Chivas USA (3-3-1) fell, 1-0, Saturday night at Real Salt Lake (3-3-2) before a crowd of 14,900 at Rio Tinto Stadium. The host side was led by Javier Morales’ first goal of the season in the second half. With the loss, the Rojiblancos currently sit in third place in the Western Conference standings with 10 points.
· Both sides started the match looking to press the action by getting into dangerous spots. Rookie Carlos Alvarez pushed the ball down the middle of the field in the sixth minute and created space near the arc to get off a clean strike, but was denied by RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando.
· The Rojiblancos got into their attacking third and took six corner kicks in the first half as a result, one of which generated a golden opportunity for the Goats to take the initial lead in the match. In the 35th minute, Edgar “Chore” Mejia’s entry from the left corner was handled by a RSL player near the short area. But Mejia was unable to convert on the penalty as Rimando deflected the shot with a dive to his left.
· Chivas USA continued to get into dangerous spots inside the host’s defense and create opportunities. As first-half stoppage time ticked away, Alvarez nearly put the Red-and-White up a goal on his left-footed strike near the left corner of the short area. Forward Julio Morales dropped off his pass near the arc to Alvarez who was making his run inside the left side of the box, but Alvarez’s shot was wide right of the far post, and the sides went into the half locked in a scoreless tie.
· RSL went up 1-0 in the 53rd minute off Morales’ header just outside the short area that found the inside of the left post. Alvaro Saborio received a slotted ball inside the right side of the box and crossed it to Morales, who was positioned inside the box and knocked in the eventual game-winner.
· The Goats continued to push their numbers forward throughout the second half in search of the equalizer to come away with their second road result of the season. As the match entered stoppage time, Chivas USA continued to send crosses into the area, but could not find the back of the net, and the 1-0 result stood.
