CHIVAS USA vs. COLUMBUS CREW
THE HOME DEPOT CENTER, Carson, Calif.
May 31, 2008 | 7:30 p.m. PT (FSN-W; ClbSN)
WEEK # 10 | GAME # 68
Chivas USA and the Columbus Crew meet for the second time this season when they come together for an interconference matchup on Saturday night at The Home Depot Center. When the clubs met about six weeks ago, it was one of the wildest games of the season so far, Chivas coming back from a two-goal deficit before the Crew prevailed with a late goal. That loss started a five-game winless run for Chivas; they've since rebounded with two consecutive victories. The Crew began a six-game unbeaten run with that triumph, which came to an end last weekend.
REFEREE:
Fernando Galvan. SAR (bench): Chris Strickland; JAR (opposite): Fabio Tovar; 4th: Baldomero Toledo
MLS Career: First game
INJURY REPORT:
CHIVAS USA - OUT: DF Jonathan Bornstein (L knee LCL sprain); FW Alecko Eskandarian (L groin strain); FW Maykel Galindo (R groin strain); DF Lawson Vaughn (facial fractures); MF Raphaël Wicky (R ankle sprain); DF Alex Zotinca (R knee ACL surgery); QUESTIONABLE: DF Claudio Suárez (R hamstring strain); DF Shavar Thomas (L hamstring strain) ... COLUMBUS CREW - OUT: MF Stefani Miglioranzi (L quad strain); FW Guilherme So (back strain), FW Jason Garey (L groin strain), FW Nicolas Hernandez (L knee bone bruise); QUESTIONABLE: DF Gino Padula (L knee MCL sprain)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES:
none
SUSPENDED:
none
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: CLB: Frankie Hejduk
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: CHV: Maykel Galindo; Jesse Marsch; Shavar Thomas
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (7 meetings): Chivas USA 3 wins, 10 goals ... Crew 2 wins, 10 goals ... Ties 2
AT CHIVAS USA: (3 meetings): Chivas USA 2 win, 4 goals ... Crew 1 win, 4 goals ... Ties 0
• This is the second of two meetings between the teams this season, the only one scheduled for The Home Depot Center.
• Chivas USA claimed the season series for the second successive year in 2007, the teams playing to a draw in Columbus, then Chivas USA winning at The Home Depot Center.
• The Crew have never defeated Chivas USA on their home ground. Chivas USA won in their first-ever trip to Columbus, on Oct. 1, 2005 (the club's first-ever away win), with the teams reaching draws each of the last two seasons in the Ohio state capital before the Crew victory earlier this year.
• After winning the first meeting ever between the clubs, the Crew didn't claim the full three points in any of the next five meetings, before snapping that string in the 4-3 win on April 12 this year.
• Coaches record: Preki v CLB: P3 W1 L1 D1 ... Sigi Schmid vs. CHV: P5 W1 L2 D2
LAST MEETING (MLS):
4/12: CLB 4, CHV 3 (Barros Schelotto 26; Moreno 35; Rogers 71, 82 - Kljestan 33; Marsch 72; Nagamura 78)
• The Columbus Crew grabbed a late winner to defeat Chivas USA 4-3 on April 12 at Crew Stadium, a wild game that saw Chivas come back from a two-goal deficit and finish the game with nine men.
• The Crew took the lead in the 26th minute when Guillermo Barros Schelotto converted from the penalty spot after Jim Curtin collided with Alejandro Moreno in the Chivas penalty area.
• Sacha Kljestan pulled Chivas USA level in the 33rd minute with a stunning goal, a wonderful curling effort from outside the area that sailed inside Crew 'keeper Will Hesmer's left-hand post. But Columbus took a lead into the break when Moreno scored two minutes later, sidefooting home a Schelotto pass as the two broke in alone on goal on the counter.
• Robbie Rogers made it 3-1 in the 71st minute, sent in behind the Chivas defense on the left by Schelotto and slotting home inside the near post.
• But Chivas got back to level terms with two goals inside seven minutes. Slipped through all alone behind a pulled-up Crew backline, Jesse Marsch raced in alone on goal before driving a low shot past Hesmer (72), then Paulo Nagamura took a square pass straight out from goal and curled a long-range shot that Hesmer could only tip on its way to the back of net.
• Yet just four minutes later the Crew hit for the winner. A long ball from the right from Danny O'Rourke sailed over a defender and was brought down by Rogers, who hammered a wicked low drive from outside the box that knuckled on its way to goal, sailing through Brad Guzan's hands in the Chivas goal for the winner.
• Chivas finished the game with nine men after Francisco Mendoza received a second caution and Kljestan saw a straight red in the final minutes.
• Here's Schmid's team (4-4-1-1): Will Hesmer - Frankie Hejduk, Chad Marshall, Danny O'Rourke, Gino Padula - Robbie Rogers, Brian Carroll, Adam Moffat (Stefani Miglioranzi 88), Eddie Gaven (Ezra Hendrickson 92+) - Guillermo Barros Schelotto - Alejandro Moreno. Substitutes Not Used: Brad Evans, Andy Gruenebaum, Nicolas Hernandez, Andy Iro, Guilherme So
• Here's Preki's team (4-4-1-1): Brad Guzan - Chris Pozniak (Eric Ebert 64), Jim Curtin, Shavar Thomas, Jonathan Bornstein - Keith Savage (Maykel Galindo 46), Jesse Marsch, Paulo Nagamura, Francisco Mendoza - Sacha Kljestan - Atiba Harris (Justin Braun 60). Substitutes Not Used: Anthony Hamilton, Daniel Paladini, Lance Parker, Claudio Suarez
CHIVAS USA
The rest of the Western Conference tightened up after Chivas USA went to Colorado and knocked off the previous leader, defeating the Rapids 2-1 for their second consecutive win. Chivas now have 11 points from nine matches on the season, sitting in fourth place in the division coming into the week, three points behind the leading LA Galaxy.
LAST MATCH
• The Rapids were looking to put together consecutive wins for the first time on the season after defeating Real Salt Lake at home the Thursday before, while Chivas USA stopped a five-game winless skid with a win against D.C. United in their previous outing.
• With as many as nine first-choice performers out to injury, Chivas look to defend in depth, then they broke through just before the halftime interval. Justin Braun collected the ball on the left of the area, laid it back to Jesse Marsch, and he cut inside before lashing a low drive inside the right-hand post for his second goal in as many games.
• Chivas then doubled their lead in the 79th minute. Carey Talley swung in a high free kick from near the halfway line. Jorge Flores leapt up and looped a header over Bouna Coundoul, the second goal in as many games for the Sueno MLS 2007 winner.
• Barely a minute later, the Rapids pulled a goal back through a wonder strike. Fully 35 yards from goal, Tom McManus sized up a shot and let fly, the ball sailing past Chivas 'keeper Brad Guzan and into the upper right corner.
• Chivas USA head coach Preki made two changes to the team that defeated D.C. United 3-1 the previous weekend, while completely altering his formation. Carey Talley made his first Chivas USA start, coming in on the right of a rebuilt back four, while Jorge Flores made his first MLS start, coming in on the left of the five-man midfield.
• Here's Preki's team (4-4-1-1): Brad Guzan - Carey Talley, Jim Curtin, Bobby Burling, Francisco Mendoza - Atiba Harris (Ante Razov 70), Jesse Marsch, Paulo Nagamura, Jorge Flores - Sacha Kljestan - Justin Braun (Eric Ebert 88). Substitutes Not Used: Kraig Chiles, Anthony Hamilton, Dan Kennedy, Daniel Paladini, Keith Savage
• "I thought the overall performance of the whole team was pretty good; we knew what we wanted to get here and we got it," Preki said. "We've got good momentum right now and hopefully next week against Columbus we can get another three points and get on top of the division."
TEAM NEWS
• Jesse Marsch has popped up to score goals in his last two games, and now has three on the season, one off the team lead held by Sacha Kljestan. It's the most goals Marsch has scored in a season since hitting for five in 2005, his final season with the Chicago Fire.
• "That was huge," Marsch said of his 45th-minute opener, "and we're obviously a different team when we get the first goal. The guys fought hard, and the soccer is getting better and better."
• Since hitting rock-bottom in a 5-2 loss to the Galaxy at The Home Depot Center - their third consecutive loss at the time - Chivas have won twice and tied once in their last four games.
• "Not only did the guys put a lot into it (against Colorado), also there was some good soccer out there," Marsch said. "I feel like our team is starting come around a little bit, and the soccer is starting to catch up with the group. If we can keep that going, I feel that we'll get more and more good results."
• As the Chivas injury crisis continues, the Red-and-White are starting to get results. "We've been missing a lot of guys, and now some of the younger guys are getting to help us," Preki said. "The more they play, the more comfortable they are becoming. They're doing a pretty good job for us. Tonight, they all fought very hard and executed the game plan pretty good."
• Once again, Preki was forced to cobble together a real makeshift back four. Carey Talley made his first appearance for Chivas USA, after being obtained a few weeks earlier from Real Salt Lake, while Francisco Mendoza moved to left back as Preki stayed with a back four from the start.
• Teams are approaching matches with Rapids by looking to shut down playmaker Christian Gomez, and it was something Chivas did with success with midfielder Paulo Nagamura.
• "The kid executed pretty good," Preki said. "I thought (Nagamura) played really well and played really disciplined. He made it difficult on Christian. We all know Christian is a good player, a quality player, a player who can change a game with one move."
• Bobby Burling started in central defense in his homecoming; he grew up not far from Commerce City in suburban Denver.
• "To come on the road and get three points, and to build on last week's win I think is huge. We got a game next Saturday; we're going back home and are just going to try to protect the home turf," Burling said. Said Preki of the play of his defense: "I told them they did a tremendous job tonight. I was very pleased with the way they played."
COLUMBUS CREW
The New England Revolution became the first team to defeat the Columbus Crew at home - and put an end to their six-game unbeaten streak - with a dramatic 1-0 victory Saturday night at Crew Stadium. The teams ended the weekend in a three-way tie, with the Chicago Fire, atop the conference and MLS overall table, all three with 19 points on the season.
LAST MATCH
• The Crew had seen a five-game winning streak end the previous weekend, but still hadn't lost since the second week of the season. The Revolution had overcome a long string of injuries with back-to-back wins for the first time on the season.
• The Crew held the balance of the chances over the opening 88 minutes, but the Revolution capitalized on the one they needed. Steve Ralston skipped across the top of the area, and when Ezra Hendrickson tripped him in the tackle, referee Richard Heron immediately gave the penalty.
• Shalrie Joseph took the spot kick, but for the third time on the season, Crew goalkeeper William Hesmer saved it, diving to his left to palm the shot away. But Kheli Dube was quickest to the rebound and knocked it home for his second goal on the season and the game-winner.
• Crew head coach Sigi Schmid maintained the same starting XI that played to a scoreless draw the weekend before at Toronto FC.
• Here's Schmid's team (4-1-3-1-1): William Hesmer - Frankie Hejduk, Chad Marshall, Danny O'Rourke, Ezra Hendrickson - Brian Carroll - Eddie Gaven (Emmanuel Ekpo 83), Brad Evans, Robbie Rogers - Guillermo Barros Schelotto - Alejandro Moreno. Substitutes Not Used: Jason Garey, Andy Gruenebaum, Andy Iro, Steven Lenhart, Adam Moffat, Jed Zayner
• "Sometimes that's the way it goes in soccer. I thought tonight we played fairly well when you look at our ability to possess the ball. We moved the ball forward. We were the better team in the first half and I thought we were the better team in the second half," Schmid said. "There was a period of time right before the penalty where, for some reason, we couldn't get the ball out of the back. I can't fault our guys for our effort."
TEAM NEWS
• It was the first loss since April 5 for the Crew, a 2-0 loss at New York in the second weekend of the season. It was also the first home loss on the campaign for a team that has not had a winning home record since the 2004 season.
• "The positive is that we're disappointed. The positive is, we played a team like New England, who is perennially one of the top teams in our division and I thought for the most part, when you look at just the game in and of itself, I thought we played well," Schmid said. "You're going to hit some speed bumps along the way as you play the season. This is a speed bump, but we've got to make sure it's not a detour and I'm confident it won't be."
• Still, it was a second consecutive shutout for the Crew. Over the last three games, they've scored three goals - all coming in a 10-minute span in the 3-2 victory at San Jose on May 10.
• "We'd be concerned if we weren't creating chances, if we were getting outplayed, but this a good team that came here from New England; it's a pretty solid team, a pretty experienced team," said Alejandro Moreno. "We were creating chances; we had a good rhythm to the game at times in the second half and at times in the first half, and it just wasn't meant to be. Now there have been times this season where we haven't played as well and we've been able to get a result, so it's just how the season goes."
• Once again, William Hesmer saved a penalty kick. He stopped Collin Samuel's effort for Toronto on March 29, then stopped Juan Pablo Angel's the next week against New York. He was beaten once, May 3 by Kansas City's Claudio Lopez.
• "That is definitely something to be proud of," said Hesmer. "Maybe it puts a little more pressure on opposing forwards and gives them a little something to think about when they are lining up a penalty kick."
• On Tuesday, the Crew advanced to the final play-in round of the U.S. Open Cup, defeating Real Salt Lake 2-0 at Crew Stadium. Steven Lenhart put the Crew ahead in the 25th minute, then four minutes after Dema Kovalenko was shown a red card, Robbie Rogers sealed the victory.
• Here's Schmid's team: Andy Gruenebaum, Jed Zayner, Chad Marshall, Danny O'Rourke, Ryan Junge, Emmanuel Ekpo (Andrew Peterson 85), Brian Carroll (Brad Evans 70), Adam Moffat, Robbie Rogers (Eddie Gaven 75), Alejandro Moreno (George Josten 77), Steven Lenhart. Substitutes Not Used: Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Will Hesmer, Andy Iro
• "It was their mixed lineup against our mixed lineup so it was comparable, but that's the thing I've been saying - I think we have some depth and we have people that come off the bench and can play, and I think that's shown tonight," said Schmid "I thought Steve [Lenhart] played well. He got some good chances and he scored a decent goal. With a little more composure at certain times he may have had two or three goals."
