Playing with a starting eleven comprised of mostly backup players, Chivas USA fell 2-1 Tuesday morning to Orange County Pateadores at The Home Depot Center’s Field 6. The Rojiblancos knocked in their lone goal in the second half on a deflected shot by Marco Delgado. But the visiting side was led by two second-half scores, the first coming on a penalty kick by Leopoldo Morales and the game-winner by Manuel Asprilla.
Because of a change in Chivas USA’s MLS schedule made to accommodate CONCACAF Champions League semifinals, the Red-and-White have a bye week, as their match at Seattle – originally programmed for April 7 – was moved to Sept. 4.
In the sixth minute, a cross by Giovani Casillas from the left side of the box to forward Julio Morales was initially broken up by OC goalkeeper Giovani Hernandez. Morales came back with a follow-up shot but the left-footed attempt sailed over the crossbar.
Midfielder Jose Manuel Rivera looked to put the Rojiblancos on the board when he let loose a pair of strikes from inside the box and beyond the arc in the 12th and 16th minute respectively. But the first attempt was high and Hernandez was able to trap the second. Rivera also looked to set-up his teammates for a potential score. On the next possession after his second strike, Rivera slotted a ball to Casillas inside the box, but the pass was not brought in cleanly and the threat was broken up.
The Goats continued to get into dangerous spots and knock on the goal’s door throughout the first half. In the 20th minute Casillas sent a cross from the left side again to a cutting Morales, but the header attempt by the near post traveled wide. Midfielder Laurent Courtois, also working on the left seam, faked a cross attempt and brought the ball back in, and proceeded to work the ball into the box to get off a strike, but the shot was high in the 33rd minute. Playing a 40-minute first half, the sides went into half time locked at zero.
Orange County broke the scoreless tie in the 45th minute when Morales cashed in a penalty kick awarded to the visiting side after a foul was called inside the box on forward Omar Jasseh a minute earlier to take a 1-0 advantage.
The Rojiblancos evened the score in 63rd when Delgado, working the ball on the right wing, got off a shot from about ten yards out. The shot deflected off a Pateadores defender and went passed Hernandez’s left for the score. The visitors answered right back a minute later on a counter attack on Asprilla’s one-on-one unassisted run on the left wing. Asprilla’s shot from inside the box beat Chivas USA goalkeeper Patrick McLain, who started the second half in goal, to his left for the 2-1 result.
