CHIVAS USA STARTS BUSY WEEK WITH MATCH AT THE DYNAMO ON WEDNESDAY:
Chivas USA faces a stretch of four matches in 11 days when it takes on the Houston Dynamo this Wednesday, Aug. 20, at 6:00 p.m. PT at Robertson Stadium. With a record of 7-4-8 (W-L-T) and 29 points, the Dynamo captured first place in MLS's Western Conference on Saturday with a 4-3 home win over Real Salt Lake. Chivas USA, with a 6-8-5 record (W-L-T) and 23 points, is in sixth place in the West, just two points out of a playoff spot. The crucial battle will be broadcast live on KAZA Azteca 54 in Los Angeles, and will be tape-delayed on FSN West at 8:00 p.m. PT, with pregame starting at 7:30 p.m. PT.
VICE-CAPTAIN JESSE MARSCH TO MISS SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS WITH FRACTURED JAW:
Chivas USA midfielder and vice-captain Jesse Marsch could be out of game action for between six and eight weeks after suffering a fractured jaw in Thursday's 2-2 draw with the LA Galaxy. Marsch was diagnosed with the injury after receiving a blow to the face from the Galaxy's Sean Franklin in the 78th minute of the match. His jaw was wired shut on Friday and will remain so for the first four weeks of his recovery. Through the first 19 games of the season, the Red-and-White have missed a total of 91 man-matches - or an average of to 4.79 players missing per game due to injury (not counting international absences).
INJURIES (11):
Justin Braun: Right ankle sprain; Out
Jesse Marsch: Fractured jaw; Out
Lawson Vaughn: Right knee sprain; Out
Raphaël Wicky: Right ankle surgery; Out
Alex Zotinca: Right knee surgery; Out
Maykel Galindo: Sports hernia surgery; Questionable
Jonathan Bornstein: Right hip strain; Probable
Alecko Eskandarian: Sports hernia surgery; Probable
Jorge Flores: Right ankle tendonitis; Probable
Ante Razov: Left knee sprain; Probable
Claudio Suárez: Concussion; Probable
INTERNATIONAL DUTY (1):
Sacha Kljestan: U.S. National Team vs. Guatemala, Aug. 20
RED-AND-WHITE RETURN HOME SATURDAY FOR INTRA-STATE CLASH VS. SAN JOSE:
After the team's midweek game at Houston, the Red-and-White will return to The Home Depot Center for the new California Clásico against the San Jose Earthquakes. Coming off a 4-0 win over the MLS-leading New England Revolution, the Earthquakes trail Chivas USA by just two points in the standings, setting up a vital match for both team's playoffs hopes. The first 5,000 fans through the gates on Saturday night will also receive a 'Mystery Gift Card' courtesy of The Home Depot. The match kicks off at 7:30 p.m. PT, and tickets can be purchased by calling 1-877-CHIVAS-1 or by visiting
Chivas USA Ticket Center
.
CHIVAS USA TRAVELS TO PANAMA FOR CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE :
Chivas USA will travel to Panama next week to face Tauro F.C. in the Preliminary Round of the 2008-09 CONCACAF Champions League. The Red-and-White will travel Panama City for the first leg of the home-and-home series on Tuesday, Aug. 26, and then will host Tauro at The Home Depot Center on Sept. 2. Should Chivas USA defeat Tauro F.C. in the home-and-home series, the team will advance to Group D. The other teams in the group include Santos Laguna of Mexico, Municipal of Guatemala, and the winner of the Preliminary Round matchup between LD Alajuelense of Costa Rica and the Puerto Rico Islanders of the USL First Division.
CHIVAS USA'S SACHA KLJESTAN NAMED TO U.S. SQUAD FOR WORLD CUP QUALIFIER:
Fresh off his trip to the Olympics, Chivas USA midfielder Sacha Kljestan (Huntington Beach, Calif.) has been called up to the United States National Team by head coach Bob Bradley for the team's upcoming World Cup qualifier against Guatemala on Wednesday. The 22-year-old Kljestan scored a pair of goals at the Olympics for the U.S. as the team went 1-1-1 and barely missed out on a spot in the quarterfinals. The match, which is the U.S.'s first of the semifinal round of qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, kicks off at Estadio Mateo Flores in Guatemala City at 8:00 p.m. MT (7:00 p.m. PT), and will be broadcast live on ESPN2 and Galavision. Kljestan has a total of seven appearances for the U.S. National Team, and has played in one previous World Cup qualifier, on June 22 against Barbados.
LAST CHANCE FOR CHIVAS USA SOCCER CAMPS AND TRYOUTS:
Chivas USA's Soccer Camps, which also double as tryouts for the Chivas USA Youth Teams, are down to the final session, which will take place on Aug. 29at the Bell Gardens Sports Center in Bell Gardens, Calif. and Aug. 30 at The Home Depot Center. This camp gives players a chance to receive professional instruction from Chivas USA coaches, and could potentially lead to an invitation to join the Chivas USA U-18 or U-16 Teams, which participate in the United States Soccer Development Academy, or the highly competitive U-15 Team. Invited players from earlier camps this summer have already started training with the Youth Teams as they try to earn spots with the club.
'KICK-IT' THIS SATURDAY, AUGUST 23 AT THE ADAM BISCHOFF SOCCER FIELDS IN WEST HILLS:
'Kick-it at the Park L.A. with Chivas USA' continues this Saturday, August 23, with a clinic at the Adam Bischoff Soccer Fields at the West Hills Sports Center at 6900 Valley Circle Drive in West Hills. A series of four, 90-minute clinics kicks off at 9:00 a.m., followed by clinics at 10:45 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 2:45 p.m. Run in conjunction with the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, '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 the South Park Recreation Center at 345 East 51st Street in Los Angeles on August 16. For more information on the program, or to register for a clinic, visit
KickitatthePark.com
.
CLAUDIO SUÁREZ' BOOK 'THE STORY OF A WARRIOR' ON SALE NOW:
After more than 20 years as a professional soccer player, Chivas USA's legendary Mexican defender Claudio Suárez has come out with his biography, which contains photographs and stories gathered over the course of two years by both Claudio Suárez and the well-known author Enrique León Candiani. Showing the dedication and determination of the Chivas USA central defender, the book documents the story of Suárez, who has won championships in the Mexican First Division, participated in World Cups, and made more appearances with the Mexican National Team than any other player in history. The book is on sale online at Target.com, Soccer.com/Claudio, and Amazon.com, as well as in most bookstores across the United States and Mexico. The Spanish version of the biography is already out, and an English version will be released shortly.
REACTIONS FROM HOUSTON AND CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PREVIEW ON THIS WEEK'S 'PASIÓN CHIVAS USA':
Join Hipólito Gamboa and Rigoberto Cervantez this Thursday from 6:00-7:00 p.m. PT on W Radio 690 AM for 'Pasión Chivas USA.' Cervantez and Gamboa will give an analysis of Wednesday night's match against the Houston Dynamo, complete with interviews and sounds from the game. The pair will also preview Saturday night's California Clásico against the San Jose Earthquakes, as well as next week's CONCACAF Champions League opener against Tauro F.C. All this, the chance to win Chivas USA tickets, and more on this and every 'Pasión Chivas USA.'
EXCLUSIVE VIDEOS ON CHIVAS USA'S OFFICIAL BLOG:
Chivas USA's official blog,
'Dentro del Rebaño'
(or 'Inside the Flock') is online with updated content from the team, including video previews of upcoming games, as well as post-match videos. Check soon for video previews in English and Spanish for the match against the San Jose Earthquakes on Aug. 23. Check
Chivas-USA.blogspot.com
today for the latest information on Chivas USA!
TRIO OF GREAT MATCHES FOR JUST $30 IN CHIVAS USA'S THREE-GAME PACK:
The second half of the season is here, and fans looking to catch Chivas USA in action have the opportunity to see the three biggest games of the season in the Chivas USA Three-Game Pack. The set includes the upcoming California Clásico against the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday, Aug. 23, as well as a Sept. 27 matchup against the Kansas City Wizards. The third game in the pack is the last game of the season, which is also Fan Appreciation Night, on Saturday, October 25. For more information please call 1-877-CHIVAS-1 or visit
Chivas USA Ticket Center
.
CHIVAS USA BIRTHDAYS:
The Red-and-White have five players celebrating birthdays in August, starting on the 9th when rookie midfielder Keith Savage turned 23. Next up comes goalkeeper Lance Parker on Aug. 19th, also celebrating his 23rd birthday. Forward Anthony Hamilton and defender Carey Talley share an Aug. 26th birthday, with Hamilton turning 23 and Talley, in his 11th MLS season, turning 32. Finally, Eric Ebert will celebrate his 24th a day later, on the 27th.
