KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Nobody, not even Shavar Thomas, has to tell Kansas City what Chivas USA striker Justin Braun is capable of doing.
Thomas spent 2008 and 2009 with Chivas USA as Braun was beginning to carve his niche in Major League Soccer. He also had the misfortune of watching Braun punish the Wizards on July 10 with two goals in a 2-0 Goats victory at CommunityAmerica Ballpark.
WATCH: Wizards lose to Chivas in July
The goals certainly weren’t works of art, but despite Braun’s utilitarian nature, he enters Sunday’s game at the Home Depot Center as Chivas USA’s leading scorer, with a career-high nine tallies to him name.
"He's a hard worker,” Thomas said. “Him stepping up and being their main guy in terms of getting goals is not surprising to me."
[inline_node:317206]The reason for that is largely Braun’s now notorious worth ethic on the field. It’s what prompted former manager Preki to sign him after inauspicious beginnings, what has kept him in the lineup despite leaner times in front of net, and what got him in position to score off two Wizards mistakes in the teams’ first meeting a few months ago.
"We’re going to have to nullify what he does,” Thomas said. “He's going to work until the last minute of the game. That's how Justin is. When he gets his chances, he's always going to do his best with them."
Although Kansas City will be paying plenty of attention to Chivas’ big and skillful forward on the offensive end of the field, Wizards manager Peter Vermes said Braun’s contribution when his team doesn’t have the ball might be even more impressive.
“I think his best quality right now is that he's unselfish,” Vermes said. “He works hard for the time, period.
“He's relentless in the way he defends and he's a very honest player. You don't normally get that from forwards."
But, despite the fact that Braun is leading the Goats from a production standpoint, Kansas City can’t afford to completely key in on him. Chivas added former Los Angeles Galaxy forward and reigning player of the week Alan Gordon to the fold via trade since the teams last met.
“With Gordon now being added to their team, they have some different players out there that can really do some damage,” Vermes said. “I think they’re a different team since we last saw them as well. They have a solid team.”
And like the Wizards, the Goats feels like they still have plenty to play despite similar playoff odds.
“[Chivas USA] still have a lifeline,” midfielder Jack Jewsbury said. “They’ve been playing well as of late. It’s time for us to go impose our game on them and get another good win on the road.”
The Wizards could certainly use a win as well. They are currently six points behind the Seattle Sounders, who hold the eighth and final playoff qualifier heading into this weekend. If they can slow down Braun & Co., Kansas City have a great opportunity to be three points closer to their goal.
“Right now is crunch time,” Thomas said, “and we’ve got to gear up for it.”
