June 6, 2009 CHIVAS HANGS ON FOR 1- 0 WIN Lillingston scores lone goal
Amy Walz, LASoccerNews.com Editor
Eduardo Lillingston scored the winning goal in the 38th minute. Linda Cuttone/Sports Vue Images
CARSON, Calif. - Chivas USA blank Seattle Sounders FC 1-0 Saturday night with a goal from Eduardo Lillingston in the 38th minute. The Red-and-White remain top of the table and improve their record to 7-2-3 and 24 points.
Lillingston's goal, his fifth of the season, came after Paolo Nagamura got a solid strike on the ball, forcing Seattle goalkeeper Kasey Keller to make a deflection inside the six, which Lillingston then tapped in.
Ironically, Seattle controlled the bulk of the play during the first half, forcing goalkeeper Zach Thornton off his line for several diving punches. Seattle's designated player, Freddie Ljungberg sliced and diced his way into several shots on goal.
While Chivas did not play poorly, the Sounders defense was able to disrupt the home team's usually reliable passing game. Lillingston's game-winning goal came as the team found a rhythm of nice combination play in the final ten minutes before halftime.
"We didn't play our best in the first half. Fortunately we score 1-0," said Nagamura.
Nagamura had his hands full holding down the midfield in the absence of team captain Jesse Marsch, suspended due to a red card in the previous match. Sacha Kljestan and defender Jonathan Bornstein also were unavailable, due to national team duty in Chicago.
But true to form, Preki was able to dig deep and put together a solid lineup. Nineteen-year-old Jorge Flores got his first start of the season, playing the full 90 at left back and running down the feisty Ljungberg more than once. Versatile Atiba Harris and midfielder Justin Braun also got the start. and went the distance. Braun was wide-open on the left flank nearly the entire first half, but got little support from his teammates.
"Sometimes in this league, there are crazy things, because as soon as teams go down a goal they throw in three offensive players. And like it or not, sometimes you have to defend," said Preki, referring to Seattle's offensive push in the final minutes. Both teams seemed to get their act together in the second half, but Chivas held onto the lead for the win.
Overall, it was a physical match with 31 total fouls, 12 to Seattle and 19 to Chivas. With two minutes left on the clock, Seattle's Nate Jacqua was ejected after receiving his second caution.
Perhaps because of competition from televised World Cup qualifying matches, only 13,117 fans showed up at the Home Depot Center, a small showing for the first-place home team.
