Bobby Burling hands Chivas USA late win

Mar 9, 2014 at 7pm UK

Torres (57' pen.), McNamara (60'), Burling (89')

FT(HT: 0-0)

Bobby Burling scores an 88th-minute winner to hand Chivas USA a 3-2 win over Chicago Fire after they had initially blown a two-goal lead.

Published: March 9 2014 | 21:11

Last updated: March 11 2014 | 10:37

Bobby Burling scored an 88th-minute winner to hand Chivas USA a narrow 3-2 win over Chicago Fire in their opening game of the new MLS season today.

The hosts came close to taking the lead just after the half-hour mark when Mau Rosales fired a free kick towards the top left corner, but Sean Johnson got across to make a good save.

The bulk of the action came in the second half, and it took just 10 minutes for the opening goal as Erick Torres was brought down inside the box.

The referee pointed to the spot, and the Mexican striker picked himself up and dusted himself off before slotting home from 12 yards to give the hosts the lead.

It was 2-0 just three minutes later as Thomas McNamara latched onto Leandro Barrera's pass before beating Johnson with his effort to complete a quickfire double for Chivas.

Chicago pulled a goal back within five minutes, however, as Hector Joya made it 2-1 just moments after entering the action as a substitute.

The visitors then relied on another substitute to draw them back level as Quincy Amarikwa made it 2-2 in the 70th minute to complete Chicago's fightback.

However, their comeback proved to be in vain as Burling rose highest inside the box to nod past Johnson and give his side a dramatic win to begin the MLS campaign.

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Eastern Conference

	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	PTS
1	Inter Miami Inter Miami	34	22	8	4	79	49	30	74
2	Columbus Crew	34	19	9	6	72	40	32	66
3	FC Cincinnati Cincinnati	34	18	5	11	58	48	10	59
4	Orlando City	34	15	7	12	59	50	9	52
5	Charlotte FC Charlotte FC	34	14	9	11	46	37	9	51
6	New York City FC NY City	34	14	8	12	54	49	5	50
7	New York Red Bulls NY Red Bulls	34	11	14	9	55	50	5	47
8	CF Montreal Montreal	34	11	10	13	48	64	-16	43
9	Atlanta United Atlanta	34	10	10	14	46	49	-3	40
10	DC United	34	10	10	14	52	70	-18	40
11	Philadelphia Union Philadelphia	34	9	10	15	62	55	7	37
12	Toronto	34	11	4	19	40	61	-21	37
13	Nashville SC Nashville	34	9	9	16	38	54	-16	36
14	New England Revolution New England	34	9	4	21	37	74	-37	31
15	Chicago Fire	34	7	9	18	40	62	-22	30

Western Conference

	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	PTS
1	Los Angeles FC Los Angeles	34	19	7	8	63	43	20	64
2	Los Angeles Galaxy LA Galaxy	34	19	7	8	69	50	19	64
3	Real Salt Lake Salt Lake	34	16	11	7	65	48	17	59
4	Seattle Sounders Seattle	34	16	9	9	51	35	16	57
5	Houston Dynamo Houston	34	15	9	10	47	39	8	54
6	Minnesota United Minnesota Utd	34	15	7	12	58	49	9	52
7	Colorado Rapids Colorado	34	15	5	14	61	60	1	50
8	Portland Timbers Portland	34	12	11	11	65	56	9	47
9	Vancouver Whitecaps Vancouver	34	13	8	13	52	49	3	47
10	Austin FC Austin	34	11	9	14	39	48	-9	42
11	Dallas	34	11	8	15	54	56	-2	41
12	St Louis City	34	8	13	13	50	63	-13	37
13	Sporting Kansas City Kansas	34	8	7	19	51	66	-15	31
14	San Jose Earthquakes Earthquakes	34	6	3	25	41	78	-37	21