesion, Chivas USA switched midfielders Michael Lahoud and Sacha Kljestan in the 20th minute. Lahoud moved out onto the left wing and while Kljestan slid inside next to Paulo Nagamura.
The move had an almost immediate impact. Kljestan was able to find more space in the middle and started threading passes into the Chivas USA strikers. Maykel Galindo saw the best of it, using his blistering pace to get onto the end of a few nice through balls. He blasted a shot in the 26th minute that was saved by Hartman, but seemed to signal the start of a change in momentum.
The Red-and-White settled into a period of solid possession, but lacked the final pass to make any of it count. Braun and Galindo did well to create a few good chances, but a swarming Wizards defense was able to keep the home side at bay.
At the other end of the pitch, Zusi and Davy Arnaud were causing problems for the Red-and-White along the right flank. Arnaud provided calm leadership for the visitors, who pounded the Chivas USA area in the closing minutes of the first half, but were unable to break through.
Kansas City picked up in the second half where they had left off in the first, attacking the Chivas area with numbers. Arnaud came closest, drilling a line drive in the 49th minute that sailed just over Thornton's net.
The visitors kept pushing, controlling the pace of the match with quick passing and hard tackling through the midfield. They nearly found the back of the net in the 56th minute when Claudio Lopez found a loose ball just beyond the edge of the area and blasted a half-volley toward net. His effort sailed over a diving Thornton but slammed off the crossbar to keep the scoresheet at 0-0.
Chivas USA finally began pushing back at the hour mark. Buoyed by substitutes Jesse Marsch, Mariano Trujillo and Eduardo Lillingston, all of whom entered the match in the 15 minutes after the restart, the Red-and-White enjoyed better possession in the final third of the field.
Galindo continued to be the thorn in K.C.'s side, racing through the penalty area on a few occasions. His best opportunity came in the 64th minute, when he laid a clever pass off to Kljestan at the top of the area after outpacing his defender. Kljestan ripped a low shot to the right, but a fantastic diving save from Hartman kept it even.
Chivas finally broke through in the 72nd minute. Kljestan lined up for a direct kick after a foul on Lillingston just beyond the box. Kljestan's low drive was parried wide by Hartman, but Yamith Cuesta collected the rebound and fed a wide-open Justin Braun, who slammed it high into the net on the half-turn for a 1-0 lead.
Chivas USA struck again just two minutes later. Lillingston collected a long pass from Trujillo on the right side and broke toward net. He chipped a short cross to Kljestan in the middle, who raced past two Wizards defenders and slipped the ball underneath Hartman to double the Red-and-White's lead.
Refusing to go quietly, Kansas City continued pushing in the game's closing minutes. Kamara and substitute Zoltan kept pressure on the home side, but were ultimately unable to find a way through the resolute Chivas defenders.
The victory is Chivas USA's ninth of the season at home, the best mark in the Western Conference. The team will face San Jose at home next weekend, while Kansas City welcomes Seattle Sounders FC to CommunityAmerica Ballpark next Saturday.
Jeffrey King is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
