Copa Suda: DC get their Goats at home

DC United managed a 2-1 victory in the home leg of their Copa Sudamerica matchup against their south of the border rivals CD Guadajalara on Wednesday, Sept. 26.

Ben Olsen and Clyde Simms scored on either side of halftime, and Chivas managed to grab the all-important away goal. Still, DC will travel to Mexico in a bout a week, holding a single goal advantage.

DC's win was even more impressive considering the fact that talented fullback Marc Burch was sent off just before halftime after receiving his second yellow. Chivas, who were Mexican League champions last season, have been tough to beat in international competitions, especially for United, who lost tot Chivas in the semi-finals of the CCC 3-2 on aggregate. Chivas have also managed to get to the semi-finals in the last two Copa Libertadores tournaments.

Thanks to the double-yellow ejections, United will be without one of their best players as they travel to Mexico, as Burch was nearly the man who set up the go-ahead goal, despite some rather uneven play by United in the early going, sending a beautiful cross into Emilio who missed the target with his header.

But DC would make it onto the scoreboard first, as Olsen gathered a poor clearance and fired from distance beating Chivas keeper Luis Ernesto Michelle with a low, bouncing shot inside the far post. Even after the goal, a DC goal never seemed assured and it became even more tenuous when referee Hector Baldaffi sent Burch to the showers with a second yellow just before halftime.

With the 1-0 lead, United packed it in and relied primarily on set pieces for scoring chances. It was off one of those that Simms would add United's second. Christian Gomez's freekick blasted off the wall fell to Simms at the eighteen and he fired first-time, a low shot past the keeper to make it 2-0 United.

Chivas responded quickly with a concilation goal (and the all-important road goal in home-and-away) six minutes later. Jonny Magallon played a long ball pass to Xavier Baez who angled an endline cross to Sergio Santana. Santana beat Perkins easily from six-yards out.
Complete Match Report