MLS: CHIVAS USA WINS BATTLE CHIVAS USA 3, HOUSTON 2.

Byline: MATT ZIMMERMAN Staff Writer

Pressed into the role Saturday by suspensions, Ante Razov quickly showed that maybe he's better as a target instead of a taker of corner kicks.

His first attempt from the corner was low, and his second was too high, going harmlessly over everyone's head. But on Chivas USA's third corner kick against Houston, Razov found himself in a more appropriate position in front of the goal, and one-timed a Jonathan Bornstein cross into the goal for the winning goal in a SCORE Chivas victory.

Chivas USA (8-6-10, 34 points) prevailed in what became a battle of two of MLS' best finishers. Razov scored his second goal off a five-pass sequence in which four players touched the ball, finishing Brent Whitefield's cross from 17 yards for a 3-1 leads.

Houston's own star, Canadian international Dwayne DeRosario, scored his second 11 minutes later, his shot going off Chivas goalie Preston Burpo and into the net to close the deficit.

Chivas scored early, thanks to a player seeing his first Major league Soccer action just a day after signing with the team. Jesus Morales, a 20-year-old forward officially picked up by the team Friday from Chivas de Guadalajara's youth ranks, wasted no time as he nearly scored on a sliding attempt in the seventh minute off a cross from Brent Whitfield.

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