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July 16, 2008
STAYIN' ALIVE
Chivas USA nips Santos,1-0
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Ante Razov again played the hero for Chivas USA, scoring the game-winner against Santos Laguna.
Linda Cuttone/Sports Vue Images |
CARSON—It’s getting to be a familiar refrain: Chivas USA wins on a late goal by Ante Razov. Wednesday night’s victim was Santos Laguna, and the 1-0 decision left the Red and White with a fighting chance to advance to the second round of the SuperLiga pending the result of Sunday’s games.
Razov’s decisive strike came in the 73rd minute of Wednesday’s contest. Sacha Kljestan picked off a bad clearance from defender Fernando Ortiz at the top right corner of the box, and angled a pass toward the far post. Razov cut in front of his defender to send a nodding header just inside the post, leaving netminder Oswaldo Sanchez sprawled in frustration.
The goal energized what had been a lackadaisical second-half offense for the Clausura champions. Santos forced three corner kicks within a five-minute span without getting off a shot. Chivas USA ‘keeper Dan Kennedy came up with a clutch save in the 84th minute, after Santos striker Vicente Matias Vuoso battled through two defenders to launch a sharp far post strike from just outside the box. Kennedy barely grazed the ball with his fingertips, deflecting it just wide of the net.
Chivas USA also got some help from the officials late in the game, when Vuoso’s apparent equalizer was called back for a highly questionable foul in the box, and Kennedy was able to boot the ball upfield.
Some unfamiliar faces started the game for Chivas USA. Kennedy got the start in goal in place of the departing Brad Guzan, little-used Kraig Chiles filled Jesse March’s central midfield spot, and newly signed striker Roberto Nurse started up front.
The makeshift lineup held its own through the first 45 minutes, thanks in no small part to sharp play from Kennedy. Defender Jonathan Bornstein had three solid looks at goal, but couldn’t put a shot on target, and the Chivas offense didn’t really start to click until Marsch and Razov entered after halftime. Rookie Jorge Flores picked up the pace on the left wing after entering the match in the 62nd minute, and held his own against the Santos defense.
“We suffered throughout this match, still we managed to get a very important three points that keeps us in the tourney,” a joyful Francisco ‘Panchito” Mendoza told reporters after the match. “We were aware from the start that Santos has very dangerous strikers, like Matias Vuoso and Christian Benitez, fortunately for us they
did not take advantage of their opportunities, while we made the best of our chance.”
Chivas USA needs a win over New England in Sunday’s group finale to stay in contention for a second round spot. The result of Sunday’s Santos-Pachuca match might also affect the Goats’ future in the tournament, if things come down to goal differential.
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