The hottest team in MLS saw their lengthy shutout streak end Saturday night, but they were seemingly unfazed, providing yet another example of what has been a notable resurgence.
Chivas USA got three second-half goals, including the go-ahead score from the scorching Erick “Cubo” Torres, to shock the Vancouver Whitecaps, 3-1, and secure their fourth consecutive victory – the club’s longest winning streak since 2008.
Torres netted his fourth game-winner of the season – and fifth goal in as many matches – in the 81st minute, not long after the Rojiblancos went on a man advantage when Jordan Harvey earned a straight red card for a studs-up tackle on Oswaldo Minda.
The player that has been a major reason for Chivas USA’s recent success was up to his antics once again, this time sending a header to the top left corner to complete the comeback.
“I’m very happy, first and foremost because the team got three points,” Torres told reporters at BC Place. “We’re on a very positive streak and, personally, I’m very happy because I keep scoring goals.”
Torres acknowledged he owed a lot of the credit to Marco Delgado and Mauro Rosales for their creative sequence down the right side, and the 21-year-old forward also had some rare company in the box score, with Agustín Pelletieri and Leandro Barrera scoring their first MLS goals.
The Goats got their first come-from-behind win of the year, and it began with Pelletieri scoring the equalizer two minutes into the second half off a corner kick from Rosales.
“Winning is always great, and scoring is a double joy,” Pelletieri said. “It was a great centering pass from Mauro and, luckily, I was alone and it went in.”
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Delgado, who earlier in the week was named to the US Under-20 national team that will compete in the NTC Invitational Tournament next week, provided a spark when he came on for Eric Avila to start the second half. Chivas USA fell behind in the 27th minute on a goal from Carlyle Mitchell and had their scoreless streak end at 352 minutes – the longest in the league this season.
But the suddenly resilient Rojiblancos bounced back to grab their first ever win in Vancouver and inch closer toward the playoff picture.
“We didn’t lose our composure,” head coach Wilmer Cabrera said. “For the second half, we tried to adjust a few movements and tried to move the ball a little bit wider, a little bit quicker and found the first goal on a set piece really quick. That helped us a lot.”
