Chivas USA More Than All Talk
Almost from the moment the final whistle blew on Chivas USA’s historic 3-3 draw with the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday afternoon, Chivas defender Douglas Sequeira had his cellphone to his ear.
The Costa Rican had experienced both ends of the emotional spectrum in the match and was sharing his thoughts with his wife, Andrea, who watched on television from their Redondo Beach home.
They spoke of his making his Major League Soccer debut with expansion Chivas USA (0-1-1) and, of course, they celebrated his score-tying goal that came 28 seconds into injury time.
It was a goal that gave the club its first point in team history and made the tie feel like a victory. That the goal came off a free kick by Antonio Martinez and Sequeira beat San Jose defender Troy Dayak and flicked the ball in off the back of his cleanly shaven head past Earthquake goalkeeper Pat Onstad only added to the drama in front of 11,519 fans, nearly half of whom wore Chivas’ striped jersey at Spartan Stadium.
“Yes, it was the back of my head,” Sequeira said with a smile. “But I always try to go forward on a free kick.”
San Jose Coach Dominic Kinnear called the game “a free-for-all.”
Said Chivas Coach Thomas Rongen: “It was good goals and bad goals. Good football and bad football. Just a great atmosphere. We probably didn’t deserve to win, but we didn’t deserve to lose either.”
The first goal in Chivas USA history came in the third minute when Orlando Perez sent a ball into the middle of the box from the left wing. When San Jose’s Ryan Cochrane missed a header, the ball went to Chivas forward Thiago Martins, who trapped it with his chest at the top of the six-yard box. After gaining control, he pushed it past Onstad.
San Jose (0-0-2) tied the score just before halftime.
With the Earthquakes lined up for a free kick just outside the penalty area, Ronald Cerritos faked a kick before Brad Davis’ left-footed shot sailed over the Chivas defensive wall, past goalkeeper Brad Guzan and into the upper left corner of the net.
Guzan’s vision was obstructed by Ramon Ramirez, who came over too late to protect the near post.
“I didn’t see it until it was right in front of me,” said Guzan, who had four saves, all in the first half. “I’ve got to get better and take control of the box.”
All three of San Jose’s goals came on set pieces started by Davis.
But it was Hector Cuadros who gave Chivas a 2-1 lead, in the 73rd minute.
Ezra Hendrickson sent a ball into the box from the right wing and Cuadros, one of seven Chivas de Guadalajara players sent to MLS by the parent club, headed it in.
Cuadros celebrated by lifting his jersey to show a T-shirt that read, “Hecho en Mexico,” Made in Mexico.
Two minutes later, though, it was San Jose celebrating when Dayak headed in a Davis free kick. And in the 79th minute, Brian Ching outworked Sequeira to head in another Davis free kick for a 3-2 lead.
“We were happy, then we were sad, then we were happy again,” Cuadros said. “Overall, we’re content with the result.”
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Chivas defender Ryan Suarez left the game after a collision with Dayak and Guzan suffering from back spasms and will be reevaluated this week.... Victor Arbelaez and Francisco Mendoza scored to lead Chivas to a 2-0 victory over San Jose in the first MLS Reserve League game.
