Chivas routs Chicago at Toyota Park

Bridgeview, IL – Chivas USA piled more misery on the Chicago Fire on Sunday, thumping the Eastern Conference side 4-1 at Toyota Park.

Chicago came into the match still searching for its first goal of the season, and while the Fire finally found the back of the net, Patrick Nyarko's goal was not enough to overturn strikes from Edgar Mejia, Joaquin Velazquez, Juan Agudelo and an own goal from Jalil Anibaba.

The result sees Chivas (2-1-1) improve to seven points on the season to climb to second place in the Western Conference while Chicago (0-3-1) sits bottom of the East on one point.

A scoreless first half saw Chicago nearly open the scoring five minutes into the second period. Daniel Paladini beat the offside trap with a well-timed run in the 55th minute, but his effort trickled off the outside of the post.

Chivas came close five minutes later when Bobby Burling's header forced Paolo Tornaghi to tip the shot over the bar, but the Goats made the most of the ensuing corner kick as Juan Agudelo laid the ball off to Mejia to fire a shot into the upper corner from the top of the penalty area.

The Fire managed to pull level seven minutes later by way of some impressive combination play. Maicon Santos drifted inside from the left flank to find Sherjill MacDonald, who drew a couple of Chivas defenders out of position before slipping a through ball into the path of Nyarko. The 27-year-old fired a first-time effort past Dan Kennedy into the bottom corner.

The tie score was short-lived as Chivas found another go-ahead goal in the 73rd minute. Mejia's cross to the back post drew Tornaghi off his line and Velazquez took advantage, sending a looping header over the Fire 'keeper and into the far corner of the net.

Within two minutes, the Goats grabbed another goal as Jorge Villafana's through ball was calmly curled just inside the far post by Agudelo.

The rout was complete in the dying minutes after Jose Correa's square ball into the penalty area was turned into his own net by Anibaba.