Chivas USA allowed two late goals and fell to the Chicago Fire 3-2 on Thursday night in front of 20,379 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. Fire midfielder Cuauhtémoc Blanco scored two goals on penalty kicks, the second deep into second-half injury time, to give Chicago the win.The loss, Chivas USA’s first at home in 2009, drops the Red-and-White’s record to 7-2-3 (W-L-T) on the season.
However, Chivas USA remains in first place overall in MLS with 24 points. Chicago improves to 5-0-6 on the season and stays in second place in the league with 21 points.
Chivas USA played the last 27 minutes down a man after Jesse Marsch received his second yellow card in minute 63. The match had a total of 11 yellow cards; 7 to Chivas USA and 4 to Chicago.
Chivas USA scored twice in the first half, as Paulo Nagamura hit a long range shot in the 16th minute and Maykel Galindo finished a penalty in minute 37 after he was fouled in the box. Nagamura is now tied for the team lead with four goals, and Galindo scored his second of the season, and his first-ever penalty for Chivas USA.
Fire forward Patrick Nyarko scored in the 89th minute to tie the game at two, and Blanco hit his second penalty kick of the game deep into injury time to win the match. Blanco’s first penalty came in the 25th minute and tied the game at one.
Following the match, Chivas USA will pay a visit to Disneyland Resort on Friday for a series of events as part of the team’s fifth anniversary celebration. The visit kicks off at 9:00 a.m. and will include Chivas USA players on various attractions, a cavalcade along Main Street USA, a special team photo in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle, and a special team lunch. For more information, please contact Chivas USA Communications (contact information above).
Chivas USA Head Coach Preki, on tonight’s match: “[The late penalty was] a devastating call to the group that played their hearts out… What are you going to do? The results went against us, but I know that group in the locker room is a tough group and will bounce back.” (For a full quote sheet, please visit cdchivasusa.com.)
Chivas USA will play its next match a week from Saturday against Seattle Sounders FC, at The Home Depot Center on Saturday, June 6 at 7:30 p.m. Don’t miss your chance to catch the top two teams in the Western Conference; for more information, or to purchase tickets, please call 1-877-CHIVAS-1 or visit cdchivasusa.com.
PHOTOS: Juan Miranda/Chivas USA
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