Rally Gives Chivas a 3-2 Victory

Chivas USA needed 120 minutes to turn back the Charlotte Eagles and pull out a 3-2 victory over the United Soccer Leagues’ second division club Wednesday night in the third round of the U.S. Open Cup.

Forward Isaac Romo’s unassisted goal on a failed clearance in the final minute of double overtime gave Chivas the victory in its Open Cup debut in front of an announced 3,282 at Alumni Stadium in Davidson, N.C., and it will next play the Galaxy in a fourth-round match Aug. 3 at a site to be determined.

“We played very well against a team that kept coming at us,” Chivas Coach Hans Westerhof said. “From the first minute to the last minute, they were always coming at us. It was the game of their life.”

Romo’s winner came when a Charlotte defender failed to clear the ball in front of the goal and the forward slid into the ball just enough to cross it into the goal. Romo’s winner would not have been possible were it not for an 83rd-minute equalizer by forward Thiago Martins on another unassisted goal.

Martins’ score came three minutes after Charlotte forward Dustin Swinehart gave the Eagles a 2-1 lead.

The Eagles, who are 8-4-2 in USL play, advanced to the third round with a 4-1 victory over the USL Premier Development League’s El Paso Patriots in Texas on June 29. It was their first win in the tournament in three tries.

Chivas, 2-13-3 as a Major League Soccer expansion club, is coming off a 5-1 rout of expansion brethren Real Salt Lake and plays the Galaxy for the third time Saturday at the Home Depot Center.

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Landon Donovan of the Galaxy was named a starter for the MLS All-Star team’s game against English Premier League club Fulham FC.

The game is scheduled for July 30 in Columbus, Ohio.

Starters were chosen by vote among coaches and general managers, fans, media and players.

Gutierrez reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press contributed to this report.