CARSON, Calif. - Chivas USA gets ready for the most anticipated week of the Major League Soccer franchise's inaugural season, as the team plays its first game at The Home Depot Center in over a month this Saturday, September 3 at 7:00 p.m. PT versus the Columbus Crew. Ahead of this historic match, which will mark the highly anticipated home debuts of Mexican National Team stars Francisco 'Paco' Palencia and Juan Pablo 'El Loquito' García, Chivas USA's entire team will be making a special appearance at El Paseo Mall in South Gate on Thursday from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., including a free soccer clinic and autograph signing. With the celebration of Mexican wrestling during 'Noche Chiva Lucha Libre' and a massive in-stadium viewing party for Saturday's decisive United States vs. Mexico World Cup qualifier, the evening promises to be a special one in the history of the young MLS expansion franchise.
FREE SOCCER CLINIC AND AUTOGRAPHS IN SOUTH GATE: Ahead of Saturday's match, Chivas USA's entire team, including Palencia and García, will be making an appearance this Thursday at El Paseo Outside Mall in the city of South Gate, California. All players and Chivas USA's entire coaching staff will be in attendance, alternating between a soccer clinic and autograph session from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. The mall is located at the corner of Garfield Ave and Firestone Blvd. in the city of Southgate, California, 90280. For fan information, please call 1-877-CHIVAS-1; for media coverage of this special event, please contact Chivas USA's Public Relations Department at the numbers listed above.
CHIVAS USA VS. COLUMBUS: Following its 2-2 draw with FC Dallas in Frisco, Texas, Chivas USA resumed training yesterday ahead of this Saturday's match versus the Columbus Crew, which will mark the home debut of Mexican stars and recent Chivas USA signings 'Paco' Palencia and 'Loquito' García, who have made an immediate impact since officially joining the Chivas USA in mid-August. The match kicks off at 7:00 p.m. at The Home Depot Center (TV/LIVE: Fox Sports Net West 2; TV/DELAYED: KAZA Azteca 54; Radio: KMXE Radiovisa 830; Web: www.CDCHIVASUSA.com).
CHIVAS USA CELEBRATES MEXICAN WRESTLING: Saturday's game also corresponds to Chivas USA's 'Noche Chiva Lucha Libre', or Mexican Wrestling Night, one of the more unique promotions in recent memory in American pro sports. Not only will the evening feature autograph signings and wrestling-themed skits by such renowned Mexican wrestlers as Blue Demon Jr., Tinieblas Jr., Black Shadow Jr., Chilango, Acero Dorado Jr., Piloto Suicida, Principe Unlimited and Impacto 2000, but fans will have the opportunity to bring home their own Chivas USA-Golden Insurance wrestling mask by buying a special four-pack ($80 gets you four tickets and two masks) or by being one of the lucky fans chosen at random.
COME SEE U.S. VS. MEXICO AT THE HOME DEPOT CENTER: And if that weren't enough, don't forget that Saturday's U.S. vs. Mexico World Cup Qualifier - which will see the winner qualify for next summer's 2006 World Cup in Germany - will be shown LIVE at 4:30 p.m. PT on The Home Depot Center's big screen in a massive viewing party prior to Chivas USA's match against Columbus, making The Home Depot Center the best place in all the Southland to watch the latest edition of this great international soccer rivalry. Gates - and ChivaTown - will open at 4:00 p.m. PT.
CASTRO TO UNDERGO SURGERY TODAY: Chivas USA officially announced today that D/M Héctor Castro has suffered a torn left ACL and will miss the rest of the season. The 29-year-old Guadalajara native, who was signed by Chivas USA on August 19, suffered injury two days later during warm-ups for the team's match against the MetroStars at Giants Stadium. He will undergo surgery today in Santa Monica, California in a procedure to be performed by team doctor Michael Gerhardt and is expected to be out of action for approximately six months.
As always, for tickets and information regarding Chivas USA vs. Columbus Crew, U.S. vs. Mexico, Noche Chiva Lucha Libre and all the other exciting happenings at Club Deportivo Chivas USA, please call 1-877-CHIVAS-1 or visit www.CDCHIVASUSA.com, the club's official web site.
CHIVAS USA INJURY REPORT - AUGUST 31, 2005
PROBABLE: Thiago Martins (L ankle sprain)
DOUBTFUL: Víctor Arbeláez (L adductor muscle strain), Matt Taylor (sports hernia surgery)
OUT: Francisco Gómez (L quad strain), Héctor Castro (L knee ACL tear; to be operated Wednesday)
CHIVAS USA SCHEDULE FOR THE WEEK OF AUGUST 29 - SEPTEMBER 4
*Subject to change. Unless otherwise noted, all times Pacific and all events scheduled for The Home Depot Center.
Monday, August 29: [Day off]
Tuesday, August 30: Training (10:00 a.m.); English and Spanish classes for Chivas USA players; Training (4:00 p.m.)
Wednesday, August 31: Training (10:00 a.m.)
Thursday, September 1: Training (10:00 a.m.); Soccer clinic and autograph signing with Chivas USA's entire team at El Paseo Outside Mall - Corner of Garfield Ave and Firestone Blvd., South Gate, California, 90280 (2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.)
Friday, September 2: Training (10:00 a.m.)
Saturday, September 3: Viewing party: United States vs. Mexico, CONCACAF World Cup Qualifier (4:30 p.m.); Chivas USA vs. Columbus Crew (7:00 p.m. - TV (LIVE): Fox Sports Net West 2; TV (DELAYED): KAZA Azteca 54, 11:30 a.m. Sunday; Radio (LIVE): KMXE Radiovisa 830; Web (LIVE STREAMING VIDEO AND AUDIO): www.CDCHIVASUSA.com)
Sunday, September 4: Regeneration (11:00 a.m.)
