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COLUMBUS CREW STADIUM
COLUMBUS, Ohio
7:30 pm ET (HDNet; Azteca)
Now nine points out of fourth place in the Eastern Conference and the final spot in the MLS Cup Playoffs, the Columbus Crew are still alive in their quest for a postseason berth - but they have no margin for error. Anything less than a victory, and if the fourth-place Kansas City Wizards come away with a result at home against the Chicago Fire, the Crew's season could be over. For Chivas USA, it's their next-to-last chance to come away with a first victory on the road in their inaugural season, having posted just three draws in 14 games on their travels.
REFEREE: Alex Prus. SAR (bench): Nate Clement; JAR (opposite): Bill Dittmar; 4th: Jeff Mellen
MLS Career: 94 games; FC/gm: 30.8; Y/gm: 3.5; R: 21; pens: 34
Games involving Crew: P14 W5 L8 T1; FC/gm: 28.4; Y/gm: 2.9; R: 2; pens: 7
Games involving Chivas USA: P2 W1 L1 T0; FC/gm: 39.0; Y/gm: 2.5; R: 0; pens: 1
INJURY REPORT: COLUMBUS CREW - OUT: MF Eric Vasquez (R ankle sprain); MF Danny Szetela (head); DF Ryan Kelly (R knee sprain); DF Frankie Hejduk (R wrist); DF Stephen Herdsman (L groin strain); MF Duncan Oughton (R knee surgery); MD Ross Paule (post-concussion syndrome); GK Jon Busch (R knee) ... CHIVAS USA - OUT: FW Thiago Martins (R knee MCL sprain); MF Hector Castro (L knee ACL surgery); GK Brad Guzan (frontal sinus and nasal fracture); PROBABLE: MF Francisco Gomez (L quadriceps strain); DF Victor Arbelaez (L adductor strain)
SUSPENDED: CHV: Douglas Sequeira (21 CP; through Oct. 1)
WARNINGS: CLB: Robin Fraser (9 add'l CP); Frankie Hejduk (17 CP); Simon Elliott (19 CP) ... CHV: Hector Cuadros (19 CP); Ezra Hendrickson (17 CP/good behavior); Antonio Martinez (17 CP); Francisco Mendoza (8 CP in 2 gms); Ramon Ramirez (10 add'l CP)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (1 meetings): Crew 1 win, 3 goals ... Chivas 0 wins (0 shootout), 0 goal ... 0 draws
IN COLUMBUS: first meeting
The two teams meet for the second time ever, the only one set for Columbus Crew Stadium, with both meetings in the inaugural season for Chivas having come in the space of less than a month.LAST MEETING
The Crew claimed a dominant 3-0 victory in the first-ever meeting between the two teams, Sept. 3 at The Home Depot Center.
Cornell Glen gave the Crew the lead in the 34th minute, claiming a poorly-hit clearance and racing forward alone on goal, slipping the ball under charging Chivas USA 'keeper Sergio Garcia (making his MLS debut) at the edge of the area.
John Wolyniec then scored twice in 10 minutes to kill off the match. On the hour, Glen raced onto a long ball played down the left flank and pulled a low pass back from the byeline where Wolyniec came rushing forward to slam home a low shot.
Then in the 69th minute, Glen burst forward on the left and again sent a low angled shot goalward, this time kicked out by Garcia. But Wolyniec was quickest to the rebound and drove it into the back of the net.
Here's Westerhof's team (4-2-1-3): Sergio Garcia - Ezra Hendrickson, Douglas Sequeira, Esteban Arias, Orlando Perez - Ramon Ramirez (Isaac Romo 70), Francisco Mendoza - Juan Pablo Garcia (Armando Begines 70) - Matt Taylor (Thiago Martins 65), Juan Francisco Palencia, Antonio Martinez
Here's Warzycha's team (3-4-2-1): Jonny Walker - Chad Marshall, Robin Fraser, Mark Schulte,- Chris Henderson, Simon Elliott, Danny Szetela, David Testo (Chris Wingert 85) - Marcus Storey, Cornell Glen (Mario Rodriguez 75) - John Wolyniec (Knox Cameron 82)COLUMBUS CREW
The Columbus Crew are still alive in their bid for a place in the MLS Cup Playoffs, going to Utah and claiming a 2-1 victory against Real Salt Lake on Saturday night at Rice-Eccles Stadium. The Crew are still in sixth place in the Eastern Conference with 34 points from 28 matches, now six points behind fifth-place MetroStars and nine points behind Kansas City Wizards in the final playoff spot.
The Crew stayed mathematically alive for a postseason berth while ensuring Real would not reach the MLS Cup Playoffs in their inaugural season.
Edson Buddle hit for a pair of goals in his first start since July 9 because of injury and suspension under the MLS substance abuse policy, scoring early and late in the first half to send the visitors on their way.
Buddle scored after eight minutes, Chris Henderson whipping in a good cross from the left flank that found Buddle unmarked, and despite not making the cleanest of touches, he still prodded the ball past D.J. Countess.
The fifth-year striker then doubled his haul two minutes into stoppage time, getting a lovely through-ball from Kyle Martino and hammering a low angled drive past Countess and off the inside his left-hand post and into the back of the net.
Real had their chances in the second half and deservedly pulled a goal back four minutes from time when Andy Williams gratefully accepted a poor pass and walked in on goal before sending a rising blast past Jonny Walker, but it wasn't enough to save the season.
Crew interim head coach Robert Warzycha made one change to the team that saw the New England Revolution claim a dramatic late 1-1 draw in Columbus the previous Wednesday. Chris Henderson came back into the team off a calf injury, replacing Frankie Hejduk in a wide midfield role.
Here's Warzycha's team (3-4-1-2): Jonny Walker - Chad Marshall, Robin Fraser, Mark Schulte - Mario Rodriguez, Simon Elliott, Chris Wingert, Chris Henderson (Stephen Armstrong 73) - Kyle Martino - Edson Buddle (John Wolyniec 46), Knox Cameron (Cornell Glen 75)
"Two different halves," said Warzycha. "The first one we dominate and were playing very good. In the second, they came out strong and we didn't play our best - giving a goal away. But this time we managed to win it, and that's very encouraging."TEAM NEWS
The Crew will be eliminated from the postseason chase with a loss to Chivas and a win or tie by the Kansas City Wizards against the Chicago Fire, or if they tie Chivas, a K.C. win will put them out as well.
After scoring the two goals, Buddle took a hard knock from Eddie Pope and was forced to come off at the halftime interval with an ankle injury. He thought the hard challenge was a positive sign, saying that it showed he's becoming a dangerous striker that opposing defenses must reckon with.
Even though he played only a half, Warzycha was pleased with Buddle's play in the vital win. "Edson is a good player and he showed today, scoring those two goals, that he's capable of scoring a lot of goals," Warzycha said. "It's too bad he's nursing an injury and cannot play to his potential."
Despite missing a large portion of the season, Buddle has seven goals on the campaign - just four short of his career-best set last season, with four matches still to play.
"I want to be part of the national team and win a (league) scoring title while I'm here," he said to The Columbus Dispatch. "I want to be part of a playoff team."
Midfielder Frankie Hejduk will have surgery to repair a thumb fracture that occurred during the match against the New England Revolution last Wednesday. Hejduk, who first suffered the injury in April, will be out the rest of the season.CHIVAS USA
Chivas USA saw their winless streak reach the nine-game mark in league play, again falling at home after taking a lead, a 3-1 decision to the Colorado Rapids last Saturday at The Home Depot Center. Chivas USA are still in last place in the Western Conference with 14 points from 29 matches.
The Rapids made sure they would take care of their own business, secured their berth as the fourth team to qualify from the Western Conference for the MLS Cup Playoffs with the victory against Chivas USA.
Once again, Chivas took the lead: Juan Francisco Palencia ran down the ball in the left corner and after escaping a defender floated in a cross to the back post where Arturo Torres was all alone to send a diving header home past Byron Foss (19).
But it took Colorado just six minutes to answer. Eric Denton burst through the Chivas backline and clipped a short cross toward Jean-Philippe Peguero, who won an air battle with Ezra Hendrickson then stabbed the ball home from the doorstep after it fell to his feet.
The match turned just after the break, when Hendrickson took down Jovan Kirovski inside the area and referee Marcel Yonan pointed to the spot. Despite bitter protests from the Chivas defenders, Kirovski stepped up to take up his own penalty and hammered it home (47).
The Rapids finished off the scoreline three minutes into stoppage time, Dan Gargan getting down the right flank before sending in a low cross that Dedi Ben-Dayan turned home first-time for his second goal in as many matches.
Chivas USA boss Hans Westerhof made one change to the team that lost 2-1 to the San Jose Earthquakes the previous weekend on Victoria Street. Francisco Mendoza was out suspended, and Jesus Ochoa came into the team in his place.
Here's Westerhof's team (3-3-1-3): Brad Guzan - Ezra Hendrickson, Douglas Sequeira, Orlando Perez - Jesus Ochoa, Ramon Ramirez (Isaac Romo 62), Esteban Arias - Juan Pablo Garcia - Arturo Torres (Matt Taylor 68), Juan Francisco Palencia, Antonio Martinez
"Yes, the same result but not any better than last week's game. After the penalty we were nervous, after the 1-1 we were playing better and I thought we could win this game with a little bit of initiative, but after their second goal it just was not easy to play well," said Chivas head coach Hans Westerhof.TEAM NEWS
Chivas had six shots on goal and 14 total in the match. Also, Chivas had a goal nullified by an offside call. Despite piling up on scoring opportunities, the club came away empty-handed.
"We played well. We created chances. We scored but had a goal taken away," Chivas midfielder Juan Pablo Garcia said. "It just feels like it's a thorn in our sides. They gave a penalty kick to the other team. It's difficult to deal with because you know you're playing well and you have scoring chances."
But it was the game-winner that left a sour and all too familiar taste in the players' mouths. "We haven't gotten any bounces yet," Hendrickson said. "I imagine sooner or later our fortunes are going to change and we're going to get some luck our way but there are only three games left."
On Monday, the club announced suffered a right frontal sinus and nasal fracture during last Saturday's game against the Rapids. Guzan will be out 4 to 6 weeks and he will miss the rest of the 2005 MLS season. The injury occurred in the 81st minute when Guzan came out to save a goal attempt by Colorado striker Diego Serna, crashing face first into his left knee, fracturing his right frontal sinus and nasal cavities. Despite the injury, Brad played all 90 minutes.
Chivas are still on track for some dubious records. They have allowed 64 goals. The single-season record for most goals allowed is 69 by Colorado in 1998. With three wins and five draws, Chivas has 14 points, the same record-low number scored by now-defunct Tampa Bay in 2001. Also, Chivas has a goal-differential of minus-35; Tampa Bay's was a record minus-36.
