April 8, 2007 Chivas USA beat Toronto FC (from MLSnet.com) story 3
04/08/2007 12:53AM
Chivas USA spoil Toronto FC bow
By Luis Bueno / MLSnet.com Staff
CARSON, Calif. - Chivas USA striker Ante Razov welcomed Toronto FC to Major League Soccer with a 35th-minute goal and Sacha Kljestan added a late strike as the third-year club beat the first-year club 2-0 at The Home Depot Center on Saturday.
Razov has now scored in three consecutive season openers, the last two of which were for Chivas USA. The 12-year veteran now has 99 career goals.
It was that kind of experience that helped Chivas USA overcome the expansion club. Toronto featured six starters who had never played in MLS before while Chivas had just one - forward Maykel Galindo.
After falling to D.C. United in its first-ever match, Chivas USA now was won two season openers. A year ago, Chivas USA beat Real Salt Lake 3-0 in the 2006 opener.
Early on, Chivas USA took the attack to Toronto FC. Amado Guevara was active early on as he found space in the sixth minute but fanned on a pass from Kljestan. Four minutes later, Guevara spun around a group of Toronto defenders and hit a soft floating shot on goal but the ball sailed harmlessly wide of the far post.
Razov unleashed a potent 22-yard rocket but Toronto goalkeeper Greg Sutton did well to dive and stop the shot.
Toronto, however, returned the attack and had Chivas backtracking over the next quarter hour. Carl Robinson swung a 35-yard free kick from the left side of the midfield to the front of the six-yard box in the 13th minute. Edson Buddle rose and hit a glancing header on frame. Goalkeeper Brad Guzan reached down and stopped the ball from crossing the goal line.
Three minutes later, Paulo Nagamura unloaded a 20-yard shot on frame. Guzan made the save but the rebound bounced out to Buddle. The former Red Bulls striker knocked a shot on goal but Guzan turned him away for the second time.
On the half-hour, Alecko Eskandarian found himself alone inside the penalty area after he pounced on a Lawson Vaughn turnover. With nobody near him, Eskandarian ripped a 12-yard shot on frame but Guzan did well to save Eskandarian's attempt and knocked it out of bounds.
Five minutes later, Chivas USA got on the scoreboard for the first time this season. Kljestan sent a precise ball from the midfield over the flat-footed backline. Maykel Galindo raced onto the ball and sprinted to the penalty area. Sutton had no choice but to charge at Galindo, who calmly slotted a pass to the left side of the penalty area where Razov ran unmarked. Razov easily slipped the ball into the empty net.
The goal was Razov's 99th career tally. His next goal will move him into the century club where Jason Kreis (108) and Jaime Moreno (105) are the only current members.
Guevara had Chivas USA's first scoring chance of the second half. In the 62nd minute, Guevara sent a 20-yard free kick on goal but Sutton did well to make the save.
Chivas USA controlled the pace of the match but could not find much space to maneuver until Kljestan broke through in the 88th minute. The second-year man ripped a 20-yard rocket into the back of the net well past the reach of an outstretched Sutton. It was the first-ever MLS goal for the fifth pick in the 2006 SuperDraft.
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
Toronto FC (0-1-0) vs. Chivas USA (1-0-0)
April 07, 2007 -- The Home Depot Center
Scoring Summary:
CHV -- Ante Razov 1 (Maykel Galindo 1, Sacha Kljestan 1) 35
CHV -- Sacha Kljestan 1 (John Cunliffe 1) 88
Toronto FC -- Greg Sutton, Miguel Canizalez, Andrew Boyens, Jim Brennan, Marco Reda (Adam Braz 76), Paulo Nagamura, Carl Robinson, Andy Welsh (Conor Casey 65), Richard Mulrooney, Alecko Eskandarian, Edson Buddle.
Substitutes Not Used: Rich Asante, Tomer Chencinski, Abbe Ibrahim, Andrea Lombardo, Stephen Lumley
Chivas USA -- Brad Guzan, Alex Zotinca, Claudio Suarez, Lawson Vaughn, Jonathan Bornstein, Sacha Kljestan, Amado Guevara, Jesse Marsch, Francisco Mendoza, Maykel Galindo (Matt Taylor 85), Ante Razov (John Cunliffe 85).
Substitutes Not Used: Preston Burpo, Jason Hernandez, Carlos Llamosa, Rodrigo Lopez, Erasmo Solorzano
Chivas USA Toronto FC total shots: 17 (Ante Razov 6) 5 (Edson Buddle 3) shots on goal: 12 (Ante Razov 4) 4 (Edson Buddle 2) fouls: 14 (Sacha Kljestan 3, Claudio Suarez 3) 13 (Alecko Eskandarian 3) offsides: 7 (Maykel Galindo 3) 2 (Edson Buddle 2) corner kicks: 7 (Amado Guevara 6) 3 (Carl Robinson 3) saves: 4 (Brad Guzan 4) 10 (Greg Sutton 10) Misconduct Summary: TOR -- Miguel Canizalez (caution; Pushing, Holding) 61 TOR -- Paulo Nagamura (caution; Reckless Foul) 77 CHV -- Alex Zotinca (caution; Reckless Foul) 84 referee: Terry Vaughn Referee's Assistants: Chris Strickland; Paul Scott 4th official: Ramon Hernandez time of game: 1:50 attendance: 14,351 weather: Cloudy -and- 60 degrees All statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial
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