Loss of focus is costly in loss by Chivas USA
The roster situation is difficult.
The bounces went one way.
The result was all too familiar.
About the only good thing that could be said about Chivas on Saturday was that it scored a goal. That was the smallest of silver linings in a 2-1 loss to Real Salt Lake that left Chivas on a three-game losing streak.
A tie certainly was within reach, and a chance to climb out of last place in the Western Conference tantalizingly close. Yet, that wasn’t the way the ball was bouncing Saturday.
An innocent-looking pass became lethal, when a ball from Alvaro Saborio went off Chivas defenseman Dario Delgado’s head and straight to Fabian Espindola, who came in alone on goalkeeper Zach Thornton. His goal in the 89th minute gave Chivas its third consecutive loss and prevented it from leapfrogging FC Dallas out of last place.
“We lost our focus,” Coach Martin Vasquez said.
And maybe more.
“This definitely hurts,” Chukwudi Chijindu said. “We dropped three points at home again.”
The aftermath could be seen on almost-bewildered faces in the locker room.
“I don’t know how it happened,” Delgado said of the game-winning play.
The loss came in the first game that Chivas played without Jonathan Bornstein and Sacha Kljestan, who are off to greener pastures trying to make the U.S. roster for the World Cup. If they do, the two will be gone for a month.
“You’re talking about taking the heart and soul away from this team,” Chijindu said. “How can that not be difficult?”
Vasquez, though, said the situation was such that the team could prepare for their absence.
“We knew this was going to happen,” Vasquez said. “We have a full roster. We have some depth. Some of the guys we have are going to have to step up and take advantage of the opportunity.”
Justin Braun did, after missing one game with an injured left knee. He came off the bench to score the equalizer in the 80th minute, spinning on his sore leg to bury a shot from the edge of the penalty box.
It was the first goal for Chivas since May 5, when Blair Gavin scored in the 81st minute against New England. The streak ended at 269 minutes on Braun’s goal.
That, momentarily, gave Chivas a lift, after a sluggish first half that ended with a late goal by Salt Lake’s Chris Wingert in 46th minute.
Javier Morales brought Chivas goalkeeper Zach Thornton to the left, then somehow managed to slip the ball between Thornton and the near post. The ball ricocheted off the far post and went straight to Wingert, who buried the shot.
It was his first goal in MLS play, ending a 147-game streak that was the fifth-longest in league history.
“I hope I don’t go another seven years before the second one,” Wingert said.
