Chivas USA beats Red Bulls, 3-0
Chivas USA scored three goals Sunday, but it was the second one that was most symbolic.
On the play, Ante Razov sent a deep ball for Maykel Galindo to chase down. Galindo used all of the strength his 5-foot-10, 165-pound frame had to bully Red Bulls defender Seth Stammler to the ground. El Cubano, now one on one with goalkeeper Ronald Waterreus, then calmly put it away.
It was emblematic of the way Chivas has been working over the competition lately.
The Red-and-White easily beat what was supposed to be a tough New York Red Bulls team, 3-0, Sunday at the Home Depot Center in front of 10,292.
Galindo scored twice, and Razov converted a penalty kick in the 70th minute to put it way.
“All individual effort on the second goal,” Red Bulls Coach Bruce Arena said of Galindo. “You can obviously question the decision of our defender on the play, but give Galindo credit. He worked real hard, forced the defender into making an error and converted the mistake.”
Galindo has 12 goals in the season, fourth-best in the league. Goalkeeper Brad Guzan notched his 10th shutout, which is most in MLS.
Chivas (12-6-4, 40 points) improved to 9-0-2 at home this season and extended an unbeaten streak to five games. Chivas is 6-1-2 in its last nine, outscoring opponents 18-8 -- a stretch that brings up the question: Is it MLS Cup material?
“Jesse [Marsch] and I were just kind of talking about that,” said Razov who has been a part of one MLS Cup and three U.S. Open Cup championship teams. “There is a definite feeling that things are starting to come together.”
Preki went into the game a bit worried that after Thursday’s 2-2 draw with D.C. United his players might be a bit fatigued.
“I thought this could be a very dangerous game if we didn’t take it really serious,” the Chivas coach said. “But as you saw, from the first minute we stepped on the field we were sharp.”
Chivas was more than sharp. Especially on the defense, where, not including set pieces, the club limited Juan Pablo Angel to only one shot on goal. The Red Bulls fell to 11-10-3 with 36 points.
The score got so lopsided that Preki was able to bring in Anaheim native Jorge Flores in the 76th minute.
Flores, who got on the team by winning a reality show, showed no signs of nerves and almost scored, taking a shot on goal a minute after coming in.
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