Chivas USA collected a satisfying and badly needed victory on Saturday evening, holding off a late push from the visiting San Jose Earthquakes for a 3-2 victory at the Home Depot Center. Goals from Sacha Kljestan, Justin Braun and Chukwudi Chijindu were the difference as the Red-and-White claimed their second consecutive win at home. For Chivas USA, Saturday's match marks the first time that the team has scored more than two goals in a game since October of 2008. For the visitors, it was the second time in just four games the Quakes conceded three goals. Much of the Goats' success on Saturday came from the middle of the pitch. The Chivas USA midfield was masterful all evening, employing a rotating offense that, at times, resembled the famous Dutch "Total Football" of the 1970s. Red-and-White attackers Jesús Padilla, Sacha Kljestan, Ben Zemanski, Michael Lahoud and Blair Gavin interchanged effortlessly, communicating well as they followed the flow of play. It was Kljestan who found the back of the net first, and rightfully so. The Chivas USA captain had marshaled his young midfield well and looked dangerous all night. If ever there were a game for Klejstan to stake a claim to a place on the U.S. National Team World Cup roster, this was it. The midfielder struck in the 25th minute when he collected a neat pass from Gavin on the right side and blasted a Howitzer from 20 yards out. The effort sailed over Quakes 'keeper Joe Cannon and dipped into the net to take the home side ahead 1-0. San Jose equalized just before halftime with a 41st-minute penalty kick. Chris Wondolowski netted from the spot for the visitors, slotting a low ball into the left-hand corner of the net after he was taken down in the box by Jonathan Bornstein. Any momentum the Quakes had going into the second half was quickly squelched by Justin Braun in the 54th minute. The big Chivas striker got onto the end of an incisive cross from Mariano Trujillo to head the ball past a diving Cannon and into the far left side of the net. It was Braun's fourth consecutive goal against the Earthquakes. Substitute striker Chukwudi Chijindu added a third notch for the Red-and-White in the 88th minute after collecting a long pass from Lahoud and outpacing Ike Opara. The SoCal native calmly slipped the ball under Cannon, who had charged off his line. The Quakes swarmed in the game's closing minutes, getting a goal of their own in the 92nd minute when defender Steven Beitashour hit a speculative shot from beyond the 18-yard line that sailed over the Chivas USA defense but dipped under the bar at the last moment.
