CARSON, Calif. - Against a team content with defending, Chivas USA nevertheless made the right play at the right time.
Francisco Mendoza's 34th-minute goal helped Chivas break down Colorado as they beat the Rapids 1-0 at The Home Depot Center on Saturday. On 42 points, Chivas now sit alone in second place in the Western Conference table and could clinch a playoff spot next weekend.
"It feels good to be a part of something like this on a team that pushes into second place," Chivas goalkeeper Brad Guzan said. "It feels good especially knowing where we were last year and everything we went through last year to be where we are now is a great feeling."
Chivas, who won just four games a year ago, closed out the match with a strong defensive effort. As the game trudged along, the Rapids grew more dangerous in their attack but Chivas responded well.
"We've been more intelligent in how we manage games," Chivas defender Claudio Suarez said. "They were desperate and throwing a lot of balls forward and I thought we handled that well."
The Chivas shutout on Saturday was their third consecutive game without allowing a goal. Over that stretch, Chivas has accumulated seven key points and moved from fourth place into second.
Carlos Llamosa and Suarez were solid in the middle despite Suarez's 58th-minute turnover that led to a Colorado scoring chance which Guzan eventually thwarted. Still, the defensive pair was solid and complimented by clutch defending from left back Orlando Perez and right back Lawson Vaughn, who started in place of the suspended Tim Regan.
Chivas USA's shutout streak is now at 305 minutes and is the longest current active shutout streak and fifth longest this season overall.
"When you have a team that comes in and is playing in that manner, you look for ways to break them down and take the lead. That was very important," Chivas USA coach Bob Bradley said. "In the second half, I didn't think we put enough good soccer together but as a group we concentrated and (it is) nice to get three points."
Mendoza's goal was set up by what Bradley called a "really well-timed ball" from Jonathan Bornstein. The UCLA product started at forward with the absence of Francisco Palencia, who is out for the remainder of the regular season with a sprained knee. Mendoza took the ball outside the penalty area, evaded Dan Gargan and Aitor Karanka and slipped a 12-yard shot into the back of the net.
Earlier in the week, Chivas forward Ante Razov had said other players needed to step up and contribute to the offense. Since Aug. 6, only Razov, Bornstein and Juan Pablo Garcia had scored in the run of play (Suarez has two penalty kicks in that span). With Mendoza's contribution, it will give defenses another player to focus on.
"We've got to get goals from everybody," Razov said. "The other teams have to know that we can strike from anywhere and tonight was a good example of that."
Mendoza has had several scoring chances of late but has not been able to find the back of the net.
"That's good for his confidence," Razov said. "He's had a lot of chances lately but has been unlucky to put them away but tonight he got one."
Mendoza was happy with the goal but more so with the result.
"It gives us three points which moves us that much closer to the playoffs," he said. "It was with the help of Juan Pablo and Johnny Bornstein. I'd had opportunities in the past so it was good to get that one."
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
