Once again Chivas USA scored early in the game only this time they hold on to beat the Seattle Sounders 1-0 on an Eduardo Lillingston goal, keeping them in first place, six points ahead of the Chicago Fire, Saturday night at The Home Depot Center.

Lillingston started the move with a clever ball to the mercurial Maykel Galindo. The Cuban forward showed his great acceleration pushing the ball in behind the Seattle defense. Paulo Nagamura on the overlap hit a thunderous shot that goalkeeper, Kasey Keller did well to parry, but not out of the danger zone and Lillingston put away the rebound for his team leading fifth goal of the season.

The Red and Whites were coming off a run of three games where nothing seemed to go their way. Two ties and a heartbreaking loss to Chicago netted the Goats only two points out of a possible nine.

Chivas head coach Preki was happy with the way his team had responded despite being without suspended captain, Jesse Marsch and U.S. national team members Jonathon Bornstein and Sacha Kljestan. Preki had this to say.

“Against Chicago we were very unlucky not to take all the points, we had many chances to put the game away and we don’t. Tonight we put one away and then we really showed resilience and toughness and good mentality… to get a result.”

With Bornstein and Kljestan away on World Cup duty Preki had to reshuffle his side bringing in Jorge Flores at left back and Michael Lahoud into the midfield, both making their first start of the year for Lahoud his MLS debut as a starter. Also making his first appearance of the season was Mexican icon, Claudio Suarez, who came on as a substitute in the second half.

Seattle showed their pedigree as former Arsenal forward Freddie Ljungberg, Nate Jaqua and Fredy Montero probed and hassled the Red and Whites midfield and defense all night long. But strong defending by the inexperienced young Goats, led by the hard working Nagamura and some wonderful goalkeeping by Zach Thornton in the Chivas net, gave the Goats all three points.

The Red and Whites now go on the road for a busy June, starting with the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday, June 10 and then in Ohio to face the Columbus Crew, Sunday, June 14 before returning home to open Superliga 2009 against Tigres UANL on Saturday, June 20 at The Home Depot Center.

Match Facts

Seattle Sounders FC (4-3-5) vs. Chivas USA (8-2-3)
June 6, 2009 — The Home Depot Center

Scoring Summary:
CHV — Eduardo Lillingston 5 (unassisted) 38

Lineups:
Seattle Sounders FC — Kasey Keller, James Riley, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Patrick Ianni, Tyson Wahl, Brad Evans, Stephen King, Freddie Ljungberg, Steve Zakuani (Sanna Nyassi 79), Nate Jaqua, Fredy Montero (Sebastien Le Toux 65),
Substitutes Not Used: Evan Brown, Ben Dragavon, Roger Levesque, Nathan Sturgis, Peter Vagenas

Chivas USA — Zach Thornton, Mariano Trujillo, Carey Talley, Shavar Thomas (Claudio Suarez 70), Jorge Flores, Atiba Harris, Michael Lahoud, Paulo Nagamura, Justin Braun, Maykel Galindo (Alecko Eskandarian 92+), Eduardo Lillingston (Sasha Victorine 68),
Substitutes Not Used: Chukwudi Chijindu, Gerson Mayen, Lance Parker, Bojan Stepanovic

Statistical Summary:
Chivas USA / Seattle Sounders FC
total shots: 6 (Eduardo Lillingston 2) 11 (Nate Jaqua 3,
Fredy Montero 3)
shots on goal: 3 (3 tied with 1) 3 (3 tied with 1)
fouls: 19 (Atiba Harris 4) 12 (Nate Jaqua 5)
offsides: 4 (Maykel Galindo 2,
Eduardo Lillingston 2) 5 (Freddie Ljungberg 2,
Fredy Montero 2)
corner kicks: 1 (Carey Talley 1) 8 (Freddie Ljungberg 6)
saves: 3 (Zach Thornton 3) 2 (Kasey Keller 2)

Misconduct Summary:
CHV — Eduardo Lillingston (caution; Reckless Foul) 26
SEA — Patrick Ianni (caution; Reckless Foul) 48
SEA — Nate Jaqua (caution; Reckless Tackle) 54
SEA — Jhon Kennedy Hurtado (caution; Reckless Tackle) 81
SEA — Nate Jaqua (ejection; Second Caution) 88
CHV — Mariano Trujillo (caution; Reckless Tackle) 90

Referee: Kevin Stott
Referee’s Assistants: Fabio Tovar; Jeff Hosking
4th official: Yader Reyes
time of game: 1:54
attendance: 13,117
weather: Partly Cloudy -and- 65 degrees