Blanco, Fire take pursuit to Chivas
Western Conference leaders meet hungry Chicago
CHIVAS USA v CHICAGO FIRE
THE HOME DEPOT CENTER, Carson, Calif.
10:30 p.m. ET (FSN-PT; CSN-Chi)
Sept. 29, 2007 (WEEK 26) / MLS Game #172
Having ensured their place in the MLS Cup Playoffs for a second consecutive season, Chivas USA have set their sights on a bigger target in the marquee match of the weekend, when they play host to the Chicago Fire. Chivas USA now lead the Western Conference by two points ahead of Houston Dynamo - and are just three points behind D.C. United for the MLS Supporters' Shield with a game in hand. The Chicago Fire meanwhile surely need a victory if they are going to maintain their tenuous hold on eighth place overall and the final postseason place; despite having drawn three games in a row, they still lead the Columbus Crew by one point and the Colorado Rapids by three, with four games left to play.
REFEREE: Tim Weyland. SAR (bench): Chris Strickland; JAR (opposite): Frank Anderson; 4th: Miguel Chicas
MLS Career: 75 games; FC/gm: 30.6; Y/gm: 3.6; R: 20; pens: 18
Games involving Chivas USA: P2 W0 L1 T1; FC/gm: 28.0; Y/gm: 2.5; R: 0; pens: 0
Games involving Fire: P11 W7 L4 T0; FC/gm: 26.5; Y/gm: 3.5; R: 1; pens: 4
INJURY REPORT: CHIVAS USA - OUT: DF Carlos Llamosa (L knee ACL surgery) ... CHICAGO FIRE - OUT: MF Ivan Guerrero (L ankle sprain); MF Justin Mapp (R ankle sprain); DF Bruno Menezes (R ankle sprain); DF Osei Telesford (L groin strain); PROBABLE: MF Chris Armas (R ankle sprain); DF Jeff Curtin (R groin strain); DF Diego Gutierrez (R heel contusion); FW Paulo Wanchope (R knee inflammation)
SUSPENDED: none
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: CHV: Maykel Galindo, Sacha Kljestan, Orlando Perez ... CHI: Calen Carr
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: CHV: Jason Hernandez, Paulo Nagamura, Lawson Vaughn ... CHI: C.J. Brown, Chad Barrett, Diego Gutierrez, Dasan Robinson
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (5 meetings): Chivas USA 3 wins, 6 goals ... Fire 2 wins, 7 goals ... Ties 0
AT THE HOME DEPOT CENTER: (2 meetings): Chivas USA 1 win, 1 goal ... Fire 1 win, 1 goal ... Ties 0
• This is the second of two meetings between the clubs this season, the only one set for The Home Depot Center.
• A year ago, Chivas USA swept the season series, winning a game in each stadium. The year before, the Fire swept the season series, also winning both in Chicago and Carson.
• Coaches record: Preki vs. CHI: P1 W1 L0 D0 ... Juan Carlos Osorio v CHV: first game
2007 (MLS):
6/9: CHI 0, CHV 1 (Nagamura 79)
• In the first meeting between the clubs this season, Chivas USA got the game's only goal for a victory against the Chicago Fire at Toyota Park on June 9.
• While Chivas USA had most of the better of the play, both defenses had held firm with little real danger until the 79th minute.
• Ante Razov carried up the left and tried to find Maykel Galindo in the area, with Fire defender Dasan Robinson on his back. The ball took a deflection and Robinson slipped to the turf, and Paulo Nagamura came in from behind to corral the ball and drive a low shot inside the far post for his first goal since joining Chivas a month ago.
• Here's Dave Sarachan's team (4-4-2): Matt Pickens - Dasan Robinson, C.J. Brown, Jim Curtin (Mike Banner 86), Gonzalo Segares - Brian Plotkin, Diego Gutierrez, Bakary Soumare, Willian Oliveira (Floyd Franks 70) - Chad Barrett, Calen Carr (Jerson Monteiro 87). Substitutes Not Used: Jon Busch, Nick Noble, Jordan Russolillo, Daniel Woolard
• Here's Preki's team: (4-4-2): Brad Guzan - Alex Zotinca (Jason Hernandez 82), Claudio Suarez, Shavar Thomas, Orlando Perez - Sacha Kljestan, Jesse Marsch, Paulo Nagamura, Francisco Mendoza - Ante Razov, Maykel Galindo (Matt Taylor 83). Substitutes Not Used: Preston Burpo, John Cunliffe, Anthony Hamilton, Rodrigo Lopez, Laurent Merlin
CHIVAS USA
Chivas USA clinched a place in the MLS Cup Playoffs for the second season running, getting an incredible stoppage-time winner from Ante Razov for a 2-1 win against the Kansas City Wizards on Saturday evening at The Home Depot Center. Chivas also took over the lead in the Western Conference with 47 points with five matches to play, three points behind D.C. United in the chase for the Supporters' Shield with a game in hand.
LAST MATCH
• Chivas USA were returning home still riding their lengthy unbeaten run, now at seven games, while the Kansas City Wizards put an end to a brief three-game winless streak with a dramatic stoppage-time win against Columbus the weekend before.
• After a taut opening half, Chivas took the lead in the 69th minute through Ante Razov. Freed on the left flank, Francisco Mendoza drove a low cross to the back post where Razov cruised in to side-foot the ball into the roof of the net.
• But it took the Wizards just three minutes to pull level. Eddie Johnson outran the Chivas defense into the penalty area and ripped a shot that was deflected by Brad Guzan, ratting the crossbar. The rebound fell to Eloy Colombano's feet, and the Argentinean put back the rebound for his first MLS goal.
• This time, however, the late heroics would belong to Chivas. Getting a pass beyond the right corner of the penalty area with acres of time and space, Razov calmly curled a perfect shot high inside the far upper corner beyond K.C. goalkeeper Kevin Hartman for the game-winner, his second of the night, 11th of the season, and 109th of his MLS league career, moving him past RSL head coach Jason Kreis for second all-time on the league's scoring list.
• Chivas USA head coach Preki made four changes to the team that saw the Colorado Rapids come back for a 1-1 draw the previous Sunday in Commerce City. Alex Zotinca came back into the team, as did Claudio Suarez, with Jesse Marsch suspended and Jason Hernandez returning to the substitutes' bench. The first-choice strike partnership of Ante Razov and Maykel Galindo also came back into the team, in place of Laurent Merlin and Ramon Nuñez.
• Here's Preki's team (4-4-2): Brad Guzan - Alex Zotinca (Ramon Nunez 59), Claudio Suarez, Shavar Thomas, Jonathan Bornstein - Sacha Kljestan, Paulo Nagamura, Lawson Vaughn, Francisco Mendoza - Maykel Galindo (Jason Hernandez 94+), Ante Razov. Substitutes Not Used: Preston Burpo, John Cunliffe, Jorge Flores, Laurent Merlin, Orlando Perez
• "It feels really good to win when you don't play well," Preki said. "From the get-go we weren't sharp like we normally are but give the guys a lot of credit. They found a way to get the result."
TEAM NEWS
• Kansas City had more shots (12-9), more shots on goal (5-4) and dictated the pace of the match but left the match empty-handed nevertheless. It was the reverse of the July 29 3-2 loss in Kansas City - the last loss Chivas USA have suffered in league play on the season.
• "I'm not going to feel bad about this one because earlier in the year when we played in Kansas City I totally thought we dominated that game but we managed to lose it," Preki said. "Sometimes it kind of evens out."
• Chivas USA midfielder Sacha Kljestan called the performance one of the "worst games we've played at home this year." Still, the club still improved its league-best home record to 10-0-2.
• "At home we've usually been way more dominant than the other team but tonight Kansas City ... made it hard on us," Kljestan said. "This game and the Salt Lake game (on Aug. 26) which we won 1-0 were probably the two worst games we've played at home this year but we still came away with wins so that's a sign of a good team."
• For Razov, the night brought career goals No. 108 and 109, and he's now just two behind D.C. United striker Jaime Moreno, who added one to his total the following day at the Chicago Fire.
• "They just all kind of ran into the box, all the defenders, and I just kind of popped out to the top of the box and luckily Lawson saw me and gave it to me," Razov said of the game-winner. "I was pretty surprised that they let me turn to my left and I just aimed at that far corner and luckily I caught him."
• As well, Chivas is now just two points behind United in the race for the Supporters' Shield, with five matches yet to play.
• "We're lucky to get a goal at the end there and take the three points, answer the bell and keep fighting for the Western Conference title," Razov said. "To get in on a night when you don't play your best against a difficult team is a nice thing. We know we have to improve, games are going to get harder but it's still nice to walk away with a win."
• Chivas midfielder Francisco Mendoza is being considered for a call into the Mexican national team for its Oct. 17 friendly against Guatemala at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mendoza, 22, would join a select group of players such as Giovani Dos Santos and Nery Castillo as Mexicans who have played for El Tricolor without having ever played in Mexico's Primera Division if Hugo Sanchez brings him into his team.
• Mendoza said he doesn't want to think about it until the official word comes, but Claudio Suarez - the most-capped player in Mexico's history - gave Mendoza a glowing recommendation. "The problem is that many underestimate MLS," Suarez said. "In reality, very few Mexicans have come here and done well. Panchito has done that. He's one of the founding players at this club and has developed well. He's at the right age to participate with the national team."
CHICAGO FIRE
The Chicago Fire played to a third consecutive draw - the second when their opponents scored late equalizers - in finishing 1-1 with D.C. United on Sunday afternoon at Toyota Park. The Fire are still clinging to eighth place in the MLS overall table with 32 points and four matches to play, a point ahead of the Columbus Crew and two ahead of the Colorado Rapids.
LAST MATCH
• The Fire were still grimly hanging on to eighth place overall and the final spot in the MLS Cup Playoffs despite having played to draws in back-to-back games. D.C. United were returning to action after an 11-day layoff, having gone into the break riding a nine-game unbeaten streak.
• Since he's come into the league, Cuauhtemoc Blanco has been the instigator in all the Fire's attacks, and he once again created the opening goal in the 18th minute. He lofted a terrific pass from his own half over the top for Chad Barrett to run onto, and the striker held off a United defender before stroking a low shot past Troy Perkins inside the left post for his sixth goal on the campaign. For Blanco, it was his sixth assist in the 10 league games since his arrival.
• Just before halftime, Fire defender Wilman Conde was able to block a Luciano Emilio header on the line, keeping the league leading scorer at 19 goals on the year.
• But seven minutes before full-time, United pulled level. From well out on the right, Jaime Moreno hit a half-cross, half-shot that sailed toward the near post. Fire 'keeper Matt Pickens appeared to let it go -- and it sailed into the goal under the crossbar for the equalizer, Moreno's sixth goal of the season.
• Fire head coach Juan Carlos Osorio made three changes to the team that played to a 1-1 draw with FC Dallas three nights earlier. Gonzalo Segares was suspended and Bruno Menezes out to an injury, so Wilman Conde came back into the team from suspension and Diego Gutierrez also returned. Calen Carr was also again named in the starting XI as Paulo Wanchope was out of the team.
• Here's Osorio's team (4-3-1-2): Matt Pickens - C.J. Brown, Wilman Conde, Diego Gutierrez, Dasan Robinson - Logan Pause, Chris Armas, Calen Carr (Bakary Soumare 72) - Cuauhtemoc Blanco - Chris Rolfe, Chad Barrett (Floyd Franks 81). Substitutes Not Used: Mike Banner, Jon Busch, Brian Plotkin, John Thorrington, Daniel Woolard
• "I am extremely disappointed. By my count, this is the third game in a row where individual errors cost us six points," Osorio said. "There is lots of pressure on the guys. Two months ago, they were playing for nothing and now they're playing for something important. I'm very disappointed because we created enough chances to win this game."
TEAM NEWS
• While the Fire haven't lost in four games, they haven't won in three. Against New York, they did come back to grab a 2-2 draw, but after a red card left them a man down for the final 20 minutes. They've allowed late goals in the last two games - in stoppage time in the 1-1 draw at FC Dallas, then six minutes from the end against D.C. United.
• "It's disappointing. It's the second game in a row that we should have had three points and we come out the one. It's a little disappointing on [Matt] Pickens' part. He's always huge for us every game. So he's a little disappointed in himself," said C.J. Brown. "We just have to keep our heads up and keep plowing away. I think soccer-wise we're dominating. We just have to finish the game off."
• Pickens made five saves on the day, but Moreno's shot from a very tight angle and outside the area got by him, high inside the near post. Earlier, Wilman Conde had also saved the day, heading a Luciano Emilio chance off the line.
• "They (D.C.) crossed the ball in and I got to it," Pickens said. "I thought it was going wide but then I lost it. It's just one of those things that happen. I feel awful. We played good enough to win (Sunday)."
• The Fire's single point moved them a point ahead of the Columbus Crew for eighth place in the overall standings and the final playoff spot. The Fire have 32 points, while the Columbus Crew have 31 and the Colorado Rapids sit in 10th place with 29. Of the three, the Fire could have the most difficult schedule, with games against D.C. United, New England and Chivas USA - the top three teams in the league.
• "We have to take it one game a time and now we have to prepare for Chivas (next Saturday)," Osorio said. "I can't deny that I am concerned about what has happened during our last three games."
• Cuauhtémoc Blanco continued to be the spark in the Fire attack, setting up the lone goal with his sixth assist.
• "I think that he's still very creative, you remember our goal was a bold play from him, so I think he's still making good chances for us and I know what comes with Cuauhtémoc defensively," Osorio said. "Sometimes we could probably hope for more, but offensively I think he's doing the job."
• One of the storylines for the match has been the resumption of Mexico's oldest rivalry - the clasíco between Club América and Chivas de Guadalajara - being played out as the Fire take on Chivas USA. Blanco spent nearly the entirety of his career in the Mexican top flight - from 1992-2007 - with the Mexico City giant.
