THE HOME DEPOT CENTER
CARSON, Calif.
7 pm PT (HDNet, FSN-SW, FSN-W)
Chivas USA return home having enjoyed some wonderful support in claiming the first point in club history, as the club's expected attacking verve showed itself in a come-from-behind 3-3 draw in San Jose last weekend. The new-look FC Dallas are atop the Western Conference without a loss on the season and come to the Southland for a second successive road match, though they saw their potentially high-octane attack quieted in a scoreless draw last weekend in Colorado.
REFEREE: Ricardo Valenzuela. SAR (bench): Steven Davidson; JAR (opposite): Fabio Tovar; 4th: Baldomero Toledo
MLS Career: 60 games; FC/gm: 34.6; Y/gm: 4.7; R: 25; pens: 17
Games involving Chivas USA: first game
Games involving FC Dallas: P14 W7 L5 T2; FC/gm: 33.4; Y/gm: 4.9; R: 12; pens: 4
INJURY REPORT: CHIVAS USA - OUT: Martin Zuniga (L ACL sprain); DF Armando Begines (broken collarbone); MF Francisco Gomez (L knee/ankle sprain); PROBABLE: DF Alfonso Loera (L adductor strain); FW Thiago Martins (L groin soreness) ... FC DALLAS - OUT: MD Eric Quill (R calf strain); QUESTIONABLE: MD Ty Maurin (R hamstring strain); MD Simo Valakari (R shoulder sprain)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
SUSPENDED: none
YELLOW PERIL: DAL: Carey Talley (8 CP in 2 gms)
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME: first meeting
This is the first meeting between the two clubs. The two Western Conference rivals will meet three times this season. Their second meeting in Carson will come on May 22, then they'll meet twice in Dallas in two different stadia, the first on June 22 at the Cotton Bowl, then on Aug. 27 at the new Frisco Soccer and Entertainment Center.
Coaches record: Colin Clarke vs. CDC: first game ... Thomas Rongen v FCD: P16 W9 L7 D0CD CHIVAS USA
Chivas USA scored the first goal in club history early on, the grabbed the first point in club history with a late equalizer in a 3-3 draw with the San Jose Earthquakes last Saturday afternoon at Spartan Stadium. Chivas are tied with two other teams for fourth place in the Western Conference with one point, along with the Colorado Rapids and Real Salt Lake.
Thiago Martins scored the first goal in Chivas USA history after just three minutes, touching home an Orlando Perez cross from the left flank. But just before the break the Quakes pulled level through some freekick magic by Brad Davis, who curled the ball around the wall and inside the left post from almost on the top of the area.
Hector Cuadros again gave Chivas the lead when he powerfully headed home an Ezra Hendrickson cross (73), but the Quakes responded with two goals in four minutes, both from Davis services on free kicks. First Troy Dayak leaped up and sent a looping header over Chivas goalkeeper Brad Guzan from a nearly impossible angle (75), then Brian Ching scored his first goal of the season, knifing to nod home at the near post.
But then just after the 90 minutes ticked over, Chivas scored on a set piece of their own. Jesus Ochoa floated in a free kick from the left into the area where Douglas Sequeira fought off a challenge and spun a header past Pat Onstad inside his left-hand post for the equalizer.
"Let's be real honest, we probably didn't deserve to win this one," said Chivas USA coach Thomas Rongen."And in the end, we didn't deserve to lose it, either. And again we left it all on the field. We said we would try to get better each and every week and we stepped it up today, especially on the offensive end. There's still some work left on the defensive end."
Rongen made one change to the team that lost 2-0 to D.C. United in the first game in club history. With Francisco Gomez out with a knee and ankle injury, Aaron Lopez moved out of the back four to take his place in midfield. Douglas Sequeira made his MLS debut, coming in for Lopez at center back.
Here's Rongen's team (4-3-3): Brad Guzan - Ezra Hendrickson, Douglas Sequeira, Ryan Suarez (Jesus Ochoa 58), Orlando Perez (Isaac Romo 83) - Aaron Lopez, Hector Cuadros, Ramon Ramirez - Arturo Torres, Thiago Martins (Antonio Martinez 87), Matt Taylor
Rongen was forced into a key substitution just before the hour mark when Suarez had a collision with Quakes defender Troy Dayak and teammate Guzan, and after gamely trying to continue, had to come off. He was evaluated as suffering from a lower back contusion and back spasms.
FC DALLAS
FC Dallas remained undefeated on the season and in first place in the Western Conference after playing to a scoreless draw with the Colorado Rapids in their first road match of the season. FCD now have four points from two games, one ahead of the Los Angeles Galaxy in the West.
While FC Dallas remained unbeaten, the Rapids continued their good form at home. But the game almost took an abrupt change in the first minute when Carlos Ruiz's corner found Eddie Johnson, but his header was denied by the crossbar.
FC Dallas coach Colin Clarke made one change to the team that defeated the Chicago Fire in the season opener. Simo Valakari was suffering from a knock and unable to play, so veteran Oscar Pareja took his place in the center of midfield.
(The) second half was a little more even, but I thought (FC Dallas) were the better team," said FCD head coach Colin Clarke. "(FC Dallas) had a lot of good chances, hit the post, had a lot of near misses and deserved to win the game."
Here's Clarke's team (4-3-3): Scott Garlick - Philip Salyer, Clarence Goodson, Greg Vanney, David Wagenfuhr - Richard Mulrooney, Oscar Pareja (Ramon Nunez 69), Carey Talley - Eddie Johnson, Carlos Ruiz, Ronnie O'Brien
"I thought we dominated the first 45 minutes. We nearly scored but hit the bar early on, and then we had a couple of other chances that we couldn't convert," Clarke said. "But we took the game to them in their backyard. This is a tough place to play." The Rapids haven't lost in their 12 home matches in all competitions, and last year lost just once in Denver.
When Carlos Ruiz plays his first game back at The Home Depot Center this weekend after his trade to FC Dallas from the Los Angeles Galaxy, he will be presented with a plaque by the Guatemalan consulate at halftime. Chivas USA has allowed the consul to make the presentation to Ruiz in honor of his three years of service in Los Angeles.
But Ruiz sent out a caution to Chivas for his return to Victoria Street. "I'm very happy playing with Eddie,' Ruiz said. "When we're finally on page 100 percent, we're going to be a tough strike force to beat. Good luck for the Chivas defense, because we're going to give them a handful on Saturday.'
On Tuesday, FC Dallas defeated the University of Tulsa 4-0 in a friendly match. Mario Torres scored twice in the first half (25, 43), both set up by Bobby Rhine. In the second half, Ramon Nuñez made it 3-0 on 50 minutes, before Jason Thompson finished off the scoring 10 minutes later.
Here's Clarke's team on the day: Cassar (Gomez 45), Gbandi, Jolley, Yi , Rhine, Moor, Pitchkolan, Nuñez, Torres (Maurin 70), Woods, Thompson
