Former Sounders key Chivas' win

It was fitting that the biggest roar of the night was for former Seattle Sounders forward Maykel Galindo.

Even though he was in the enemy red-and-white-and-gold stripes of Chivas USA of Major League Soccer (MLS), the crowd roared its loudest when Galindo scored.

Galindo, who lives in Seattle after defecting from his native Cuba in 2005, scored the go-ahead goal in his homecoming as Chivas USA downed the Sounders 3-1 in front of 5,599 fans in Saturday night's exhibition match at Qwest Field.

It was the second year in a row the teams met. Last year, then-Sounder Galindo and current teammate Preston Burpo collided, with Galindo breaking his nose, costing him much of the 2006 season.

Things went much better Saturday for Galindo in just one half of action.

"I'm very happy to come back home," said Galindo. "This was my first team and my first opportunity. I feel like a little kid coming back to his house."

Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer arrived to the bench just before kickoff, after attending the high-school graduation of his son, Colin, at Bishop Blanchet.

Galindo and former Sounder Burpo both started for Chivas USA in their return to Seattle.

"Playing for Seattle was like opening the door for a great opportunity," Galindo said. "I learned about the game and the level of play in the U.S. last year. It helped me a great deal to prepare for MLS."

Galindo, who played two seasons for the Sounders, has scored five goals for the third-year MLS club.

Burpo, who hasn't played in an MLS match in 2007 after starting much of 2006, made his second return trip with Chivas to Seattle, where he played for nine seasons.

Galindo gave Chivas a 2-1 lead with a left-footed angle shot into the right corner in the 27th minute, beating Sounders goalkeeper Chris Eylander to the right post. Galindo took a pass from Matt Taylor on a left-side run and converted from 12 yards away.

Galindo didn't play in the second half for Chivas (3-3-2). Seattle remained 3-4-3.

"He's a good player and we all knew it," Schmetzer said. "We all saw it here."

John Cunliffe snuck a short, left-footed shot inside the left post for a 3-1 Chivas lead in the 58th minute on a nifty feed from Francisco Mendoza.

Seattle stunned the MLS club for a 1-0 lead in the 12th minute when Frenchman Sebastien Le Toux volleyed a 10-yard shot off the left hand of Burpo into the right corner of the net. Le Toux's third goal of the season came off a long, looping pass from midfielder Leighton O'Brien from about 50 yards away on a free kick.

Chivas tied the score at 1-1 when Mexican National Team player Claudio Suarez put away a penalty kick into the left corner in the 14th minute. The goal came after Sounders defender Zach Scott was called for a hand ball in the penalty area.

"I wish we could've made it a little bit more exciting at the end," Schmetzer said. "The game changed with that early penalty. It would've made for a better game without that penalty."