RESOUNDING WIN FOR CHIVAS SECOND VICTORY IS ROMP OVER REAL SALT LAKE CHIVAS USA 5, RSL 1.Byline: Fred J. Robledo Staff Writer CARSON - Chivas USA must be thrilled it's not Major League Soccer's only expansion club. How bad might its season be if it didn't have Real Salt Lake to kick around once in a while? Chivas, owner of the league's worst record, clobbered MLS' other expansion club, scoring three second-half goals for a 5-1 victory Saturday in front of 8,214 at Home Depot The Home Depot (NYSE: HD) is an American retailer of home improvement and construction products and services. Headquartered in Vinings, just outside Atlanta in unincorporated Cobb County, Georgia, Home Depot employs more than 355,000 people and operates 2,164 big-box Center. The four-goal margin was the biggest in MLS See multilevel security. this season, and Chivas ended its winless streak at 11, capturing only its second victory of the season, both at home against RSL RSL - RAISE Specification Language . Chivas (2-13-3, 9 points) is only four points behind RSL (3-10-4, 13 points), which extended its winless streak to nine. RSL hasn't won since a 2-0 victory over Chivas on May 18 in Utah. ``We knew coming in they were a team that we could put some damage into,'' said forward Matt Taylor See also the disambiguation page, Matthew Taylor, for others with this name Matt Taylor (born October 17, 1981 in Columbus, Ohio) is an American soccer player, who currently plays striker for the Portland Timbers of the USL First Division. , a former UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX star who scored a goal, assisted two more and played a role in both first-half goals. ''It was do or die for us. If we had lost this game, it could have been the end of the season for us. ``But the way we won, it just gives you a shot of confidence. The way we played tonight, we could have beaten anyone.'' It was Hans Westerhof's first victory as coach after starting 0-5-1 since taking over June 3 for Thomas Rongen Thomas Rongen (born October 31, 1956 in Amsterdam) is a Dutch soccer coach, currently the Sporting Director of Major League Soccer club Chivas USA and the coach of the U.S. U-20 team. . ``It's a good win, and a good win for our self-confidence,'' said Westerhof, who noted that RSL was missing five starters, including star defender Eddie Pope George Edward ("Eddie") Pope (December 24, 1973) is an American soccer player who currently plays for Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer and spent 11 years as a defender for the United States national team. Born in Greensboro, he attended Southwest Guilford High School. . ``This team with Pope is different, and Salt Lake isn't the best team in MLS. But it's a win and a game we can build on.'' Chivas came out aggressive and grabbed a lead for only the third time this season, going ahead on a fourth-minute own goal by Brian Kamler Brian Kamler (born February 12, 1972 in St. Louis, Missouri) is an American soccer player, who played as a left midfielder in Major League Soccer before his retirement in 2005. Kamler played college soccer at Creighton University, where he was named NCAA All-American in 1993. . Taylor and Thiago Martins Thiago Martins (born September 4, 1976) is a Brazilian soccer player who currently plays striker for Bodø/Glimt of Adeccoligaen (2nd division) in Norway. Martins was born in São Paulo, Brazil, and came to the United States in 1999, ending up in Santa Barbara, California. had a lot to do with it. Taylor took a loose ball along the left side toward the endline, then sent the ball into the middle. Kamler tried to clear it under pressure from Martins, but the ball deflected off of him and into the RSL net. Taylor and Martins hooked up again in the 16th minute to draw a penalty kick. Taylor's nifty throughball put Martins a step ahead of defender Cameron Knowles, who yanked on the Chivas forward's jersey. Martins fell to the turf, Knowles was awarded a yellow card, and Hector Cuadros tucked the penalty kick into the left corner of the goal, his fourth goal of the season. RSL's Clint Mathis cut the lead in half on a 20-yard free kick in the 23rd minute, his first goal of the season and the 49th of his MLS career. Chivas poured it on in the second half, with Antonio Martinez making it 3-1 in the 43rd minute, Taylor netting the fourth two minutes later, and Isaac Romo scoring the fifth in the 83rd. Captain Ramon Ramirez picked up a yellow card in the 38th minute, pushing him over the caution-points-accumulation limit. He'll be suspended for next Saturday's game against the Galaxy. Fred Robledo, (626) 962-8811 fred.robledo(at)sgvn.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Chivas USA's Thiago Martins, left, tries to hold off Real Salt Lake's Matt Behncke as they contend for the ball. Edna T. Simpson/Daily News |
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