CIBOLO, Tex. - In a battle of Major League Soccer's 2007 Eastern and Western Conference leaders, Chivas USA fell 2-1 to D.C. United here tonight in the Red-and-White's opening match of the inaugural Texas Pro Soccer Festival, a round-robin tournament featuring four MLS teams currently taking place in the greater San Antonio area.
Jorge Flores' left-footed volley from ten yards out put Chivas USA ahead in the 13th minute of the match, played under windy conditions at Byron P. Steele II High School Stadium. However, D.C. United would equalize three minutes later through Quavas Kirk, with Cesar Hermengildo adding the winner in the 27th minute to seal the deal for the 2007 Supporters' Shield Winners.
In the first match of the evening's Texas Pro Soccer Festival doubleheader, the 2007 MLS Cup Champion Houston Dynamo defeated Toronto FC 4-3.
Chivas USA 1:2 D.C. United
MLS Preseason Exhibition - March 5,2008 - 8:30 pm CT - Texas Pro Soccer Festival, Day 1
Byron P. Steele II High School Stadium - Cibolo, Texas
Scoring Summary:
CHV - Jorge Flores 13
DCU - Quavas Kirk (Justin Moose) 16
DCU - Cesar Hermengildo (Franco Niell) 27
Lineups:
Chivas USA (4-4-2): Lance Parker; Gerson Mayen, Shavar Thomas, Bobby Burling, Eric Ebert; Jorge Flores, Daniel Paladini, Kraig Chiles, Keith Savage (Chukwudi Chijindu 62); Justin Braun, Anthony Hamilton (Arnaldo Salazar 84).
Chivas USA Head Coach: Preki Radosavljevic
D.C. United (4-4-2): Jose Carvallo; Quavas Kirk (Galen Thompson 86), Domenic Mediate, Pat Carroll, Ryan Cordeiro; Justin Moose (David Blumer 86), Dan Stratford (Dane Murphy 76), Rod Dyachenko, Santino Quaranta (Josh Gardner 33); Franco Niell (Guy-Roland Kpene 59), Cezar Hermenegildo (Jamil Walker 67).
D.C. United Head Coach: Tom Soehn
Cautions:
None.
Ejections:
None
Referee: Jair Manuffo
Assistants: Jason Cullum, Greg Boles
Weather: Windy, 58F
[All statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial.]
Earlier in the day, Chivas USA and D.C. United also scrimmaged at the Soccer International Complex in nearby Schertz, Texas.
With each club traveling a full complement of players, Chivas USA Head Coach Preki and D.C. United Head Coach Tom Soehn agreed to divide their squads in two and play two matches in one day.
Chivas USA fell by the same scoreline, 2-1, in the morning scrimmage, on goals by Luciano Emilio (35') and Franco Niell (83'). Paulo Nagamura equalized for the Red-and-White in the 62nd minute.
Chivas USA 1:2 D.C. United
MLS Preseason Scrimmage - March 5, 2008 - 10:30 a.m. CT
Soccer International Practice Fields - Schertz, Texas
Scoring Summary:
DCU - Luciano Emilio (Marcelo Gallardo, Marc Burch) 35
CHV - Paulo Nagamura (Lawson Vaughn) 62
CHV - Franco Niell (Santino Quaranta, Dan Stratford) 83
Lineups:
Chivas USA (4-4-2): Sam Reynolds; Alex Zotinca (Gerson Mayen 73), Claudio Suarez, Jim Curtin, Jonathan Bornstein; Luciano Fusco (Lawson Vaughn 45) Jesse Marsch, Paulo Nagamura (Keith Savage 62), Raphaël Wicky (Chukwudi Chijindu 85); Ante Razov, Atiba Harris.
Chivas USA Head Coach: Preki Radosavljevic
D.C. United: Zach Wells; Bryan Namoff (Santino Quaranta 72), Gonzalo Peralta, Gonzalo Martinez, Marc Burch; Devon McTavish, Clyde Simms (Dan Stratford 60), Marcelo Gallardo (Rod Dyachenko 85), Fred (Domenic Mediate 72); Jaime Moreno (Franco Niell 72), Luciano Emilio.
DC United Head Coach: Tom Soehn
Cautions:
CHV - Paulo Nagamura 34
DCU - Clyde Simms 51
CHV - Atiba Harris 89
Ejections:
DCU - Fred 70
Referee: Terry Vaughn
Assistants: Patrick Pineda, Chris Mercado
Weather: Sunny, 70F
[All statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial.]
Chivas USA goalkeeper Brad Guzan did not see action for the Red-and-White in either match; the 24-year-old suffered a mild left knee MCL sprain at the team's training session Monday at The Home Depot Center and is scheduled to return to Southern California tomorrow morning for treatment. The reigning MLS Goalkeeper of the Year is expected to be out for several weeks with the injury.
Chivas USA will hold a light training session tomorrow at 11:15 a.m. CT at Soccer International. The Red-and-White play their second of three games in the Texas Pro Soccer Festival on Friday at 8:30 p.m. CT at Steele Stadium, before closing out the tournament against Toronto FC Sunday at 3:00 p.m. CT.
