CARSON, Calif. - It took six regular-season meetings between Chivas USA and the Los Angeles Galaxy to form a true rivalry, but it took only one match to remind everyone that the rivalry will only continue to get better.
Chivas USA and the Galaxy finished in a scoreless draw Saturday but the result did not take away from the spectacle. Both sides gave valiant efforts with more than a touch of physicality. Great attacks were thwarted by greater saves as the Clasico ended in a draw for the first time.
"It was a good game, a derby game and kind of rough and tumble," Chivas striker Ante Razov said. "Both teams put their heart out there. Southern California should be proud that it's got a real rivalry."
Although Chivas dominated the stat sheet with a 10-3 advantage on shots and a 4-2 edge in shots on goal, both teams felt they could have walked away with the three points. Galaxy goalkeeper Kevin Hartman, as well as the post, thwarted Chivas on Saturday.
"We played pretty well at times in the game," Chivas 'keeper Preston Burpo said. "I thought they played well the last 15-20 minutes of the game. Hartman makes a great save off Garcia. We had a couple of other chances in the first half. (We) just couldn't put it in."
Chivas did well to rebound from a heart-wrenching loss to amateur side Roma FC of Dallas in Wednesday's U.S. Open Cup match. The effort was improved, players said, but the result was the same. Chivas did not score in 120 minutes against Roma FC and did not score in 90 minutes against the Galaxy.
"We just need to find a way now to make some plays when the games are on the line and I don't know what the magic formula is to make that happen," Chivas USA coach Bob Bradley said.
From the early stages of the game, Chivas put their faith in Juan Pablo Garcia. With penetrating runs down the center of the field and dangerous crosses from the right flank, Garcia was the game's most active player.
Early on, Garcia nearly scored on a clever chip. He stumbled in the penalty area after freeing himself from Galaxy defenders and chipped the ball over Hartman's head. The ball, though, hit the post and bounced harmlessly away.
Francisco Palencia had four shots, two on frame, and Sacha Kljestan was denied by the post in the second half. Chivas did well to get in position to score but could not finish the job.
"Throughout the game we tried (to) attack in good ways. We mixed up our attack pretty well but the goals didn't come," Bradley said. "You hope that if you continue to do the right things, make the right passes, make the right runs, have players who see openings and take guys on, you hope that all those things add up and help you score goals."
Chivas players said they need to continue putting themselves in dangerous positions and goals will come.
"We can't get frustrated," Chivas defender Claudio Suarez said. "Streaks like this happen but suddenly you could get a goal which could be followed by several more."
All of a sudden, Chivas games are loaded with meaning. On Thursday the club plays the Colorado Rapids, with whom they are tied for third place in the Western Conference. Saturday's game was just a glimpse of what awaits Chivas later on this season.
"These are what the games are going to look like in the playoffs," Razov said. "As games get closer and harder toward the end of the year, there aren't going to be any nice romps in the park where it's 4-0 like we had against some other teams."
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
