Meram scores twice, Crew beat Chivas USA 3-0

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Justin Meram scored the first two goals and Bernardo Anor added a third in the Columbus Crew's 3-0 victory over Chivas USA on Saturday.

Meram opened the scoring for the Crew (9-9-9) in the 52nd minute, curling a strike around goalkeeper Dan Kennedy into the bottom-right corner. He scored again 7 minutes later after he intercepted a careless cross in the middle of the Chivas USA (6-15-6) backfield. From there, Meram took it himself and scored from just outside the box.

Anor scored in the 80th minute on a header off Hector Jimenez's cross. The victory moved the Crew into a three-way tie for third place in the Eastern Conference.

Chivas USA played a compact defensive strategy in its second game without leading scorer Erick Torres, who was called into duty for the Mexican national team. Chivas has lost four in a row and has a nine-game winless streak.