In the midst of a grueling five-game road trip, Chivas USA rode a little luck to a 0-0 draw with the Seattle Sounders at CenturyLink Field on Saturday afternoon.
The Sounders' Alvaro Fernandez missed a first-half penalty kick and were denied what appeared to be a clear penalty shout in the game's dying minutes.
However, Chivas were as much good as they were lucky, breaking down wave after wave of Seattle attacks as the Sounders sought the full three points.
But the home side missed a golden opportunity to take the lead in the 19th minute when Fernandez earned a PK after knocking the ball off Chivas defender Michael Umaña's arm.
Fernandez himself stepped up to the spot, but the lanky midfielder fired his effort onto the left post. The ball then careened off the woodwork before striking Chivas goalkeeper Dan Kennedy on the back and bouncing out for a corner.
Kennedy, who guessed correctly on the PK effort and may have stopped it had it been on target, played the hero early in the second half after Mauro Rosales fed Erik Friberg at the top of the box. The ball squirted out to Pat Noonan after taking a deflection, but Kennedy was there to scupper the attack.
Kennedy then stopped a point-blank effort after Nate Jaqua's searching lob found Fernandez at the far post in the 77th minute. In all, Seattle managed 10 shots but only two were on frame.
However, the game's high drama was reserved for the 89th minute when Seattle substitute Lamar Neagle drove into the box before seemingly being felled by Chivas' David Junior Lopes.
Replays showed some contact and referee Kevin Stott appeared to point to the spot immediately, but ultimately the penalty wasn't given despite complaints from Seattle players and staff.
The shared point moves the Sounders into a tie with FC Dallas — who play Philadelphia later on Saturday — at second place in the Western Conference. Chivas remain in the playoff hunt and currently sit in the last Wild Card berth.
CenturyLink Field, Seattle, Wash.
Attendance: 36,364
Scoring Summary: None
Chivas USA -- Dan Kennedy, Zarek Valentin (David Jr Lopes 73), Michael Umana, Heath Pearce, Ante Jazic, Blair Gavin, Simon Elliott, Nick LaBrocca, Jorge Flores (Laurent Courtois 46), Marcos Mondaini (Justin Braun 23), Alejandro Moreno.
Substitutes Not Used: Paulo Nagamura, Mariano Trujillo, Ben Zemanski, Zach Thornton.
Seattle Sounders -- Kasey Keller, James Riley, Jeff Parke, Zach Scott, Tyson Wahl, Mauro Rosales, Osvaldo Alonso, Erik Friberg, Alvaro Fernandez, Pat Noonan (Nate Jaqua 69), Fredy Montero (Lamar Neagle 83).
Substitutes Not Used: Servando Carrasco, Mike Fucito, Patrick Ianni, Roger Levesque, Terry Boss.
Misconduct Summary:
SEA -- Tyson Wahl (caution; Reckless Tackle) 23
CHV -- Nick LaBrocca (caution; Tactical Foul) 34
CHV -- Simon Elliott (caution; Tactical Foul) 45
CHV -- Ante Jazic (caution; Reckless Tackle) 80
SEA -- Erik Friberg (caution; Dissent) 89
Referee: Kevin Stott
Referee's Assistants: -Adam Wienckowski; Jason Cullum
4th Official: Matthew Foerster
Time of Game: 1:51
Weather: Partly Cloudy-and-64-degrees
