Chivas USA shows it can measure up with the best
Francisco Mendoza viewed Thursday’s game against D.C. United as a measuring stick. Not only to see how Chivas USA compared to the Eastern Conference leader, but also to see how his team stacked up against the team it faced in its first Major League Soccer game three years ago.
Thursday’s game showed that Chivas has come a long way since that inaugural effort as it overcame a two-goal deficit to forge a 2-2 tie with United at the Home Depot Center.
It marked the first time Chivas has overcome a two-goal deficit to earn a point in its history, and it came against one of MLS’s premier franchises. Defender Lawson Vaughn scored the tying goal in the 60th minutes on a shot from inside the box that deflected off United’s Clyde Simms.
“I think it shows how far we’ve come as a group,” said Preki, the Chivas coach. “Give my guys a lot of credit. They showed a lot of character tonight to come back from 2-0 down against the best team in the league.”
It wasn’t all good news though.
Before the game, Chivas co-owner Antonio Cue announced that Javier Leon, chief executive and general manager, was stepping down to pursue other opportunities. Cue said he would announce a replacement Monday, and he promised that it would be “one of the biggest moves this franchise will ever do in their history.”
“I want to have the best front office,” Cue said. “It took me three years to be, probably tonight, one of the top teams in the league and I want to have the same thing at the front office. . . .
“I think everyone we’ll see the commitment that this ownership is taking with this company.”
Commitment from fans continues to be an ongoing struggle, however, as the team’s attendance has dipped from second-best last year to second-worst in 2007. And an announced crowd of 9,306 on Thursday didn’t help.
Chivas, which extended its home unbeaten streak to 12 dating to last season, saw United take a 2-0 lead in the first 26 minutes on goals by Luciano Emilio, the league’s leading scorer.
Before halftime, Chivas (11-6-4) caught a break when United goalkeeper Troy Perkins tried to clear the ball from his end and instead hit Chivas’ Ante Razov on the backside. The ball deflected toward the goal and slowly rolled across the line to cut the deficit in half.
Chivas had a chance to take the lead late but an offside call on Francisco Mendoza stopped the threat although replays showed it was a close.
Chivas moved into sole possession of second place in the Western Conference standings. United (13-6-4) moved one point ahead of the New England Revolution for the lead in the East.
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jaime.cá rdenas@latimes.com
