Alecko Eskandarian and Sasha Victorine scored first-half goals as Chivas USA continued their late-season surge with a 2-1 victory against the Kansas City Wizards on Saturday at The Home Depot Center.
With the win, Chivas USA improved to 36 points and remained in second place in the Western Conference table. Colorado and Real Salt Lake each won road games on Saturday to move to 34 points. Chivas USA have now won four of their last five games.
The club welcomed a new addition as well as two familiar faces to the starting lineup. Former Wizards midfielder Sasha Victorine debuted at home against his former club while Jesse Marsch and Alex Zotinca also returned to the starting lineup. Marsch broke his jaw in a match against Los Angeles on Aug. 14 and came off the bench in Salt Lake a week ago. Zotinca, meanwhile, recovered from preseason knee surgery and played for the first time this season.
Chivas USA had the better of play throughout the first half as Kansas City yielded possession to the hosts. Ante Razov nearly found the back of the net in the sixth minute but his toe poke from 16 yards out bounced off Kansas City 'keeper Kevin Hartman as Hartman had charged well off his line.
While the Red-and-White held the ball for a bulk of the time, it was not until the 26th minute that it paid off. Razov knocked a ball from 35 yards out to the left side of the penalty area. Victorine found the ball and raced toward the end line. He settled the ball on the left side of the six-yard box and slipped a pass to the front of the goal. Eskandarian ran onto it and buried the ball into the back of the net. The goal was Eskandarian's fourth of the season and second in as many games.
But in the 30th minute, however, Chivas USA suffered a loss when Razov crumpled to the ground. Razov limped off the field with an apparent calf injury and was replaced by Justin Braun.
Chivas USA doubled the lead in first-half stoppage time. Victorine again did the damage to his former club. Victorine found the ball at the top of the penalty area, ran across the top of the box and fired a 20-yard shot into the back of the goal.
Victorine's goal was his first for Chivas USA and second of the season. Ironically, his only other goal of the season was against Chivas USA.
Chivas USA continued to dictate terms in the second half, though, the Wizards tried to counter with the insertion of Claudio Lopez. The former Argentina national team standout replaced Tyson Wahl at the start of the second half.
Kansas City eventually broke through, though. Atiba Harris failed to clear a ball out of the penalty area in the 70th minute. The ball bounced backwards toward the goal and Josh Wolff was in prime position to receive it. Wolff leapt and sent a bicycle kick off the right post and across the goal line to cut into Chivas USA's lead.
Maykel Galindo replaced Eskandarian in the 77th minute as he played for the first time since Aug. 14. The appearance, though, was just Galindo's third since May 11.
The Wizards tried to break through in the game's final moments but could not get a clean look at goal.
Chivas USA go back on the road next weekend, when they travel to D.C. United to try and maintain their playoff positioning. The Wizards are still on the outside of the postseason picture, but have four of their final five games at home, beginning with a date with the Chicago Fire on Sunday, Oct. 5.
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
