July 24, 2010 BENCH WARMERS Second half subs score in Chivas’ 1-1 draw with RSL
Jesus Padilla came off the bench and instantly equalized for Chivas USA. Linda Cuttone/Sports Vue Images
SANDY, Utah—Despite a pair of off-the-bench goals, one for each team, Chivas USA remained in the Western Conference cellar and Real Salt Lake remained unbeaten at home, as the two sides played to a 1-1 draw at Rio Tinto Stadium Saturday night.
Real Salt Lake’s Ned Grabavoy entered the game in the 63rd minute. Four minutes later, he gave the defending champions a 1-0 lead. After a corner kick into the penalty area and a bad clearance by the Goats’ Justin Braun, Grabavoy volleyed a rocket of a shot from outside the penalty area into the left side of the Chivas net, leaving goalkeeper Dan Kennedy grasping at air.
Not be outdone, Chivas USA (4-9-3, 15 pts) substitute Jesus Padilla waited less than a minute after entering the game to score. Padilla got the ball 30 yards out, took three touches and struck a shot right at RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando in the 70th. The usually sure-handed Rimando got a piece of the ball at the edge of the six-yard box, but could not control it and it finished up in the net.
The goal was the best chance of the game for Chivas USA, who were outshot 20-5 and outplayed most of the night by RSL who are now 9-4-4 (31 pts).
Kennedy was kept busy as RSL peppered the net with good opportunities. The Chivas goalkeeper made several saves to keep the Goats in the game.
In the 47th minute, he blocked a 30-yard shot from Any Williams, who had broken into space. Nine minutes later, Williams drove a ball from the right side that Kennedy grabbed. In the 62nd minute, Kennedy had to make an acrobatic stop on a shot by Alvaro Saborio. Four minutes later, he made a leaping two-handed reaction save on another Saborio attempt, pushing the ball out for a corner. Unfortunately, the corner kick by Javier Morales resulted in RSL’s goal.
Kennedy’s best save might have come in the 73rd minute, when a corner kick by Morales resulted in a shot by Jamison Olave that deflected off defender Ben Zemanski. Kennedy quickly grabbed the ball to keep the game knotted at one.
In the 90th minute, looking for the win, Grabavoy blasted a shot through a group of players from both teams, that was stopped by Kennedy.
