Chivas USA fell 3-1 to Tapatío, Chivas de Guadalajara's Primera 'A' side, in a tightly contested MLS preseason scrimmage this morning on Field 2 of the Multigol complex adjacent to Chivas de Guadalajara's Verde Valle training center.
Chivas USA Head Coach Preki Radosavljevic used the match to take a closer look at several guest players currently training with the Red-and-White, while former Chivas USA defender Carlos Borja scored the eventual winner for the local side.
The two sides traded goals from the penalty spot late in the first half. Max Pérez opened the scoring for Tapatío in the 35th minute, after Ante Jazic was judged to have fouled Pérez inside the area. Nine minutes later, Jesse Marsch made it 1-1 after Eduardo Rivera's foul on Eduardo Lillingston.
At halftime, Preki made eight substitutions, with only Dan Kennedy, Javier Ledesma and Michael Lahoud remaining on the field for the final 45 minutes. Tapatío took the lead in the 47th, as Borja scored off a header from César Valdovinos' cross. The home side added a final goal in the 79th through Ulises Dávila.
[For photos and a full audio quote sheet with reactions to today's scrimmage, please visit Dentro del Rebaño (Inside the Flock), Chivas USA's official bilingual blog, at chivas-usa.blogspot.com.]
On Friday, Chivas USA returns to Multigol for a light regeneration session, scheduled for 9:30 a.m. local time (7:30 a.m. PT). The team will be joined by U.S. National Team players Sacha Kljestan and Jonathan Bornstein, who arrive in Guadalajara this evening from Columbus, Ohio.
Chivas USA players will have Saturday off before returning to training Sunday morning at Club San Javier in Zapopan. The team is scheduled to return to Los Angeles on Tuesday evening.
Tapatío (Chivas de Guadalajara Primera 'A') 3:1 Chivas USA
MLS Preseason Scrimmage - Thursday, Feb. 12, 2009
Multigol Field #2, Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico
Goals:
TAP - Max Pérez (PK) 35
CHV - Jesse Marsch (PK) 44
TAP - Carlos Borja (César Valdovinos) 47
TAP - Ulises Dávila (unassisted) 79
Chivas USA First Half Lineup (4-4-2): Dan Kennedy - Carey Talley, Shavar Thomas, Javier Ledesma, Ante Jazic - Michael Lahoud, Diego Scotti, Jesse Marsch(C), Gerson Mayen - Justin Braun, Eduardo Lillingston.
Chivas USA Second Half Lineup (4-4-2): Dan Kennedy - Dan Gargan, Jim Curtin, Javier Ledesma, Miguel Briceño - Michael Lahoud, Paulo Nagamura(C), Gilson Tussi, Jamie Franks - Román Cuello, Alecko Eskandarian.
Head Coach: Preki Radosavljevic
Tapatío Lineup (3-4-3): Sergio Rodríguez (Gerson Marín 64') - Carlos Borja, Alejandro Galván, Eduardo Rivera (Michel Oviedo 64') - Jorge Cárdenas (Jesús Sánchez 64'), Alan Ramírez, César Valdovinos, Max Pérez - Adriel Ochoa (José Luis Verduzco 57'), Ulises Dávila, Miguel Ponce.
Head Coach: Germán López
Weather: Sunny, 80F
