CHIVAS USA DEPARTS TODAY FOR TEXAS PRO SOCCER FESTIVAL:
Chivas USA hits the road for the first time this preseason, heading to San Antonio on Monday ahead of the Texas Pro Soccer Festival, to be held March 5-9. The team is coming off scrimmage victories this past Friday against two college opponents, defeating U.C. Riverside 1-0, and U.C. Irvine 2-1, at The Home Depot Center. Now the team heads to Texas to face three Major League Soccer clubs, squaring off against D.C. United on Wednesday, March 5, the Houston Dynamo on Friday, March 7, and closing participation in the round-robin showcase on Sunday, March 9 against Toronto FC. More information can be found on the event's website, at www.texasprosoccerfest.com.
CHIVAS USA'S 28-PLAYER ROSTER FOR TEXAS PRO SOCCER FESTIVAL (BY POSITION):
Goalkeepers (3): Brad Guzan, Lance Parker, Sam Reynolds.
Defenders (8): Jonathan Bornstein, Bobby Burling, Jim Curtin, Jorge Flores, Claudio Suárez, Shavar Thomas, Lawson Vaughn, Alex Zotinca.
Midfielders (10): Kraig Chiles, John Cunliffe, Eric Ebert, Luciano Fusco, Jesse Marsch, Gerson Mayen, Paulo Nagamura, Daniel Paladini, Keith Savage, Raphaël Wicky.
Forwards (7): Justin Braun, Chukwudi Chijindu, Maykel Galindo, Anthony Hamilton, Atiba Harris, Arnaldo Salazar, Ante Razov.
Technical Staff: Preki Radosavljevic (Head Coach), Mike Matkovich (Assistant Coach), Leo Percovich (Goalkeeper Coach), Kevin Esparza (Team Administrator), Josh Beaumont (Head Athletic Trainer), Raul Guerrero (Equipment Manager), Miguel Torres (Massage Therapist).
CHIVAS USA 2008 :: SCHEDULE OF PRESEASON GAMES
DAY DATE EVENT TIME/LOCATION
Sat Feb 9 vs. UCLA W, 2-0 (Braun, Razov)
Tue Feb 12 vs. New York Red Bulls W, 1-0 (Razov)
Sat Feb 16 vs. Japanese U-23 National Team L, 4-0
Mon Feb 18 vs. D.C. United W, 1-0 (Salazar)
Sat Feb 23 vs. Columbus @ Santa Clarita, CA L, 2-1 (Harris)
Fri Feb 29 vs. UC Riverside W, 1-0 (Suárez)
Fri Feb 29 vs. UC Irvine W, 2-1 (Galindo, Chiles)
Wed Mar 5 vs. D.C. United @ San Antonio 8:30 p.m. (CT)
Fri Mar 7 vs. Houston Dynamo @ San Antonio 8:30 p.m. (CT)
Sun Mar 9 vs. Toronto FC @ San Antonio 3:00 p.m. (CT)
Sat Mar 15 vs. San Diego State 10:00 a.m.
Wed Mar 19 vs. Cal State Fullerton 10:00 a.m.
SUN MAR 30 @ FC Dallas (OPENING DAY) 12:00 p.m.
SAT APR 5 vs. Real Salt Lake (HOME OPENER) 7:30 p.m.
* Subject to change. Unless otherwise indicated, all times Pacific and all games at The Home Depot Center. For the latest information, please contact Chivas USA Communications.
FINAL 18 SET FOR 'SUEÑO MLS 2008: THE DREAM CONTINUES': 'Sueño MLS 2008: The Dream Continues,' has narrowed its field of hopefuls to just 18 players. The competition, a nationally-televised search to discover America's best undiscovered young soccer players, started with over 2,000 players from around the United States and several foreign countries over Presidents' Day Weekend in February, and had its round of 60 on Saturday, March 1. The 'Final 18' was selected after the day of try-outs, and will the weekend of March 8, before a match against the Chivas USA Under-16 Team on Thursday, March 13 at The Home Depot Center's Main Stadium. The top players will then be invited to train with Chivas USA and possibly earn a roster spot. A concurrent competition is running in Dallas, and the winner from each city will be announced live on Sunday, March 30, just hours before Chivas USA and FC Dallas open the season at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas. For more information on Sueño MLS please visit www.SuenoMLS.com.
KLJESTAN, U.S. U-23'S OPEN CAMP IN FLORIDA: Chivas USA midfielder Sacha Kljestan is currently training with the United States Under-23 National Team in Bradenton, Fla., ahead of the team's three group-stage CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying matches. The current training camp runs until March 9, when a final 20-player squad will travel to Tampa, Fla., for matches against Cuba on March 11, Panama on March 13, and Honduras on March 15. Kljestan recently spoke to MLSnet.com about playing against the home country of Chivas USA teammate Maykel Galindo: "He says 3-1 Cuba. I told him if Cuba scores on us, that's a win for him," Kljestan said. "He's always talking in my ear. We've got a little banter going on. He's all about Cuba right now." If Kljestan scores, he said, there might be more for Galindo. "Maybe I'll do his little dance that he does, his little samba-salsa dance for him. Then I'll point at the camera and say 'This one's for Galindo.'" Kljestan, who has four appearances with the full U.S. National Team, captained the U-23 squad in a tour of China in December.
'KICK-IT' ON SATURDAY, MARCH 15, AT BRANFORD PARK IN ARLETA: 'Kick-it at the Park L.A. with Chivas USA' continues Saturday, March 15, with a clinic at Branford Park at 13310 Branford Street in Arleta. Run in conjunction with the City of Los Angeles, and the L.A. Parks and Recreation Department, 'Kick-it' is a series of clinics that emphasize physical fitness, sports, and education for as many as 400 children at each of 40 locations throughout the year. A five-dollar fee gets participants 90 minutes of instruction, a voucher for a free ticket to a Chivas USA game, a t-shirt, soccer ball, and Certificate of Completion. Most recently, Chivas USA held a clinic at Cypress Recreation Center at 2630 Pepper Avenue in Los Angeles on March 1. For more information on the program, or to register for a clinic, visit www.kickitatthepark.com.
CHIVAGIRLS SET FOR 2008 TRYOUTS: The ChivaGirls, Chivas USA's performance and entertainment dance team, has auditions set for Saturday, March 8, for their 2008 squad. The event will take place in the Tennis Stadium at The Home Depot Center, and will include celebrity judges and television coverage for the aspiring dancers. A combination of performance, community involvement, and support for their team has seen the ChivaGirls set the standard for other MLS professional dance teams. Applications for the audition, as well as more information on the ChivaGirls, can be found on Chivas USA's website at www.cdchivasusa.com.
2008 OLYMPIC QUALIFYING GAME PACK: Chivas USA invites fans to experience international soccer with a special ticket deal that includes CONCACAF qualifying games. Fans can choose one from three Olympic qualifier doubleheaders and receive a ticket to the Red-and-White's home opener, on April 5 against Real Salt Lake. Ticket deals start as low as $33, and more information may be found by calling 1-877-CHIVAS-1 or by visiting www.cdchivasusa.com.
PREKI ELIGIBLE FOR HALL OF FAME: The National Soccer Hall of Fame released to voters its 2008 Players Ballot earlier this month, and Chivas USA Head Coach and 2007 MLS Coach of the Year Preki is now eligible for election for the first time. The National Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum included on the ballot a number of former stars from Major League Soccer and the United States national team. With two MLS MVP awards, 79 goals and 112 assists in a stellar 10-year MLS career, and 28 games with the United States National Team, Preki will need to receive 75 percent of the vote from media, coaches, administrators and Hall of Famers in order to be elected to the Hall of Fame. For more information, please visit www.soccerhall.org.
JUST $50 GETS YOU CHIVAS USA'S TOP FIVE GAMES OF 2008! Fans looking to see Chivas USA in 2008 have an opportunity to watch the five biggest games of the season with the Chivas USA 5-Game Plan, with packages starting at just $50. The five matches included in the set are the opening match of the season on April 5 against Real Salt Lake, June 19 against the Chicago Fire, July 5 versus the San Jose Earthquakes, August 14 against the Los Angeles Galaxy, and the closing game of the season, which doubles as Fan Appreciation night, October 25 against the Houston Dynamo. For more information please call 1-877-CHIVAS-1 or visit www.cdchivasusa.com.
