Something isn’t clicking for Chivas USA.
Some might say it’s the lack of veteran leadership. Others may point to a defensive corps that lacks size, or an inexperienced midfield group that includes four MLS first-year players and two second-years. Still others may simply call it bad luck.
Whatever the reason, the Goats have now lost five straight and it’s become clear that the team is struggling to find its rhythm. The latest defeat came at the hands of New York on Saturday evening, where, despite a solid effort, the Red-and-White fell to a 1-0 score line.
Watch: FULL MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
“We’re very disappointed with the result,” said Chivas USA Head Coach Martín Vásquez after the match. “It was a very important game for us that would enable us to stop our losing streak. The goal just never came. We had a couple of chances but we couldn’t convert them into a goal.”
Chivas USA fell behind 1-0 after a Seth Stammler goal in the 27th minute and was never able to even the score.
“They scored with a lot of time left,” said Vásquez. “We had enough time to come back but we lost our composure; we weren’t clear with the ball and couldn’t get our rhythm down. We were trying to do too much with the ball.”
The Red-and-White came out firing in the second half, almost notching a goal on the 48th minute after an incredible individual effort from Maykel Galindo, but were ultimately unable to capitalize on their chances.
"We talked during halftime on how they were pushing back – we needed to be quicker, get our rhythm,” said Vásquez. “We also needed to attack them from the flanks, we tried but the equalizer never came.”
The trip to New York was Chivas USA’s first visit to brand-new Red Bull Arena. The team was met by hostile home supporters and struggled at times to communicate on the field over the crowd noise.
“It is good to see, but it definitely made it tough to communicate,” said midfielder Blair Gavin of the home support. “It was good for them. When (New York) had good spells of soccer, they cheered them on and it made it tough for us.”
Chivas USA has now gone a solid month without getting a single point from league play. The Red-and-White will have to refocus their energies during the upcoming MLS World Cup break if the team is going to maintain any chance of playoff soccer this fall.
“To be honest, I don’t think it is that we are not playing well,” said Justin Braun of the losing streak. “Guys are out there fighting, but we are not scoring. We are having some mental absences defensively and we are allowing some soft goals. We just have to figure ourselves out and be ready to play again.”
