Weekly Update: Gearing up

CHIVAS USA DRAWS CLOSER TO OPENING DAY, FACES TWO MLS SIDES THIS WEEK IN PRESEASON ACTION:
With less than three weeks until a March 21 (Opening Day) matchup against the Colorado Rapids at The Home Depot Center, Chivas USA will face two MLS squads in scrimmages this week as the team continues to prepare for the 2009 MLS season. The Red-and-White face off against the San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday, followed by a scrimmage against the Chicago Fire on Saturday. Chivas USA is coming off a 4-0 win over the Ventura County Fusion on Sunday night (information below) and have a preseason record of 4-1-1, but this week's scrimmages are the team's first against MLS competition in 2009. A full schedule of the team's events for the upcoming week can be found at the bottom of this release.

TWENTY-TWO PLAYERS ON ROSTER AS OF MLS COMPLIANCE DATE: As of March 2, 2009, Chivas USA is both roster and salary compliant, as per Major League Soccer rules. The club currently has 22 players on its squad: Jonathan Bornstein, Justin Braun, Bobby Burling, Jim Curtin, Alecko Eskandarian, Jorge Flores, Maykel Galindo, Atiba Harris, Ante Jazic, Dan Kennedy, Sacha Kljestan, Michael Lahoud, Jesse Marsch, Gerson Mayen, Paulo Nagamura, Lance Parker, Ante Razov, Carey Talley, Shavar Thomas, Zach Thornton, Lawson Vaughn, and Sasha Victorine. MLS teams are permitted to make roster changes until the Roster Freeze Date on Sept. 15, 2009, but are required to fit within the salary cap and have no more than 24 players under contract as of today.

CHIVAS USA DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY TEAMS EARN A PAIR OF DRAWS: The Chivas USA Under-18 and Under-16 Teams came away from their Development Academy matches this past weekend with a pair of draws against LAFC Chelsea, with the U-18's tying 2-2, and the U-16's playing to a 1-1 stalemate. The U-18's run their record to a 9-4-3 (W-L-T) overall, and 3-3-1 in the SoCal Division of the Western Conference, while the U-16's go to 6-5-5 overall and 1-4-2 in SoCal. The Red-and-White youth teams will play the second half of a home-and-home series with LAFC Chelsea next Sunday, March 8, hosting the club at Cerritos College, with the U-16's kicking off at noon and the U-18's starting at 2:15 p.m.

CHIVAS USA TOPS VENTURA COUNTY FUSION 4-0 IN MICHAEL HOEFFLIN FOUNDATION MATCH: Chivas USA earned a 4-0 victory over the Ventura County Fusion in a preseason exhibition played tonight at Cougar Stadium on the campus of the College of the Canyons in Valencia, Calif. Goals came from Jonathan Bornstein, Jesse Marsch, Chris Cortez and Justin Braun, and Dan Kennedy went the full 90 minutes in goal to earn the clean sheet for the Red-and-White. Proceeds from the match went to the Michael Hoefflin Foundation, which provides financial and emotional support to children and their families facing childhood cancer in Santa Clarita and the surrounding area. More information on the Foundation can be found at www.mhf.org. Chivas USA's full preseason schedule is below:

CHIVAS USA 2009 :: SCHEDULE OF PRESEASON GAMES*

• 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.

CHIVAS USA SINGLE-GAME TICKETS NOW ON SALE: For as low as $15 per game, soccer fans can support the Red-and-White as the team looks to qualify for the MLS Cup playoffs for the fourth consecutive year. Chivas USA is also offering an unbeatable All-Star Pack, a five-game ticket package starting at just $50 that includes the best Major League Soccer matches in Los Angeles during the 2009 MLS season. The All-Star Pack allows fans to see the Honda Super Clásico against intra-city rivals LA Galaxy (July 11) as well as Chivas USA's games against the Chicago Fire (May 28) and the expansion Seattle Sounders FC (April 18). Fans also get Opening Day versus the Colorado Rapids (March 21) and Closing Day against the Houston Dynamo (Oct. 25). For more information, or to purchase tickets, please call 1-877-CHIVAS-1 or visit cdchivasusa.com.

CHIVAS DE GUADALAJARA UPDATE: Chivas de Guadalajara got back on track in league play this past Saturday, routing overall leader Pachuca by a 5-0 score, regaining the top spot in Group B. Chivas had gone 0-2-2 (W-L-T) in its last four league matches before this past weekend, when Omar Arellano (2), Aarón Galindo, Gonzalo Pineda and Héctor Reynoso all scored in the Estadio Jalisco in Guadalajara. The Chivas offense is currently firing on all cylinders, as the team also won 6-2 over Everton of Chile in the Copa Libertadores last Wednesday. Next up for Guadalajara is a Libertadores match at Caracas F.C. of Venezuela on Tuesday, followed by its next league match at Jaguares this coming Saturday, March 7.

CHIVAS USA 2009 SEASON SEATS NOW ON SALE: Chivas USA's 18-game Season Seat Package, starting at just $180, is on sale now via 1-877-CHIVAS-1 and cdchivasusa.com. The package includes a seat at each of the team's 15 MLS home matches, as well as three bonus games to be announced. Season Seat holders also have the right to exchange unused tickets, plus a host of other benefits. For more information, or to purchase your Season Seat today, please call 1-877-CHIVAS-1 or visit cdchivasusa.com.

VISIT 'DENTRO DEL REBAÑO', CHIVAS USA'S OFFICIAL BLOG: Chivas USA's official blog, 'Dentro del Rebaño' (or 'Inside the Flock') will contain updated content on the team throughout the preseason. Check out chivas-usa.blogspot.com today for the latest information on Chivas USA!

CHIVAS USA SCHEDULE: MARCH 3-10*
Following is Chivas USA's latest schedule of travel, events, matches and practice sessions:

Tuesday, March 3: Training, 10:00 a.m. PT, Field 4

Wednesday, March 4: Scrimmage vs. San Jose Earthquakes, 10:00 a.m. PT, University Field 2

Thursday, March 5: Training, 10:00 a.m. PT, Field 4

Friday, March 6: Training, 10:00 a.m. PT, Field 4

Saturday, March 7: Scrimmage vs. Chicago Fire, 10:00 a.m. PT, Field TBA

Sunday, March 8: [Day off]

Monday, March 9: Training, 10:00 a.m. PT, Field TBA

Tuesday, March 10: Training, 10:00 a.m. PT, Field TBA

*Subject to change. Unless otherwise noted, all times Pacific, all events scheduled for The Home Depot Center, with media access provided after games and training sessions. For latest information, or if you plan on attending a training session, please contact Chivas USA's Communications Department.