How the heck did that happen? Chivas got straight up outplayed by Toronto at the HDC over the weekend, and somehow walked off the pitch with a 3-0 win? Incredible. You really had to see it to be able to believe it.
It was a slow first half overall, but it certainly started off quick. Just 3 minutes into the game, Toronto broke in on goal. The TFC striker got in one on one with the defense, Thorton came way out to challenge, and the forward put the ball high over the net. It was a clear chance early that Toronto just blew, but it wasn't looking good for us. About 42 minutes later (see, I told you it was a slow half), Toronto had another stellar chance. In on a break, the through ball was sent for a streaking forward. Toronto's main man laid out and tipped the pass just wide of the net. It was another huge chance for Toronto, and we were lucky to watch it go wide.
Opening things up in the second half, it didn't seem much better. Just 3 minutes in, Toronto came in and banged a shot off the far post. Thorton was living on the edge, but somehow it was working. In the 51st, the game would completely change. 'Dolf Espinoza attempted a cross, the ball was rejected on a header by a Toronto defender right back to him, and he sent the cross again. This time it was perfectly placed at the waiting feet of Jorge "Sueño" Flores, who tapped the ball in. It was Flores' first goal since 2008, and a goal in just his third start this season. It was shocking, but we were up 1-0. Just to remind us how well they intended to play, TFC came back one minute later with an attack. A long blast from well outside the box rang of the crossbar after being lightly tipped by ZTB. The rebound came right to former Goat Maicon Santos, but Thorton straight up stuffed his chance, and kept the clean sheet alive. 20 minutes later, it was still Toronto putting the heat on. Thorton came way out to challenge, a la Dominik Hašek, and Toronto's forward was able to send the ball past him and right at the goal. Amazingly, Michael Umaña was standing on the goal line and saved the shot, clearing the ball out. It was a stroke of luck for Chivas, and it just may have been the sequence that iced the game. In the 79th, TFC's Adrian Cann was off with an injury, and they had no substitutions remaining. Up a man, Chivas finished things nicely. In the 88th, Jesús "El Gringo" Padilla buried a shot from outside the box, and in the 90th, Roldofo Espinoza did the same. Two long blasts that found the back of the net, and El Rebaño were off with a surprising 3-0 win.
A quick look at Martín Vasquéz's lineup will be a nice way to give props:
G: Thorton- Are you kidding me? He got the clean sheet, but he was pretty reckless out there. Thanks to the woodwork and crafty defending by Umaña, the doughnut for Toronto stayed that way.
D: Trujillo, Bornstein, Umaña, and Jaziç- The defense let a lot of Toronto junk in on net, but love has to be given to Umaña for that amazing save. Who would have thought that missing Delgado to International duty would hurt so much?
M: Flores (Zizzo 76), Lahoud, Espinoza, and Nagamura- Awesome that the original MLS Sueño winner started out there on the pitch for the Goats, but clearly Espinoza was the hero in the middle. He set up the Flores goal, and scored on a deep blaster. Good stuff.
F: Gordon and Braun (Padilla 56)- Wait, were Flash and Braunie out on the pitch? Who knew? Nice to see Jesús Padilla get in for the second half, and it obviously was the right move.
Now 8-15-4 (28 points; -7 GD), Chivas USA have pulled out of the cellar! Pop the champagne! Or, if one of your players is a recovering addict, pop the ginger ale, ask him to leave after 5 minutes of celebrating, and THEN pop the champagne! Houston, with 27 points and an extra game played, are behind us, and we're actually ranked 13th out of 16 MLS teams. If this was the EPL, we'd be clear of the relegation zone! We've got to stay focused, though, because we still have 3 games to go, and I really don't want to finish in last place! Tomorrow we clash with the really hated Seattle FC at Qwest Field in Washington. Way back on 9/1, we lost 1-3 to the Rave Green to get dropped out of the US Open Cup (I'm sure we all remember that one), but we drew with them at nillers back in August in MLS play at the HDC. At 13-9-6, Seattle should be proud with their solid efforts this year (45 points in 28 games played), and surely their home fans are going to be in full effect. We've built up a little rivalry here with Drew Carey's boys, and hopefully we can continue to play the season out on a high note.
"Buille an rave glas!"
-- Sent from my Palm Prē
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