LOS ANGELES GALAXY v CHIVAS USA
THE HOME DEPOT CENTER, Carson, Calif.
7:30 p.m. PT (FSN-PT)
Sept. 30, 2006 (WEEK 27) / MLS Game #180
Over the past two years, the Super Clasíco has been developing more and more into a true rivalry. In the fourth meeting this season between the Home Depot Center denizens, the stakes couldn't get any bigger. For the Los Angeles Galaxy, anything but a victory and they will fail to reach the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time in the 11-year history of the league. For Chivas USA, a club which won just four games a year ago, a victory combined with a Real Salt Lake draw or loss in Kansas City, and they will claim a first-ever trip to the postseason.
REFEREE: Tim Weyland. SAR (bench): Craig Lowry; JAR (opposite): Nate Clement; 4th: Baldomero Toledo
MLS Career: 63 games; FC/gm: 31.3; Y/gm: 3.5; R: 18; pens: 17
MLS 2006: 9 games; FC/gm: 28.4 (avg: 28.8); Y/gm: 2.6 (avg: 3.61); R: 2 (MLS: 39); pens: 2 (MLS: 37)
Games involving Galaxy: P10 W4 L5 T1; FC/gm: 31.7; Y/gm: 3.6; R: 4; pens: 3
Games involving Chivas USA: P1 W0 L0 T1; FC/gm: 24.0; Y/gm: 2.0; R: 0; pens: 0
INJURY REPORT: LOS ANGELES GALAXY - OUT: FW Cornell Glen (L knee sprain); MF Kyle Martino (L hip surgery); QUESTIONABLE: DF Troy Roberts (groin strain); DF Nathan Sturgis (R groin strain) ... CHIVAS USA - OUT: FW Juan Francisco Palencia (R knee sprain); MF John O'Brien (R patella tendonitis); MF Mike Muñoz (R ankle surgery), MF Ramón Ramírez (L knee MCL surgery), FW Estuardo Sánchez (L foot surgery); QUESTIONABLE: MF Juan Pablo García (L adductor strain), FW Ante Razov (R adductor strain)
SUSPENDED: none
WARNINGS: SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: LA: Tyrone Marshall ... CHV: Tim Regan
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: LA: Chris Albright, Landon Donovan, Herculez Gomez, Ugo Ihemelu, Paulo Nagamura, Peter Vagenas ... CHV: Jason Hernandez, Sacha Kljestan, Carlos Llamosa, Francisco Mendoza, Lawson Vaughn
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
LEAGUE HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (7 meetings): Galaxy 5 wins (0 shootout), 11 goals ... Chivas USA 1 win (0 shootout), 4 goals ... 1 draw
GALAXY HOME GAME (3 meetings): Galaxy 2 wins (0 shootout), 6 goals ... Chivas USA 1 win (0 shootout), 3 goals ... 0 draws
This is the fourth of four league meetings scheduled this year between the Home Depot Center neighbors, the second as a Galaxy home game this season.
A year ago, the Galaxy swept the season series from their expansion ground-share partners, allowing just one goal in the four league meetings. The fourth meeting between the clubs took place at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum before 88,816 as part of a Club América-CD Guadalajara doubleheader - the second-largest crowd ever to see an MLS regular season game.
The Galaxy also claimed a 5-2 victory in the fourth round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, played Aug. 3 at the Track & Field Stadium at The Home Depot Center (Sequeira 4, Ramirez 20 - Jones 16, Ngwenya 36, Gomez 45, Donovan 89, Albright 91+)
Coaches record: Frank Yallop vs. CHV: P2 W0 L1 D1 ...Bob Bradley v LA: P27 W11 L11 D52006 (MLS):
4/15: CHV 1, LA 2 (Razov 46 - Glen 84, 90)
6/8: LA 1, CHV 2 (Gomez 27 - Razov 15, 21)
7/15: CHV 0, LA 0
The Home Depot Center residents have each won one meeting this season - in what was technically a road game for each - with the third meeting in a scoreless draw. On April 15, the Galaxy got two late goals in defeating Chivas USA 2-1 in the first Super Clasíco of 2006. Then on June 8, Chivas USA won for the first time against their in-stadium rivals, in a 2-1 victory, before finishing goalless on July 15.
In the first meeting, when Ante Razov turned home a pull-back from Juan Pablo Garcia seconds after the second-half restart, it was the first time ever Chivas had held a lead over the Galaxy.
But the Galaxy rescued the victory in dramatic fashion, Landon Donovan creating both goals for Cornell Glen. Donovan won a heading duel in the Chivas penalty area and Glen was there to sweep home the equalizer in the 84th minute.
Then four minutes into a scheduled seven minutes of stoppage time, then two struck again. Donovan set off on a mazy run through the heart of the Chivas defense, drifting to the right before swinging in a low cross that Glen volleyed home first-time.
On June 8, Chivas held on for their first victory in seven meetings all-time in all competitions against the Galaxy. With the Galaxy wearing yellow and blue, instead of their usual green and gold, mimicking CD Guadajalara's hated rivals Club América, it didn't take long for Chivas USA to strike in Frank Yallop's debut in charge of the Galaxy, Ante Razov scoring twice in the opening 21 minutes.
In the 16th minute, Francisco Mendoza drove in a curling cross from the left corner and Razov met it near the penalty spot with a full-blooded volley that sailed into the roof of the goal. Then five minutes he doubled the Chivas lead with another clinical finish, side-footing home a rolling shot from Sacha Kljestan, who received a sublime pass from Juan Francisco Palencia.
It took the Galaxy just six minutes to pull a goal back. A disjointed free kick outside the area was corralled by Herculez Gomez, who set off on a dribbling run across the field. He hit a rolling shot from 25 yards that slipped past Chivas 'keeper Preston Burpo and inside the right post.LAST MEETING
While there were no goals on July 15 in Carson, it wasn't through lack of trying. Juan Pablo Garcia and Sacha Kljestan each rattled the woodwork for Chivas, and Galaxy 'keeper Kevin Hartman also made a terrific save, getting down to his right to save an angled shot from Garcia.
The draw put an end to the Galaxy's three-game winning streak, though they have now not allowed a goal in their last 512 minutes of play. Chivas have lost just once over the last month, a span of eight games.
Here's Yallop's team (4-4-2): Kevin Hartman - Chris Albright, Troy Roberts, Tyrone Marshall, Nathan Sturgis - Quavas Kirk (Cobi Jones 55), Paulo Nagamura, Peter Vagenas, Josh Gardner - Landon Donovan, Herculez Gomez. [Substitutes Not Used: Benjamin Benditson, Steve Cronin, Michael Enfield, Alan Gordon, Kyle Martino, John Wolyniec]
Here's Bradley's team (4-4-2): Preston Burpo - Tim Regan, Jason Hernandez, Claudio Suarez, Jonathan Bornstein - Juan Pablo Garcia, Sacha Kljestan, Jesse Marsch, Francisco Mendoza (Orlando Perez 79) - Juan Francisco Palencia, Ante Razov. [Substitutes Not Used: Rene Corona, Brad Guzan, Carlos Llamosa, Rodrigo Lopez, Matt Taylor, Lawson Vaughn]
LOS ANGELES GALAXY
The Los Angeles Galaxy saw their playoff hopes put in real jeopardy last weekend, conceding a late penalty in allowing the Chicago Fire to capture a 2-1 victory last Saturday at Toyota Park. The Galaxy still sit in sixth place in the Western Conference with 33 points from 29 matches, three behind fifth-place Real Salt Lake and six adrift of the Colorado Rapids in the final playoff paying place in the division, with just three matches still to play. To reach the MLS Cup Playoffs for a record 11th time in 11 MLS seasons, the Galaxy cannot drop a point the rest of the way.
LAST MATCH
The teams were meeting for the first of two encounters over five days, with the U.S. Open Cup Final ahead at midweek at the same stadium. The Fire had lost just once in eight league games, while the Galaxy had just one win in their last four as they tried to maintain their record of reaching the postseason in every season in MLS history.
Chicago got off to a dream start, striking after just 33 seconds. Tony Sanneh flighted a long ball down the left flank, and Justin Mapp looped a cross to the back post where Chris Rolfe came sliding in to knock it home. It was the second-fastest goal in Fire history, and equaled the ninth-fastest in MLS history.
Fire goalkeeper Matt Pickens was called upon to make 10 saves on the evening, and he kept the Galaxy off the board until the 78th minute when Landon Donovan collected a pass at the edge of the area and lashed home the equalizer. The Galaxy had lost just once in six previous league matches when Donovan scores.
But just six minutes later the Fire again nosed in front. Tyrone Marshall pulled down Andy Herron inside the area, and referee Hilario Grajeda pointed to the spot. Herron neatly converted for his sixth goal in his last eight games for the Fire, ensuring Chicago would be the second team in the East to reach the postseason.
Galaxy head coach Frank Yallop made no changes to the team that played to a scoreless draw with the Colorado Rapids at home the weekend before.
Here's Yallop's team (4-4-2): Kevin Hartman - Chris Albright, Ugo Ihemelu, Tyrone Marshall, Ante Jazic - Cobi Jones (Quavas Kirk 66), Peter Vagenas, Paulo Nagamura (Stefani Miglioranzi 76), Santino Quaranta - Alan Gordon (Herculez Gomez 56), Landon Donovan. [Substitutes Not Used: Steve Cronin, Michael Enfield, Josh Gardner, Kyle Veris]
"I said to the guys, 'We only have ourselves to blame for this result.' If you look at general play, I thought we played great," Yallop said. "We dominated play, created some chances, but the result is a loss. That's disappointing."TEAM NEWS
Needing to get off to a good start, fighting for their playoff lives and desperate for a victory, the Galaxy conceded a goal after just 33 seconds. It equaled the ninth-quickest goal ever to be scored in MLS history, and by one second was the second-fastest goal ever conceded by the Galaxy.
"There were no surprises. We know that Justin Mapp is a great player and [Chicago] has offensive weapons. If you give them the opportunity to counter, they'll be successful," goalkeeper Kevin Hartman said. "To give up the goal so early in the game is disappointing because you're trying to put your stamp on the game and to give [a goal] up in the first minute, you know you're playing catch up a lot of the game. It's frustrating, but at the same time the year as a whole has been frustrating."
The Galaxy fought back to eventually level matters, but struggled to find a way past Fire goalkeeper Matt Pickens. "It's frustrating. We're fighting for our lives, then you give up a goal in the first minute and it puts you behind the 8-ball. It was an uphill climb from there," Donovan said.
Then came the penalty six minutes from the end. "I'm not over that moment. It's frustrating because I felt that we played very well most of the game. When it comes to football, you have to take chances when the come along," Yallop said. "We had enough to score more than one goal, and we give up two goals right when we didn't need to - right at the beginning of the game and right at the end."
On Wednesday evening, the teams met again at Toyota Park, this time in the U.S. Open Cup Final, and again the Fire got off to a brilliant start, scoring twice in the opening 16 minutes on their way to a 3-1 victory against the holders. It was the fourth U.S. Open Cup for the Fire, most among MLS clubs.
The Fire opened the scoring the 10th minute. Justin Mapp swung in free kick that C.J. Brown challenged for, the ball falling at the feet of Andy Herron. His shot across the face of goal bounced off a defender, and Nate Jaqua was well positioned to merely nod it over from almost on the line.
The home side doubled their lead six minutes later, and again Mapp was the provider. After quickly cutting back on the right flank, he drove in a cross and found Herron among three defenders, and his glancing header nestled inside the far post.
The Galaxy pulled a goal back just five minutes after the halftime break. After Chris Rolfe's was deflected onto the post, Matt Pickens made two tremendous saves, one on Santino Quaranta, the second on Alan Gordon. But he was powerless to control the rebound from the second, and Gordon hammered it into the back of an empty net.
But the Fire finished off the match two minutes from the end. Set completely on the left flank, Tony Sanneh delayed while Thiago stormed down the inside-right channel, and Sanneh slipped a pinpoint pass between Kevin Hartman and a sliding defender for Thiago to tap in and give the Fire the Dewar Trophy.
It was the third time in four Open Cup titles the Fire won on their home ground. They joined an elite group of five clubs that have won the 93-year-old national championship at least four times, and it was the ninth victory for a Chicago-based club.
I think the game was kind of, not over in the first 20 minutes, but we dug such a hole to get out against a team that's obviously very good at home. To be down 2-0 in 20-odd minutes was going to be tough," said Yallop. "(I'm) very disappointed in our start to the game defensively. You know, halftime I guess we had a good chat with them and they come out and they had a go. Our performance was not consistent for 90 minutes to be able to win a final."
Here's Yallop's team (4-2-3-1): Kevin Hartman - Chris Albright, Ugo Ihemelu (Herculez Gomez 77), Tyrone Marshall, Ante Jazic - Paulo Nagamura, Peter Vagenas - Santino Quaranta (Josh Gardner 88), Cobi Jones (Quavas Kirk 72), Landon Donovan - Alan Gordon. [Substitutes Not Used: Steve Cronin, Michael Enfield, Stefani Miglioranzi, Kyle Veris]
CHIVAS USA
Chivas USA moved to potentially within one victory of a playoff spot after getting past the Colorado Rapids for a 1-0 victory last Saturday at The Home Depot Center. Chivas now have 42 points from 29 matches and moved into second place in the Western Conference, a point ahead of Houston Dynamo and still three ahead of the Rapids, who hold down the final postseason berth by three points ahead of Real Salt Lake.
LAST MATCH
The teams came in tied for third place in the Western Conference, both with 39 points, three ahead of Real Salt Lake and just a point behind Houston Dynamo. Chivas had just two losses since July 8 (11 games), while the Rapids had just two wins in their last seven games.
Just as they had done a week before when they claimed a scoreless draw against the Galaxy on Victoria Street, the Rapids looked to close the game and break on the counter.
But Chivas found a way through in the 34th minute. A neat passing movement from Juan Pablo Garcia to Jonathan Bornstein saw the rookie slip Francisco Mendoza into the area. After skipping past defenders Dan Gargan and Aitor Karanka, Mendoza found himself alone in front of goal and nimbly slotted inside the right post past a diving Joe Cannon.
Nicolas Hernandez had a pair of quality chances in the second half, including one where he was in alone behind the Chivas defense, but Brad Guzan kicked that aside to preserve to put his side potentially one win away from a first-ever spot in the MLS Cup Playoffs.
Chivas USA head coach Bob Bradley made one change to the team that went down a man and still held on for a goalless draw with Houston Dynamo on the road the previous weekend. Tim Regan was suspended after being sent off, and Lawson Vaughn came in at right back in his place.
Here's Bradley's team (4-4-2): Brad Guzan - Lawson Vaughn (Jason Hernandez 76), Carlos Llamosa, Claudio Suarez, Orlando Perez (Jesus Morales 69) - Juan Pablo Garcia, Sacha Kljestan (Johnny Garcia 69), Jesse Marsch, Francisco Mendoza - Jonathan Bornstein, Ante Razov. [Substitutes Not Used: Esteban Arias, Preston Burpo, Matt Taylor, Brent Whitfield]
"When you have a team that comes in and is playing in that manner, you look for ways to break them down and take the lead. That was very important," Bradley said. "In the second half, I didn't think we put enough good soccer together but as a group we concentrated and nice to get three points."TEAM NEWS
Earlier in the week, Chivas forward Ante Razov had said other players needed to step up and contribute to the offense. Since Aug. 6, only Razov, Bornstein and Juan Pablo Garcia had scored in the run of play (Suarez has two penalty kicks in that span). With Mendoza's contribution, it will give defenses another player to focus on.
"It's nice to get the three points and move into second place. The game played out a lot like the way we expected," Bradley said. "We were fortunate to put a real good play together. Panchito, I think of late, has been in really good form. He's been very active on the field."
Said Razov: "We've got to get goals from everybody. The other teams have to know that we can strike from anywhere and tonight was a good example of that."
The Chivas shutout was their third consecutive game without allowing a goal. Over that stretch, Chivas has accumulated seven key points and moved from fourth place into second. The 305 minutes without allowing a goal is a club record.
"Brad [Guzan], I think, of late, is in good form," Bradley said. "When the ball comes into the box he seems very confident, he's very sure of himself, and that's what you want to see from your goalkeeper."
"We've been more intelligent in how we manage games," Chivas defender Claudio Suarez said. "They were desperate and throwing a lot of balls forward and I thought we handled that well."
The result will certainly turn up the heat on the Super Clasico. With a victory (and a Kansas City victory vs. Real Salt Lake), Chivas can clinch a postseason berth for the first time. In the process, a win will certainly eliminate the Galaxy from the postseason for the first time in history.
"I think," said Jonathan Bornstein, "it can be considered a first playoff game for us." Said Guzan: "We have our eye on the prize right now. We know it's a ways away, there still are a few more games. They're going to be tough games. Once you get in the playoffs, then anything can happen."
The Galaxy won the first six meetings between the clubs, but Chivas have taken a win and a draw in the past two. The ramifications of a win Saturday are not missed.
"When you talk about the Galaxy and its relationship to our club, guys get emotional," said Jesse Marsch. "It's not just saying it's the `Clasico.' It's not another game. There's more to it than I think anyone even understands. The guys here last year who got whipped by them harbor a lot of ill will toward them."
But unlike a season ago, a major theme this year with Chivas has been their stable of veteran performers. "We've had the veteran leadership in Paco (Palencia), Claudio (Suarez), Jesse (Marsch), Ante, all those guys have shown us what it takes to be successful," said Guzan. "We really showed our maturity and how much we've grown since last year."
