CARSON, Calif. - No matter how many positives Chivas USA take from their 2006 campaign, the club will remember the season as having ended prematurely at Houston.
Entering the second leg of the playoff series between Chivas USA and Dynamo, Chivas USA held a 2-1 edge. But Dynamo won the return match 2-0 and went on to win MLS Cup 2006.
Chivas USA will have a shot at some redemption Saturday when the club visits Houston. Much like games have typically played out between the two sides, Chivas USA expects a tough and physical match that will be anything but friendly.
"Every time we've played them, from the preseason games on, there is a lot of physical play and dislike just from the way they play," Chivas USA defender Claudio Suarez said. "We know how difficult it's going to be. We're preparing well for the game and we know what it's going to be like. We've got a good foundation like we showed against Toronto and we're going to go from there."
A year ago in their league season series, each team finished with a win and a draw at home. In each of those matches, the clubs fought hard against each other on the field. Chivas USA midfielder Jesse Marsch said he developed a respect for Houston because of the club's hard play and work ethic on the field.
"I have a lot of respect for the way those guys play for each other. If I were the coach of that team I'd be pretty proud of them especially watching them play Pachuca the way they did in that second leg (of the CONCACAF Champions' Cup)," Marsch said. "That's kind of what they're all about is playing for each other. Even when they don't get every play right they don't ... complain. They just get after it the next play and try and make it as hard as they can on the team they're playing against."
Houston's hard work paid off for Dynamo and cost Chivas USA a shot at hosting the Western Conference final last season. Houston got the breaks as Chivas USA suffered through a disappointing and stinging loss. Then-captain Francisco Palencia was sent off an hour into a scoreless match. In the 64th minute, Brad Davis converted a penalty kick and Brian Ching won the series with a goal three minutes into stoppage time.
After the match, though, sparks flew.
"Losing like that hurt," Suarez said. "After they won, they taunted us and that sort of created the dislike between us. At the end Juan Pablo (Garcia) makes a mistake and has a hard foul and then afterward there was a bit of a brawl. We know that those kinds of things happen because of the passion that we feel on the field."
As the final whistle sounded, "Loco" Garcia tackled Davis from behind in a play that touched off a brawl. It's not necessarily something players think of fondly.
"It's certainly not the way we wanted it to end with the foul that Loco committed," said Chivas USA striker Ante Razov, who missed the game due to injury. "That's not the kind of club we are and we don't really want to be a part of that."
After the ensuing scrap, Garcia and Suarez were fined a combined $2,750 while Houston's Ricardo Clark was fined an additional $500.
"So that kind of all turns into pushing and shoving but in reality it was one person who did a selfish act and something that was dirty to be honest," Razov said. "Yeah it was a hard-fought series. It was chippy and hard but that's what it is. They were probably upset about it and rightfully so. If their guy would have taken out one of our guys like that with us winning we probably would have been upset too."
Now that the dust has settled and a new season has began, Chivas USA players said they want to improve on their poor results in Houston a year ago.
"Certainly we have something to give back to them after they knock us out," Marsch said. "I hope we show up to play and hope we're sharp and make it hard on them."
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
