Through three games, Chivas USA have played a strong brand of soccer. But aside from their Opening Day barrage, the club has virtually nothing to show for their efforts.
With their last game -- a 2-1 loss to the Los Angeles Galaxy on April 15 -- now a full two weeks removed, Chivas USA return to action against the New York Red Bulls Saturday night at The Home Depot Center. Chivas will try to improve its 1-2 record against a team that is winless in four attempts.
Chivas striker Ante Razov said both sides will be determined to win, despite previous results.
"It will be two teams that will be hungry to get three points," Razov said. "Both teams need to get a win. They've had a tough stretch. We don't like the fact that we haven't played a game in two weeks after a tough game against the Galaxy."
Against their intra-city rivals, Chivas allowed two goals in the final six minutes to lose 2-1. A week before that, Chivas could not overcome a one-goal deficit and surrendered a late counterattack goal to lose 2-0.
Both games could have gone differently. Chivas squandered several scoring chances in both encounters that could have helped change the outcomes. And even though no points have been accumulated since the club's 3-0 win over Real Salt Lake on April 2, the bitter reality of not having put together a sustained 90-minute effort has spurred the club into action.
"We now are coming off two weeks in a row where we played well enough to win but didn't get any points. We (ended) up having a bye week, which (came) at a bad time," Chivas coach Bob Bradley said. "We're just trying to focus on coming off those last two games with a mentality now that we've got to learn from certain situations and that this is a very important game so we've got to come out strong."
The offense has come close many times over the last two games. However, aside from Razov's early second-half goal against the Galaxy, no Chivas possessions have ended in goals.
Still, when you count on players like Francisco "Paco" Palencia and Juan Pablo "Loco" Garcia, goals will come, Razov said.
"Loco and Paco, those guys are pretty good with the ball and they can make some nice passes. It makes my job a lot easier," Razov said. "We've just got to keep being dangerous and keep getting chances. We'll put them away. We've got to tighten some things up on the other side of the field. We've got to be smarter and tighter."
Even though the team has had some unfortunate luck, some feel it has been earned. And it is up to the team to alter that.
"[A] 1-2 [record] is the way it is. You can't change it," Chivas defender Tim Regan said. "You can say we were unlucky but you have to create your own luck. I don't believe that bounces didn't go our way. You score goals or you don't. You're up 1-0, you win 1-0."
Still, the resounding sentiment is that Chivas can and will turn the season around.
"I think we have potential to turn this around and make ourselves a good team this year," Regan said.
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
