CARSON, Calif. -- Needing to win by three or more goals in order to advance to the group stage of the CONCACAF Champions League, Chivas USA encountered quite a bit of interference against Tauro FC on Tuesday.
Referee Mauricio Navarro sent off Jonathan Bornstein early in the second half as the hosts were left with 10 men for 39 minutes. Tauro FC dropped numbers behind the ball throughout the match and pushed forward when the opportunities arose in the second half.
But ultimately, Chivas USA's players and coaches were left with one conclusion.
"We had many scoring opportunities but couldn't get it done," Roberto Nurse said. "We know there were refereeing errors but we were our own worst enemies."
Chivas USA and Tauro FC tied 1-1 at The Home Depot Center, a result that eliminates the Red-and-White from the CONCACAF Champions League and sends the Panamanian club through to the tournament proper.
Tauro FC beat Chivas USA 2-0 in Panama a week earlier and won the series, 3-1 on aggregate. Luis Moreno scored the visitors' goal in the 63rd minute while Nurse scored Chivas USA's tally in the 42nd minute.
Chivas USA, though, had 20 shots and 14 on goal and forced Tauro goalkeeper Willington Dominguez to make 11 saves -- including one on a penalty kick.
"It seems like now we have an incredibly tough time finding the net," Chivas USA coach Preki said. "We must have had 15 opportunities and we finally squeezed one goal tonight. We have to find ways to score goals."
The goal-scoring follies began early for Chivas USA. Dominguez tripped Nurse in the penalty area in the 20th minute and the hosts were awarded with a penalty kick. Preki, though, said more should have been done on the play.
"As far as I know, last guy, penalty, red card," Preki said.
Sacha Kljestan stepped to the spot and took the penalty kick but knocked it straight to Dominguez.
"I had decided to shoot right and at the last second the 'keeper moved that way and I should have gone left because he did move a little bit that way," Kljestan said. "But I still thought I could get underneath him."
Later in the half, Atiba Harris slammed a shot off the crossbar as Chivas USA appeared well on their way to a luckless effort. Nurse tried to change that though when he scored in the 42nd minute. Bornstein knocked in a cross that Justin Braun headed down towards Nurse, who turned and fired a shot past Dominguez.
Early in the half, though, fortunes changed for both clubs. Bornstein picked up his second yellow card of the match and was sent off just six minutes into the second half.
"In the beginning of the second half we get a soft call on Bornstein and red card against us. I'm very, very, very disappointed that we had difficulties dealing with the referee," Preki said. "You would think that when we played here we would at least get an even call but right now we can't catch a break."
Ante Razov and Alecko Eskandarian replaced Braun and Harris a few minutes later.
But it was the visitors who finally broke through. Moreno danced around Chivas USA defender Jim Curtin and knocked a shot off the left post that barely trickled over the line.
Kljestan was replaced in the 65th minute as Preki said the captain was not sharp in the match.
"I don't think he was playing good," Preki said. "Nobody is untouchable. You've got to come when you put that shirt on. When you step on the field, you've got to play for your team."
Kljestan, who leaves for Miami and the U.S. national team early Wednesday, said he was indeed focused on the match.
"I don't think so," Kljestan responded when told of Preki's comments. "My focus right now is with Chivas. I wish I could have done better to help my team."
Ultimately, though, Chivas USA were not good enough to beat a team that Preki said they should have beaten "by four or five goals." The Red-and-White thus now have only the regular season to worry about.
"We've got to make a run for the championship," Kljestan said. "That's all we've got left."
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