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Chivas USA completes sweep of Toronto FC

Sep 6, 2008 - 11:46 PM TORONTO (Ticker) -- Jonathan Bornstein scored in the second half and Ante Razov tallied in stoppage time, lifting Chivas USA to a 3-1 victory over Toronto FC on Saturday.

Down nine players including seven starters due to World Cup qualifying, Toronto had petitioned that the game be rescheduled. However, the contest went on as planned and Chivas completed a home-and-home sweep of Toronto after picking up a 2-1 win last Saturday.

Toronto signed emergency contracts and one game loans to try and bolster its lineup, but were on its heels for most of the game. Defenders Diaz Jambere (Vancouver Whitecaps USL) and 39-year-old Rick Titus, a Toronto native, were among players signed. Toronto even went as far as inserting team scout Tim Regan into the lineup on defense.

"I thought they gave everything they had, unfortunately sometimes when you give that much effort it's not good enough," Toronto coach John Carver said. "Especially when you arrive on a Monday and you look and you've only got so many players to deal with and then all of a sudden three arrive on a Friday morning, who - I've got to be honest, I didn't know anything about.

Toronto midfielder Chad Barrett was upset the situation his team was in.

"It's ridiculous, you know when you have to call people in on loan just to start for our team just so we can play a game - is kind of ridiculous but you know hopefully in a couple years when the CBA comes up again maybe it'll change, get the FIFA regulations in here and go from there," Barrett said.

Toronto actually broke on top in the 30th minute when midfielder Tyler Rosenlund tapped in a cross-crease ball from Rohan Ricketts, after a switch from the left side skipped through the Chivas defense.

In the 35th minute, Ken Harmse nearly extended the lead by Chivas goalkeeper Zach Thornton made a diving stop.

Chivas midfielder Dan Paladini quickly got onto the referee's sheet with a yellow card in the 39th minute, only to follow in the 40th minute with a brilliant strike from the top of the box, tying the game at 1-1. Razov, the Chivas captain, set up the goal.

The half ended on a sour note with both Alecko Eskandarian and Marco Velez being shown red cards for what seemed to be an accidental clash in the air at midfield.

Chivas's attack proved to be too much for Toronto to handle as in the 59th minute Bornstein overlapped down the left side and coolly slipped a left footed shot past Toronto's goalkeeper Brian Edwards. Razov again was in on the through ball.

Razov added his fifth goal in stoppage to seal things, giving Chivas consecutive wins for the first time since early July.

"It's incredibly important I think right now we put ourselves in a really good spot to push in last seven games for a playoff spot, maybe we can get into the second round, we're going to try," Chivas coach Preki said.

Thornton left the game in the 73rd minute with a lower leg injury and was replaced by Dan Kennedy.