Though Chivas USA will play just their fourth game of the 2008 Major League Soccer campaign, the club already faces a rematch from earlier this year.
Chivas USA opened the season with a 1-1 draw at FC Dallas and now will host the Texas club at The Home Depot Center. But in another odd scheduling quirk, the meeting will be the final scheduled match between Chivas USA and FC Dallas this year.
With no more opportunities to take points away from FC Dallas, Sunday's match could have postseason implications.
"It's very possible that there could be a tiebreaker with them down the line," Chivas USA midfielder Jesse Marsch said. "This in a lot of ways could be an important game early on in the season and here we are missing a bunch of guys. Since they've played us they've had a good run. We've got to make sure that we're ready for a tough game."
Chivas USA welcomed injured players Ante Razov and Lawson Vaughn back to training earlier this week and both could play a role in Sunday's match. Maykel Galindo continued his own progress as well while Claudio Suarez appears to be on track for overcoming his own fitness issues.
If the players can overcome their respective concerns, they will have a challenge in front of them. FC Dallas has yet to lose this season as the Hoops enter with a 1-0-2 mark. Against New York a week ago, FC Dallas finally pieced together a strong 90-minute defensive effort in beating the Red Bulls 2-0.
"They are on a good roll right now," Chivas USA coach Preki said. "Almost everybody is fit and they feel good about themselves. It'll be a hard game but we don't expect any easy games."
Chivas USA players said that the emphasis on Sunday will be to walk away with the full three points as opposed to last time out against FC Dallas. The Red-and-White allowed an early goal but Galindo bailed the club out with a late equalizer on March 30.
It wasn't ideal but players said that was a step in the right direction.
"We got an OK result at their house," Bornstein said. "A 1-1 tie is not horrible but when they come here you definitely want to win, and if it comes down to head to head or goal differential whatever it comes down to if it comes down to that (at the end of the season) it would help."
A week ago, Chivas USA dropped its first game of the season in a 4-3 setback in Columbus. Players and coaches said the club's lack of early season form is not something surprising.
"We're trying to understand that it's going to take a lot of hard work early in the season there are ups and downs," Marsch said. "I've never been on a team that from the get-go has been sharp right away and you can classify this team in that category."
Still, whether it is Keith Savage, Justin Braun or another young player who steps into the fray, as well as the veteran players, everyone will have to up their level in order to get the team going in the right direction.
"Now it's time for everybody just to understand the hard work that goes into it every day and what it's going to be like," Marsch said. "We're going to have to count on different guys that we have around for instances like this to step up and understand how we play and some of the things we're trying and see if they can help up out a bit."
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
