PLAYOFF-BOUND CHIVAS USA RETURNS HOME TO FACE THE COLORADO RAPIDS THIS SUNDAY:
Chivas USA, which qualified for the 2008 MLS Cup Playoffs with a 1-0 win this past Saturday, returns to The Home Depot Center this Sunday, Oct. 19 at 12:00 noon PT to face the Colorado Rapids. The Red-and-White are currently on the first four-match winning streak in club history, and have won six of the last seven games, qualifying for the postseason for a third straight year. With a 12-10-6 record (W-L-T) and 42 points, Chivas USA has secured at least second place in the Western Conference, and will face the Rapids, who at 10-14-4 (34 points) are fighting for a spot in the playoffs. The first 7,500 fans through the gate will receive a limited-edition Chivas USA hat, and kids 16 years and younger get in free with the purchase of an adult ticket as part of the 'Chivas USA Kids Pack,' with prices starting at just $14. For more information on the match, or to purchase tickets, please call 1-877-CHIVAS-1, or visit www.cdchivasusa.com.
FAN APPRECIATION NIGHT VS. HOUSTON OCT. 25 AT THE HOME DEPOT CENTER: Chivas USA will play its final regular-season match before heading to the MLS Cup Playoffs against the Houston Dynamo on Saturday, Oct. 25, at 7:30 p.m. at The Home Depot Center. The last regular-season match of the season, the Oct. 25 game is also Fan Appreciation Night for the Red-and-White, with prize drawings, raffles, and giveaways held throughout the night. The first 7,500 fans will also receive a regulation-size Chivas USA soccer ball. The match against Houston could also decide the Western Conference regular-season champion, as the Red-and-White currently only trail the Dynamo by two points. For more information, or to purchase tickets, please call 1-877-CHIVAS-1 or visit www.cdchivasusa.com.
CHIVAS USA CLINCHES PLAYOFF SPOT WITH 1-0 WIN AT SAN JOSE: Rookie forward Justin Braun's goal in the 7th minute of the match was enough to give Chivas USA a 1-0 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday night, which helped the Red-and-White clinch a spot in the playoffs for the third straight season. Due to other Western Conference results, Chivas USA also clinched at least second place in the division, and trails only the Houston Dynamo, by two points. The Dynamo have three games remaining on the season, compared to Chivas USA's two, and the teams will meet in their final regular season match in what could potentially decide the regular-season Western Conference champ. The top three teams from each conference qualify automatically for the playoffs, along with the next two best teams, regardless of their division. As a result, Chivas USA could face any of several different teams in the first round of the playoffs.
'SOCCER COLLIES' TO PERFORM AT HALFTIME OF THIS SUNDAY'S MATCH: The Soccer Collies, the 'world's greatest soccer dogs,' will give a special performance at halftime of this Sunday's match between Chivas USA and the Colorado Rapids, which starts at 12:00 noon PT at The Home Depot Center. The two collies, Ms. Z and BEK, each have unique soccer skills; Ms. Z can catch the ball between her paws, and BEK charges up the field while dribbling the ball with his nose. The dogs will also be available before the game in ChivaTown for photos and to play with fans. For tickets to the match, call 1-877-CHIVAS-1 or visit www.cdchivasusa.com.
INJURY UPDATE: BORNSTEIN RETURNS TO STARTING LINEUP: In Saturday's match at San Jose, Chivas USA defender Jonathan Bornstein made his first start since suffering a concussion against Real Salt Lake on Sept. 20, playing all 90 minutes in the 1-0 win. Forward Ante Razov (R calf strain) and defender Carey Talley (concussion) were also healthy enough to make the substitutes' bench for the Red-and-White on Saturday, and Talley played 90 minutes in Sunday's Reserve Team match. For a full copy of the latest Chivas USA Injury Report, please visit MLSnet.com.
CHIVAS USA CANDIDATES FOR END-OF-SEASON AWARDS: Despite missing an average of 5.67 players per game solely due to injury, Chivas USA Head Coach Preki has helped lead the Red-and-White to the playoffs again, giving the club its third straight berth in the postseason. For this, the 2007 MLS Coach of the Year is being considered for the 2008 award, having guided the team around injuries to key players throughout an up-and-down season in which the team has recently won six of seven games. Also up for year-end awards are Justin Braun, whose four goals sets him in a tie among first-year players and includes him in the Rookie of the Year debate, as well as midfielder Sacha Kljestan, whose strong play throughout the year sets him up for a Volkswagen MVP bid. Goalkeeper Dan Kennedy is in the running for Newcomer of the Year, with three shutouts in his past four games, and Atiba Harris, who had one assist in 21 games last year for Real Salt Lake and now has three goals and five assists in 26 games for Chivas USA, is up for Comeback Player of the Year.
SACHA KLJESTAN NOTCHES TWO ASSISTS FOR THE U.S., BORNSTEIN CALLED IN: Chivas USA's Sacha Kljestan was with the United States National Team on Saturday for its match against Cuba in CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying, and the midfielder had a pair of assists in the 6-1 victory. Kljestan will remain with the team for the U.S.'s upcoming match against Trinidad & Tobago, and will be joined by defender Jonathan Bornstein, who was called into the squad by head coach Bob Bradley for Wednesday's match in Port of Spain. Another Chivas USA defender, Shavar Thomas, was on the bench for Jamaica's 1-0 win over Mexico on Saturday, and he will be with the team again for Jamaica's match against Honduras on Wednesday.
CHIVAS USA COACHING SEMINAR ON OCT. 18 & 19 AT THE HOME DEPOT CENTER: As another service to coaches of all levels, Chivas USA Youth Team coaches will be conducting a Chivas USA Coaching Seminar on Saturday, Oct. 18 and Sunday, Oct. 19 at The Home Depot Center. For a registration fee of just $75 for the two-day seminar - which includes lunch, a ticket to Chivas USA's Oct. 19 game vs. the Colorado Rapids, as well as coaching materials and a certificate of completion - coaches will get a chance to learn about Chivas USA's player development philosophy. Topics to be covered include game preparation, systems of play, tactical talks, as well as game analysis. For more information on the Chivas USA Coaching Seminar, visit www.cdchivasusa.com or contact Julio Cano at 310-630-4564 or (jcano@cdchivasusa.com).
NEXT 'PRACTICE IN THE COMMUNITY' TO TAKE PLACE OCT. 26 IN MISSION VIEJO: Chivas USA will hold a special 'Practice in the Community' on Sunday, Oct. 26, at the Youth Athletic Park in Mission Viejo. The Red-and-White and AYSO Area 11-L have teamed up to bring the event to Mission Viejo, and fans in attendance will have the chance to win prizes, meet and get autographs from their favorite players, as well as the ChivaGirls. The event will run from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon, and will be held at the Youth Athletic Park at 22056 Olympiad Road, Mission Viejo, Calif., 92691.
YOUTH UPDATE: CHIVAS USA U-18'S AND U-16'S BOTH EARN SHUTOUT VICTORIES: The Chivas USA Under-18 and Under-16 teams both earned shutout wins on the road this past weekend, beating the Nomads S.C in San Diego. The U-16's kicked off first, and scored two second half goals en route to a 2-0 win. Daniel Castro opened the scoring for the Red-and-White, with Bryan de la Fuente assisting, and de la Fuente scored the second off a pass from Carlo Chueca. Cesar Castillo earned the shutout in net for the U-16's. The U-18's followed with a win of their own against the Nomads, with Juan Quiroz earning the shutout, and Orr Baroush scoring the only goal of the game, off an assist from Polo Morales. This Saturday, the teams will return home, facing the same Nomads SC club from San Diego at Cerritos College in Norwalk, with the U-16's kicking off at 12:00 noon, and the U-18's following at 2:00 p.m. More information on the Chivas USA's U-18 and U-18 Teams can be found in the latest Chivas USA Youth Soccer Update at www.cdchivasusa.com, or by visiting the Development Academy website.
'KICK-IT' THIS SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18 AT THE EXPOSITION RECREATION CENTER IN LOS ANGELES: 'Kick-it at the Park L.A. with Chivas USA' continues this Saturday, Oct. 18, with a clinic at the Exposition Recreation Center, located at 3980 S. Menlo Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90037. 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 Van Nuys Sherman Oaks Recreation Center at 14201 Huston St., Sherman Oaks, CA 91423 on Oct. 11. For more information on the program, or to register for a clinic, visit www.kickitatthepark.com.
LISTEN TO 'PASIÓN CHIVAS USA' EVERY THURSDAY NIGHT ON W RADIO 690 AM: Join Hipólito Gamboa and Rigoberto Cervantez this Thursday for a special evening of Chivas USA soccer on W Radio 690 AM, as 'Pasión Chivas USA' airs at 6:00 p.m. PT. One of the most powerful AM radio signals in all of the western United States, XEWW 690 AM can be heard from Tijuana in the south, all the way to the San Joaquin Valley in the north. Don't miss the chance to learn more about your Chivas USA - as well as the chance to win tickets to the Red-and-White's next game, Sunday, Oct. 19, against the Colorado Rapids at The Home Depot Center.
WATCH 'SOMOS CHIVAS USA' ON KAZA AZTECA 54 THIS SATURDAY AT 1:30 P.M. PT: Fans, don't miss Chivas USA's official weekly TV show, "Somos Chivas USA'. Featuring renowned co-hosts Mara Almada and Antonio Rosique, with reporting by renowned Chiva-expert Ramón Diaz, 'Somos Chivas USA' gives viewers an inside look at the Red-and-White, including player features, match analysis, highlights, and much more. This week's 'Somos Chivas USA' is scheduled to air on KAZA Azteca 54 in Los Angeles on Saturday, Oct. 18, at 1:30 p.m. PT. Tune in this Saturday for your 'Somos 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 http://chivas-usa.blogspot.com today for the latest information on Chivas USA!
PICK UP CLAUDIO SUÁREZ'S NEW BOOK: After more than 20 years as a professional soccer player, Chivas USA's legendary Mexican defender Claudio Suárez has released his new biography, 'The Story of a Warrior', which contains photographs and stories gathered over the course of two years by both Claudio Suárez and renowned Mexican author Enrique León Candiani. The exclusive biography faithfully tells the story of Suárez, who was born into a working-class family of nine children outside of Mexico City and would go on to win championships in the Mexican First Division, participate in two World Cups, and make more international appearances than any other player in Mexican National Team history. Pick up your copy today - 'The Story of a Warrior' is available online at Target.com, Soccer.com/Claudio, and Amazon.com, as well as in Borders and Sanborns bookstores across the United States and Mexico. The Spanish version of the biography is already out, and an English version will be printed shortly.
CHIVAS USA BIRTHDAYS: A pair of Chivas USA players, goalkeeper Zach Thornton and defender Bobby Burling, celebrate birthdays in October. Thornton will turn 35 on Oct. 10, while Burling will celebrate his 24th birthday on Oct. 15.
CHIVAS USA SCHEDULE: OCTOBER 14-26*
Tuesday, Oct. 14: [Day off]
Wednesday, Oct. 15: Chivas USA Training, 10:00 a.m., Field 6
Thursday, Oct. 16: Chivas USA Training, 10:00 a.m., Field 6
Friday, Oct. 17: Chivas USA Training, Open to Media After 11:00 a.m., Field 6
Saturday, Oct. 18: Chivas USA Training, 10:00 a.m., Field 6
Sunday, Oct. 19: Chivas USA vs. Colorado Rapids, 12:00 noon PT, The Home Depot Center, Carson, Calif.
(TV: TeleFutura, FSN Prime Ticket; Radio: W Radio 690 AM; Pregame show starts at 11:30 a.m. PT on FSN and W Radio)
Monday, Oct. 20: [Day off]
Tuesday, Oct. 21 - Friday, Oct. 24: TBD
Saturday, Oct 25: Chivas USA vs. Houston Dynamo, 7:30 p.m. PT, The Home Depot Center, Carson, Calif.
(TV: Fox Soccer Channel, Fox Sports en Español; Radio: W Radio 690 AM; Pregame shows start at 7:00 p.m. PT on FSC and W Radio)
Sunday, Oct. 26: Chivas USA Practice in the Community in Mission Viejo, 10:00 a.m., Youth Athletic Park at 22056 Olympiad Road, Mission Viejo.
* 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.
