OUT: DF Eric Ebert (R knee lateral meniscus surgery); GK Zach Thornton (L hamstring tear); DF Lawson Vaughn (L ankle ligament insufficiency); MF Raphael Wicky (R ankle surgery); QUESTIONABLE: FW Maykel Galindo (sports hernia surgery); MF Paulo Nagamura (R knee sprain); FW Ante Razov (R calf strain); PROBABLE: DF Carey Talley (concussion)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: CHV: Shavar Thomas (Jamaica; vs. Mexico, Oct. 11); Sacha Kljestan (USA; vs. Cuba, Oct. 11)
SUSPENDED: none
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: SJ: Ramiro Corrales, Eric Denton, Nick Garcia, Jason Hernandez ... CHV: Sacha Kljestan, Jesse Marsch, Daniel Paladini, Shavar Thomas
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: SJ: Kelly Gray ... CHV: Jonathan Bornstein, Maykel Galindo, Atiba Harris, Ante Razov, Sasha Victorine
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (6 meetings): Earthquakes 2 wins, 9 goals ...Chivas USA 1 win, 6 goals ... Ties 3
AT SAN JOSE (2 meetings): Earthquakes 1 wins, 6 goals ... Chivas USA 0 wins, 3 goals ... Ties 1
• This is the third of three meetings between the clubs this season, the first ever meeting at Buck Shaw Stadium. In the two matches this year at The Home Depot Center, Chivas USA won the first 1-0, before the teams played to a scoreless draw in the second.
• When Chivas USA defeated the Earthquakes in the first meeting this season, it was their first win ever against San Jose.
• When the Earthquakes were last in the league, in Chivas USA's inaugural season, the then-expansion club did not win any of the four meetings.
• After draws in the first two meetings, the Quakes took the second two, once at each home ground.
• The 3-3 draw between the clubs on April 9, 2005 at Spartan Stadium, though, was the first point registered by Chivas USA and their first goals second, in the second game of their history.
• Coaches record: Preki v SJ: P2 W1 L0 D1 ... Frank Yallop vs. CHV: P9 W2 L4 D3
THIS SEASON (MLS):
7/5: CHV 1, SJ 0 (Razov 88)
8/23: CHV 0, SJ 0
• A dramatic goal from Ante Razov gave Chivas USA a 1-0 victory against San Jose Earthquakes on July 5 at The Home Depot Center.
• The Earthquakes narrowly missed a chance to take the lead in the 37th minute when a long-range blast from Ramiro Corrales beat Brad Guzan in the Chivas goal, but crashed off the base of the goalpost. Chivas also found the woodwork twice themselves, from a Bobby Burling header in the 41st minute, then a Razov effort midway through the second half.
• Then in the 88th minute, Chivas won a free kick straight out from goal. Razov whipped his effort over the San Jose wall and inside the right-hand post past Joe Cannon's despairing dive, for the game-winner.
• The teams met for a second time on Aug. 23 in Carson, playing to a scoreless draw.
• Both goalkeepers stood tall. Chivas USA seemed to have taken the lead in the 73rd minute, but an apparent goal from Alecko Eskandarian was ruled out for offside.
• Then five minutes from the end, Ronnie O'Brien had a terrific chance to give the Quakes a dramatic winner, but Zach Thornton made a superb save to preserve the scoreless draw.
• Here's Preki's team (4-4-2): Zach Thornton - Jonathan Bornstein, Jim Curtin, Shavar Thomas, Francisco Mendoza - Kraig Chiles (Alecko Eskandarian 59), Sacha Kljestan, Paulo Nagamura, Jorge Flores (Daniel Paladini 86) - Atiba Harris, Ante Razov. Substitutes Not Used: Bobby Burling, Dan Kennedy, Roberto Nurse, Claudio Suarez, Lawson Vaughn
• Here's Yallop's team (4-4-2): Joe Cannon - James Riley, Jason Hernandez, Nick Garcia, Eric Denton - Ronnie O'Brien, Ramiro Corrales (Kelly Gray 14), Francisco Lima, Darren Huckerby - Scott Sealy (Ned Grabavoy 84), Arturo Alvarez (Ryan Johnson 59). Substitutes Not Used: Ryan Cochrane, John Cunliffe, Michael Gustavson, Jovan Kirovski
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES
The San Jose Earthquakes kept alive their bid for a spot in the MLS Cup Playoffs, coming away from north Texas with a 1-1 draw against FC Dallas on MLS Primetime Thursday at Pizza Hut Park. The Earthquakes are still in sixth place in the Western Conference with 30 points from 26 matches, four behind Colorado and FC Dallas, but with a game in hand.
LAST MATCH
• Two teams in real need of points to keep touch with the playoff eight met. The Earthquakes had seen their nine-game unbeaten run come to an end at home the week before, while FC Dallas had righted their ship with back-to-back wins.
• A taut first half was followed with the opener in the 58th minute. A driven ball out of the back bounced past a flick-on attempt from a San Jose striker, allowing Ryan Johnson to race in alone toward goal, and he slipped a rolling shot under the advancing Dario Sala for his fifth goal.
• But in the final minute of regulation time, a Blake Wagner cross from the right was adjudged to have been knocked down an arm from San Jose midfielder Francisco Lima, and referee Abbey Okulaja gave the penalty. Kenny Cooper converted for his 16th goal on the campaign and a truly precious point for FC Dallas.
• Earthquakes head coach Frank Yallop made one change to the team that lost 3-2 to Real Salt Lake the weekend before. James Riley returned to the team, coming back into the back four in place of Ryan Cochrane.
• Here's Yallop's team (4-4-2): Joe Cannon - James Riley, Nick Garcia, Jason Hernandez, Eric Denton - Ronnie O'Brien (Ryan Johnson 57), Ned Grabavoy, Francisco Lima, Darren Huckerby - Arturo Alvarez (Shea Salinas 71), Scott Sealy (Jovan Kirovski 89). Substitutes Not Used: Ryan Cochrane, Mike Graczyk, Kelly Gray, Davide Somma
TEAM NEWS
• After seeing their unbeaten run come to an end the weekend before against Real Salt Lake, San Jose went to Dallas knowing they needed the full three points - which it seemed they had come away with, until the late penalty.
• "I thought we possessed the ball well," Yallop said. "In the first half, I didn't quite feel the urgency was there. We were fighting for our lives but I didn't get that feeling and I told them. We can talk about tactics and all the stuff we're going to talk about, but if you don't apply yourself, you're not going to win the match. I thought they did well in the second half."
• Signed just before the start of the season, Johnson spent most of his early time in MLS as a defender, though he is a preferred midfielder. However, he had a stretch of 11 consecutive games started as a striker this season, from May 22 to July 27.
• "Ryan's done a terrific job for us this year, whether it's starting a game or coming off the bench," Yallop said. "One of the roles he's been asked to do is he always uses his back. He's a big strong kid and he loves to play. He wants to get on the field and play. He's like a caged animal really. He's ready to go every time I put him on and it showed tonight. It was a great finish to come off the bench with his first touch."
• On Tuesday, the Quakes defeated El Salvador's CD F.A.S. 2-1 in a friendly at Buck Shaw Stadium. Mikel Arce and Jovan Kirovski scored in the first half, while Alejandro de la Cruz countered in the second half for the visitors.
• Ahead of the Chivas game, Yallop opted to rest all of his starters. Here's Yallop's team: Mike Graczyk (Michael Gustavson 62), Ryan Cochrane (Eric Denton 79), Jay Ayres, John Cunliffe, Jamil Roberts, Kelly Gray, Matt Hatzke (Michael Ghebru 46), Jovan Kirovski, Shea Salinas, Mikel Arce, Davide Somma
• "The guys that have played in [the FAS] game I can use Saturday no problem," said Yallop. "They'll be game sharp; they'll know the game pressure rather than a reserve game if you like."
CHIVAS USA
Chivas USA solidified their place in the Western Conference, continuing D.C. United's misery with a 3-0 win Saturday at RFK Stadium. Chivas now have 39 points from 27 matches, sitting in second place in the West, four points behind the Houston Dynamo and now four points ahead of third-place Real Salt Lake.
LAST MATCH
• D.C. United had gone winless in their last five league games to drop out of a playoff spot, while Chivas USA had four wins in their last five games to move into solid ownership of second place in the West.
• Alecko Eskandarian once again popped up to victimize one of his former clubs, putting Chivas USA into the lead in the 35th minute. A poor clearance from goalkeeper Louis Clayton was intercepted by Chivas debutant Dejair, and he found Eskandarian straight out from goal, who merely had to roll into the unguarded net for his fifth tally on the season.
• Eskandarian then played a part in putting the game as Chivas scored twice in 13 minutes. In the 56th minute, Eskandarian's low, hard shot from the left was stopped by Crayton, but the Liberian international couldn't hold on to the ball. Sasha Victorine pounced on the loose ball and slammed it into the net for his third goal of the season, and second since being traded to Chivas from Kansas City.
• Then in the 68th minute, Eskandarian got free down the left after a nice combination with Sacha Kljestan and sent a rolling ball to the far post where it snuck between a defender and Crayton and Dejair slid it to poke it home for his first MLS goal.
• Chivas USA head coach Preki made one change to the team that defeated the Kansas City Wizards 2-1 at The Home Depot Center the previous weekend. With Ante Razov injured, Dejair made his first Chivas appearance, starting in attack.
• Here's Preki's team (4-4-2): Dan Kennedy - Alex Zotinca, Claudio Suarez, Shavar Thomas, Francisco Mendoza (Jonathan Bornstein 54) - Atiba Harris, Jesse Marsch, Sasha Victorine, Sacha Kljestan (Justin Braun 82) - Alecko Eskandarian, Dejair (Jorge Flores 75). Substitutes Not Used: Bobby Burling, Jim Curtin, Roberto Nurse, Lance Parker
TEAM NEWS
• Once again, Preki was forced into a change in his team after Ante Razov was out with a calf injury suffered in the Kansas City game the weekend before. Chivas have fielded 25 different lineups in 27 games this season.
• "We try to play football," Preki said. "We don't worry about who's here and who's not here. Obviously we try to always play the same way, of keeping the ball on the ground and getting everybody moving, and we've been successful with that. With people missing, it's tough luck. Hopefully someone will be back and we'll be even better, but right now, we're happy the way things are going."
• Chivas USA have now won three games in a row, and five of their last six to pull themselves into second place in the Western Conference. If a number of results go their way this weekend, Chivas could qualify for a place in the MLS Cup Playoffs.
• "We'll take one game at a time -- we don't want to get too high and overconfident," Preki said. "We just got to make sure that everybody has their feet on the ground and keep working on things that we are working on and hopefully good things will happen."
• In addition, it was a second shutout in three games for Dan Kennedy, who has won three consecutive games in the four since he has been installed as the starting goalkeeper.
• "You know it's always the first priority to win; second one is to shut out. To be able to keep that, I thought the team played exceptionally well," Kennedy said. "I think it was two times I was called upon to make the saves, I was glad I was able to make those saves and make this performance stick in everyone's mind."
• Signed by Chivas USA on Sept. 15 yet having been with the club barely a week while awaiting his visa, Dejair started and scored in his MLS debut. "I don't think he even knows the guys' names in the locker room," said Preki. "He's been here seven days and speaks very little English, so to step out on the field and contribute like he did tonight was great."
• Alecko Eskandarian continued his remarkable record of scoring against his former clubs. After spending four seasons with D.C. United, he was traded to Toronto FC before the start of the 2007 season. He scored two goals last year - his first, for TFC, against United. Then his second came after his trade to Real Salt Lake - against Toronto. This year, Eskandarian has five goals. Two have come against RSL, one against Toronto, and one against United - only his goal against Kansas City on Sept. 27 did not come against a former team.
• For Chivas USA to clinch a playoff spot this weekend, they must defeat San Jose, AND have either Real Salt Lake or New York win on Thursday, AND have Kansas City AND D.C. United fail to win on Saturday. OR, if both FC Dallas and Colorado fail to win their matches AND Chivas USA wins, they will also qualify.
