RSL Gains a Measure of Revenge

[Stucki]

Twenty minutes into the final edition of this year's expansion derby, Chivas USA reaffirmed their reputation as the team in MLS that most loves tactics of gamesmanship. After a scuffle involving all 22 players started by a hard foul on Clint Mathis, each team was left with 10 players. Clint Mathis for RSL and Esteban Arias for Chivas received red cards for violent conduct. The rest of the first half was dissapointing for RSL supporters with Chivas scoring first when Arturo Torres beat the RSL offsides trap in the 28th minute to give Chivas an early lead. Between the Chivas goal and several missed chances by RSL, the second smallest crowd of the year, both for Chivas games, was a little deflated.

The second half started out well for RSL as Andy Williams shattered the curse on the north goal by scoring in the 49th minute on a goal which doubled as the 5,000th goal in MLS history. Williams celebrated the milestone by jumping onto the railing to be congratulated by members of the Loyalists and RCB.

The celebration of the crowd kicked into high gear in the 74th minute when Jason Kreis scored on a penalty kick extending his MLS record goal tally to 98 goals. The penalty was set up when Chris Brown, who had entered in the 46th minute, was tackled in the box.

The last fifteen minutes plus of the game were effectively killed off by RSL, extending the lead over Chivas in the standings to seven points. Unfortunately, Colorado extended the Galaxy string of futility away from the Home Depot Center to remain five points ahead of RSL for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.