Chivas USA v Sounders FC
April 18th Kick off 7.30pm
Referee: Alex Prus. Assistants: Fabio Tovar, Paul Scott; 4th: Kevin Stott
Sounders Aim to Rebound from Loss
The top two teams in MLS meet this Saturday as Sounders FC play their first ever road game in the USA. They travel to Los Angeles with three wins and one defeat to play a Chivas side with three wins and one draw. Both sides lost their 100% records last week with Seattle losing 1-0 to Kansas while Chivas drew 0-0 with the Galaxy in the Los Angeles derby.
At nine and ten points respectively the two sides have made the best start to the season, belying the notion that the real powerhouses of MLS all played in the Eastern Conference.
Eylander (here against Chivas last year) and Dragavon will Contend
for the Starting Slot.
Sounders will be without Kasey Keller, suspended after his red card against Kansas, and Sigi Schmid’s first decision will be whether to give Chris Eylander his MLS debut or stand by Ben Dragavon who, although he trains with Seattle, is actually on the MLS Goalkeeper reserve pool. There is also considerable excitement about Freddie Ljungberg and Fredy Montero playing together with all nine colleagues around them, and Seb Le Toux is bound to want to make an on field statement about being the player pulled from the pitch after Keller’s dismissal.
Recent Form
Although Chivas saw their perfect start come to a halt against their local rivals last week, there is still plenty to smile about. Chivas are the only unbeaten side in the Western Conference and one of only three in the league. Their defensive record of just two conceded in four games is the second best in the country. Their goal difference of plus four is also the second best. In both cases however, Seattle is the side above them. So does this mean a game where defences will rule and chances will be at a premium?
At two goals per game, both clubs stand above only New York for the lowest scoring averages for both sides combined. Red Bulls fans have only seen six goals in their four games, averaging 1.5 therefore. (Sadly for them, their side has only scored one of those and conceded five.)
So don’t be surprised if the game is a little tighter, especially as Sounders could well try and protect a debutant goalkeeper.
Eskandarian Back to Full Fitness
After missing the first three games of the 2009 season due to a left hip strain, Chivas USA striker Alecko Eskandarian is back in action for the Goats.
Eskandarian May Start his First Game of the SeasonPhoto: Chivas USA
The 26-year-old saw his first minutes in Saturday’s SuperClásico against the LA Galaxy, coming on as a halftime substitute. He had an immediate effect, creating chances for his side, playing as the lone striker and it was he who drew Gregg Berhalter to make his red card earning foul in the 79th minute that gave Chivas USA a man advantage.
“Alecko is dynamic,” said Chivas USA head coach Preki. “He’s very fast and he has enough speed to get behind the defense and that’s something that we needed in the game against Galaxy in the second half. We felt we had nobody who could really get behind them and he came in and did a pretty decent job for us.”
Beyond this welcome news for Chivas, their backline of Zach Thornton, Carey Talley, Mariano Trujillo, Shavar Thomas and Jonathan Bornstein has started confidently, and Sounders may find them a very different animal from the chaotic defence New York brought to Seattle on opening day.
Goalkeeper Zach Thornton joined Chivas USA on Aug. 1, 2008, from the New York Red Bulls after the departure of England bound Brad Guzan. With over 20,000 minutes played in the MLS, he brings experience and solidity. Oddly he never actually played for the Bulls while there, and before in a stint at Colorado he played just once. Most of his games were for the Chicago Fire and he became only the second goalkeeper in MLS history to reach 100 wins on July 2, 2005 playing against his current club.
Jonathan Bornstein made the MLS ALL Star team in both 2007 and 2008. Carey Talley nearly became an international for the USA. He was seconds away from his first full cap, waiting to come as a substitute against Chile, when the refrere blew the final whistle. Jamaican Shavar Thomas has made 12 appearances for his country where he is a defensive colleague of Seattle’s Tyrone Marshall.
26-year-old Serbian winger Bojan Stepanovic may be a threat to Sounders. He joined just three weeks ago and hasn’t started yet but has made three substitute appearances.
Perhaps Chivas’ best known player is Sasha Kljestan. He scored a memorable hat trick for the USA against Sweden earlier this year and did nothing to suggest he won’t add to his 12 caps. An aggressive midfielder who is dangerous from set pieces, he played for Chivas in the US Open Cup against Seattle Sounders at Starfire last year.
Brazilian Paulo Nagamura has scored two goals in four games this season. He joined from Toronto at the beginning of the 2007 season, and has also played for the Galaxy. Like Seattle’s Steve Zakuani, he played for the Arsenal FC youth set up in London. Paulo however will be watching from the sidelines as he is suspended after receiving two yellows last week.
Injury List
Chivas USA: OUT
DF Bobby Burling – sports hernia surgery
DF Ante Jazic – concussion
GK Dan Kennedy – R knee sprain
FW Ante Razov – R ankle surgery
DF Claudio Suárez – L calf strain
DF Lawson Vaughn – L ankle surgery
MF Sacha Victorine – knee surgery
Stadium
Chivas share the 27,000 capacity Home Depot center with the LA Galaxy. The Home Depot Center represents the largest investment in amateur athletics ever made at $150 million. It is also designated as an official U.S Olympic Training Site.
The 125-acre development includes nine soccer fields, 30 tennis courts, a track & field facility, an indoor velodrome (ADT Event Center) and is surrounded by a three-mile jogging trail with 12 fitness stations.
The stadium has hosted major national and international events including two MLS Cup Games, 2003 MLS All-Star Game, Women’s 2003 FIFA World Cup and Championship games, NCAA Men’s College Cup, USA Sevens International Rugby Tour and the JP Morgan Chase Tennis Tournament. International friendlies, including several matches featuring the US and Mexican National Teams and Interliga tournament for Mexican League soccer teams have taken place at The Home Depot Center.
For another match preview, please visit Sounder at Heart.
Recent Comments