SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Justin Braun’s first goal of the season was all the help Zach Thornton needed for his fifth straight shutout, and Chivas USA beat the San Jose Earthquakes 1-0 Saturday night.
Thornton made six saves for his league-leading fifth shutout for Chivas (6-1-1), which took a six-point lead in the Western Conference. With Thornton in net for all eight matches, Chivas has conceded only three goals.
Braun scored in the 53rd minute after Jonathan Bornstein sent a high, arcing cross from the left sideline into the Earthquakes’ penalty area.
San Jose defender Nick Garcia and goalkeeper Joe Cannon each seemed to think the other was going to make a play. Instead, Braun slipped a right-footed shot from the box past Cannon.
San Jose (1-4-2) dominated play early on, but that control seeped away as Chivas handed the Earthquakes their fifth consecutive MLS loss.
Ryan Johnson appeared to have tied the score in the 82nd minute when he headed in a deflected pass at close range, but it was nullified by an offsides call.
The Earthquakes put an early scare into Chivas’ league-leading defense when midfielder Ramiro Corrales found Shea Salinas open on the right side less than 90 seconds into the match. Salinas fired a low shot from the edge of the penalty box, but the ball bounced squarely off the far post.
Arturo Alvarez caught Thornton off his line in the 24th minute, but he was able to make a scrambling one-handed punch save to turn aside Alvarez’s scooped shot.
Chivas nearly came up with the game’s first goal in the 36th minute when Braun was sprung free by a pass from Bojan Stepanovic.
Braun’s shot was partially deflected by an onrushing Cannon, but the ball rolled to the far side of the field, giving Paulo Nagamura a clean look at an open net. Nagamura banged his shot off the post.
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Story from: STATS LLC, http://www.stats.com
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