So prior to this last week, I hadn't seen Chivas yet this year, and Chivas hadn't won yet. I did see Chivas in person last year at Rio Tinto, and I wasn't impressed. They got a cheap draw against RSL. However, the goats made changes during the offseason, bringing in at least 12 new players and new coach Robin Fraser.
The Quakes really wanted to play better at home, as they hadn't won ay home yet in 2011. They started out well enough, controlling chances. They seemed to have the most possession and Chivas seemed to be sitting looking for a counter chance. They got one in the 14th minute when Flores flicked a cross into the area. Zemanski got a head to it, but it went off the post.
San Jose took a sigh of relief and moved back up the pitch. Convey took a shot that was deflected out of bounds earning a corner. The ensuing corner bounced off a head or two onto the head of Chris Wondolowski who put it past Kennedy into the back of the net, 1-0 to the Quakes.
Really the Quakes had the better of it in the first half. At one point they had 70% possession. They certainly had the better chances, but they weren't really pushing the issue, which their coach bemoaned during an in game interview. Despite players like Wondo being active on both ends, you got the feeling they were letting Chivas hang around. In the 29th, Chivas almost made them pay as La Brocca got a head on a shot that was only kept out by a great save from Busch. In the 34th they got a free kick on a goal, which Busch caught and almost carried back over the line. Finally in first half stoppage time, Chivas got the equalizer. Moreno got his head on a set piece shot and we went into the half 1-1.
The second half was mostly Chivas. San Jose did get a talking point in the 52nd minute when Sealy was pulled down in the box. I thought he had a pretty good case for a PK. Marrufo wasn't interested though.
Then, slowly but surely Chivas took over. They even took the lead in possession. They got more and more chances. They took the lead in the 85th minute on a counter when Busch couldn't hold a save and Trujillo poked it in to put Chivas up 1-2. The Quakes had a flurry of chances, but they couldn't find the back of the net and we ended with that 1-2 score.
The Quakes were horribly disappointed. They got beat bad in the midfield, and didn't get the pressure on Chivas, allowing the Goats to really play their game. What's worse, they only took two points out of their first four home matches which leaves them mired on the bottom of the West Table.
For Chivas, it was certainly a bright spot. They got a lot of good play, especially in the midfield, that supplemented their already solid defense and goal keeping. It would seem like they might be on the rise a little bit. We'll see what happens next week against the Revs.
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