and scoreless -- in their past three matches.
Playing with only 10 players, the Crew struggled to maintain possession against a streaking Chivas USA side that has now won three matches in a row after a poor start to the season.
Chivas USA struck first in the 20th minute. Defender Carey Talley sent a cross into the Crew penalty area from the right flank. As the ball passed through the area, it was deflected into the air by Crew defender Danny O'Rourke and right to the spot where Flores stood. Flores volleyed the ball and sent it past goalkeeper Will Hesmer and into the right side of the goal.
Chivas USA doubled its lead less than a minute later. This time, it was Marsch who found the back of the net. Chivas USA forward Justin Braun passed to Marsch inside the Crew area before Marsch coolly controlled the ball and hit a high shot between four Crew defenders into the upper right corner of the goal to put the hosts ahead 2-0.
The goals were the third scored in three consecutive games by Flores and Marsch.
And, following suit, things went from bad to worse for the Crew one minute later when O'Rourke made a dangerous slide tackle on Atiba Harris near midfield. O'Rourke hit Harris with a raised foot near the knee and was promptly shown a red card and ejected from the match by referee Fernando Galvan.
Harris received treatment on the sideline for five minutes before re-entering the match.
Forced to readjust after being reduced to 10 men, the Crew struggled to maintain possession of the ball for the remainder of the half.
In the 36th minute, though, midfielder Brad Evans nearly pulled one back for the Crew with a blistering 20-yard shot that Chivas USA 'keeper Brad Guzan was just able to punch out of play.
Argentinean playmaker Guillermo Barros Schelotto was sent to the bench at the beginning of the second half by Crew coach Sigi Schmid in place of Adam Moffat.
The move nearly paid off in the 66th minute when Frankie Hejduk sent a ball into the Chivas USA penalty area to Moffat, who hit a point-blank shot that forced Guzan to make a spectacular save on the goal line.
The shot was the closest the Crew would come to challenging Guzan the rest of the match.
The Crew now must shift their focus to next weekend to try and regain their early season form against San Jose, as they close out their season series with the Earthquakes at Crew Stadium on Saturday.
Danny Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
