Chivas USA has to be wondering what hex is on them at the Home Depot Center. Brilliant on the road, Chivas has been abysmal at home and that continued on Saturday when the lowly Philadelphia Union beat them 1-0 thanks to a goal by Freddy Adu. As expected, neither team entertained, but for Union head coach Peter Nowak, who has been under fire for his team's slow start, how Philadelphia wins is not a concern so long as they do win.
Chivas USA Vs. Philadelphia Union, 2012 MLS: Goats Slump At Home Again
There wasn't much in the match until Michael Farfan's brilliant run down the right turned two Chivas defenders inside out and another in his dust before crossing right in front of goal. James Riley got down to try and clear the ball, but he couldn't, only stopping it right in front of goal. Adu turned around, and facing away from goal, backheeled it into the empty net for what would prove to be the winner.
Ryan Smith did put the Union defense under pressure a couple times, getting down the flank and crossing, but rarely was there anyone in the box to do anything with his crosses. Philadelphia weren’t much more inventive, struggling to break down the Goats’ defense outside of their one goal, but it didn’t matter.
Despite a red card to Keon Daniel for a late and dangerous challenge on Smith and then another red card to Gabriel Farfan for a awful tackle, Chivas couldn't get anything going. That one goal by Philadelphia was all they needed to pick up three very good points on the road and get some of the heat off of Nowak.
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