Chivas USA, Columbus battle to a 1-1 deadlock

Ante Razov scored early for Chivas USA and Ned Grabavoy answered soon after for the Columbus Crew in the teams’ 1-1 draw Saturday night.

Razov’s goal in the second minute came on a free kick that resulted from a rare first-minute yellow card shown by referee Jorge Gonzalez to Crew defender Marcos Gonzalez for his foul against Laurent Merlin.

Razov’s 24-yard strike curled over the Crew defensive wall, past goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum and into the upper-right corner of the net for the Chivas forward’s third goal of the year.

The Crew equalized 16 minutes later, when recently acquired Guillermo Barros Schelotto intercepted a weak Chivas backpass and set up Grabavoy’s second goal of the season.

Grabavoy shot from only a few yards in front of the goal, but the ball traveled much farther, bouncing off the right post, rolling straight along the goal line, hitting the left post and finally deflecting across the line.

Chivas Coach Preki said his team was unlucky not to have secured a victory.

“We gave the ball away ourselves,” Preki said. “We calmed down, but at the end of the day we didn’t get three points.”