Once again, Chivas USA used a combination of young and old to perfection.
Teenager Jorge Flores and MLS original Jesse Marsch scored goals for the third consecutive match as Chivas USA beat the Columbus Crew 2-0 at The Home Depot Center on Saturday.
Behind their unlikely scoring combination, Chivas USA have now won three consecutive games. The victory improved Chivas USA's record to 4-4-2 and the club moved into a three-way tie atop the Western Conference with Houston and Los Angeles.
The Marsch-Flores tandem, though, is a positive byproduct of the entire club performing well, Marsch said.
"It's starting to feel like we're playing better," Marsch said. "The result of 'Sueno' and I getting a few more goals is the fact that the whole team is playing a little better."
Early in the season, the club struggled to piece together some consistency. Injuries and suspensions kept Chivas USA from forming a cohesive unit.
But Saturday, the club maintained some fluency. For the first time all season, Chivas USA used a starting lineup in two consecutive matches. And even though many of last year's key players, such as Maykel Galindo and Claudio Suarez, did not play, Chivas USA continues to find results.
"I think the rhythm of our team is a little better so I can find the flow a little better," Marsch said. "I felt like at the beginning of the season there was never a real flow to our team so I couldn't really see plays ahead of time so I couldn't predict where a good spot might be. That's changed a little bit."
Columbus did not threaten Chivas USA until the game was already in the hosts' favor. The visitors' offense misfired for yet another match as the Crew now have not scored in three consecutive games.
But Chivas USA coach Preki said his side was tough to beat and took it to Columbus.
"I thought we fully deserved to win tonight from the get-go," Preki said. "We were sharp and played the way we wanted to play. We were dominating the ball, created a couple of good opportunities and it was just a matter of time before we were going to break them down."
Flores got the party started in the 20th minute. Marsch began the sequence when he took the ball out from the back and slipped an accurate ball into Carey Talley's path on the right side of the field. Talley carried the ball along the right flank and sent a cross in towards Atiba Harris. Crew defender Danny O'Rourke could not clear the ball outside of the penalty area as the ball fell to Flores. The 18-year-old ripped a left-footed volley past Crew 'keeper William Hesmer to put the hosts ahead.
Though he has scored goals in three consecutive goals, Flores said it was the third consecutive win that was most important.
"I'm very happy," Flores said. "Three games, three goals but ... it's helping the team that matters and giving it your best to come out ahead."
Marsch doubled Chivas USA's lead one minute later. Justin Braun beat Crew defender Chad Marshall to a ball on the right side. Braun dribbled toward the penalty area and found Marsch inside the box. Marsch slammed a 15-yard shot into the back of the net and Chivas USA quickly held a 2-0 lead.
"Carey saw me making a run across and put in a great ball. I just tried to chest it to get it into a position where I could run onto it. I was lucky enough to kind of snake it away from [Marshall]," Braun said. "I saw Jesse running in there hard and he was calling for it so I just kind of laid it in there and he did the rest. He finished it well, like usual."
Moments after two-minute burst, Chivas USA took another advantage as Columbus defender Danny O'Rourke was sent off. A vicious challenge on Harris cost O'Rourke the remainder of the match but also cost Harris some flesh. Harris received four stitches from the laceration O'Rourke left behind, a cut that was bone-deep.
Still, Preki said he that while the three-minute span left his side in a good position, it was also a rather challenging one as well.
"The most difficult thing in football is you are winning 2-0 and you are a man up," Preki said. "So, how do you play? Do you attack? Do you defend? What do you do?"
So, what did he do?
"We just told them in the second half 'Let's make sure we don't give anything away. We're professional. We know how to close teams out, how to close the game,'" Preki said.
Which is exactly what the club did.
"We were able to be a mature team with a lot of young players," goalkeeper Brad Guzan said. "70 minutes, that's a long time to go two up and keep the game going and limit their chances. We were able to do a good job of that."
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
