CHIVAS USA vs LA GALAXY
THE HOME DEPOT CENTER, Carson, Calif.
May 19, 2012 (WEEK 11, MLS Game #105)
7:30 p.m. PT (ESPN2/Deportes/espn3.com; TSN2; lagalaxy.com/gamedaylive)
It's the first SuperClasico meeting of 2012 when Chivas USA are the home team for their encounter with the LA Galaxy at The Home Depot Center on Saturday evening. Chivas still have yet to win in Carson this season, and are coming off a late 1-1 draw at San Jose last weekend. The Galaxy are also coming off a draw, coming back for a 1-1 result in Montreal. The Galaxy haven't lost to Chivas since 2007, riding a six-game winning streak in SuperClasicos.
REFEREE: Mark Geiger. SAR (bench): Sean Hurd; JAR (opposite): Steven Taylor; 4th: Alejandro Mariscal
MLS Career: 95 games; FC/gm: 26.3; Y/gm: 3.7; R: 20; pens: 31
DOWNLOAD FULL GAME GUIDE (PDF)
INJURY REPORT:
- CHIVAS USA - OUT: MF Marvin Iraheta (L knee ACL); QUESTIONABLE: MF Ben Zemanski (R knee MCL sprain)
- LA GALAXY - OUT: DF Andrew Boyens (L sports hernia); DF Omar Gonzalez (L knee surgery); QUESTIONABLE: FW Edson Buddle (R adductor strain); FW Robbie Keane (R hamstring tightness); DF Leonardo (R knee surgery); DF David Junior Lopes (R hamstring strain)
ESPN2 Preview: CHV vs. LA
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
SUSPENDED: none
WARNINGS:
- SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: none
- SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: LA: David Beckham, Juninho
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (22 meetings): Chivas USA 3 wins, 18 goals ... Galaxy 14 wins, 34 goals ... Ties 5
AS CHIVAS HOME GAME (10 meetings): Chivas USA 1 win, 8 goals ... Galaxy 6 wins, 12 goals ... Ties 3
FUTURE MATCHES: 7/21: LA Galaxy vs. Chivas USA, 7 p.m. PT (Telefutura); 8/12: Chivas USA vs. LA Galaxy, 8 p.m. PT (ESPN2/Deportes)
LAST YEAR (MLS):
5/21: CHV 0, LA 1 (Barrett 26)
10/16: LA 1, CHV 0 (Barrett 53)
- The Galaxy have a six-game winning streak alive against their neighbors at The Home Depot Center, and haven't lost to Chivas USA since Aug. 23, 2007, a span of 11 games.
- Over the past three years (seven games in league play), Chivas has scored one goal vs. LA.
- With the trade of David Junior Lopes from Chivas USA to the Galaxy for Paolo Cardozo, two more players have the opportunity to play on both sides of the SuperClasico. Nine players have played in games for both clubs in the rivalry: Juan Pablo ¡ngel (LA 2011; CHV 2011); Tristan Bowen (LA 2009-10; CHV 2011); Alecko Eskandarian (CHV 2008-09; LA 2009); Alan Gordon (LA 2004-10; CHV 2010-11); Ante Jazic (LA 2006-08; CHV 2009-11); Mike Munoz (CHV 2005; LA 2008); Paulo Nagamura (LA 2005-06; CHV 2007-11); Marcelo Saragosa (LA 2004-06; CHV 2009-10); Michael Umana (LA 2005; CHV 2010)
- Coaches record: Robin Fraser v LA: P2 W0 L2 D0 ... Bruce Arena vs. CHV: P9 W6 L2 D1
LA GALAXY
The LA Galaxy had their winless streak extended to four games, despite coming back for a 1-1 draw with the Montreal Impact on Saturday afternoon at Olympic Stadium. The Galaxy are in seventh place in the Western Conference with 11 points from 10 games.
HIGHLIGHTS: Impact, LA share the points at Stade Olympique
LAST MATCH
- The Impact took the lead after just eight minutes. Center back Nelson Rivas spotted Bernardo Corradi upfield and hoofed a long ball towards the striker. The service evaded Corradi and the entire LA defense, giving Davy Arnaud a one-on-one breakaway with Galaxy 'keeper Brian Perk, which the veteran duly put away.
- But the Galaxy drew even in the 62nd minute. A Rivas foul led to a free kick some 35 yards out from goal, and David Beckham put in a vintage free kick inside goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts' near post for the leveller. WATCH
- Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena made four changes to the team that went down to a 1-0 by the New York Red Bulls at The Home Depot Center. Brian Perk came in between the posts for Bill Gaudette, Dan Keat came into the back four for Tommy Meyer, and Michael Stephens and Kyle Nakazawa came into midfield, replacing Mike Magee and Edson Buddle.
- LA GALAXY (4-4-2): Brian Perk - Sean Franklin, Dan Keat, A.J. DeLaGarza, Todd Dunivant - Michael Stephens (Mike Magee 46), Juninho (Marcelo Sarvas 74), David Beckham, Kyle Nakazawa (Pat Noonan 69) - Landon Donovan, Robbie Keane.
TEAM NEWS
View from the Booth
- The Galaxy's four-game winless streak is their longest since recording five consecutive draws May 6-30, 2009.
- "We wanted to keep being aggressive in the second half," Galaxy captain Landon Donovan said. "Too often it's been our story this year. We played well enough to win, but haven't. We have to stop making some mistakes, but the attitude and the effort is really good and you can't fault anyone for that."
- READ: Galaxy disappointed to draw Impact after superb turnaround
- The Galaxy have conceded the first goal in seven games this season - second-most in the league, behind only Toronto FC. They still have yet to post a clean sheet this season after recording 17 shutouts last year.
- David Beckham has scored four goals directly from free kicks in MLS play, among his 12 league goals in six seasons, after his strike vs. Montreal. Beckham also last year scored a goal directly from a corner.
- READ: David Beckham earns second Goal of the Week honor
- "We're disappointed not to have the three points," Beckham said. "In the second half, we created so many chances. I knew once we got the first goal, our confidence would grow up. At first, we played with not enough belief, but in the second half, we came in and showed the character that we have."
- Goalkeeper Bryan Perk made his season debut in goal, his second MLS appearance, after backstopping a scoreless draw vs. Seattle last July 4. It was his third professional appearance, having won a U.S. Open Cup match last year.
- "Perk played well," Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena said. "He wasn't tested a lot. ... For his first game this year, he has to come back from surgery and he did well. His distribution was very good."
- Dan Keat made his second professional start, his first since starting the final league game of the season a year ago, at Houston. His only other appearance this year was as a substitute in the CONCACAF Champions League second leg vs. Toronto.
- Kyle Nakazawa made his first start of the season, his second appearance. He came on as a substitute April 7 vs. Sporting KC.
WATCH: Galaxy players preview SuperClasico
CHIVAS USA
Chivas USA had their winless run extended to four games in heartbreaking fashion again, the San Jose Earthquakes scoring a late goal for a 1-1 draw Sunday evening at Buck Shaw Stadium. Chivas USA are in eighth place in the Western Conference with 10 points from 10 games.
HIGHLIGHTS: Quakes snatch the win
LAST MATCH
- Chivas USA took the lead after just four minutes. James Riley ran down a ball on the overlap on the right and hooked in a low cross that Jose Erick Correa finished deftly from seven yards, curling the ball past Quakes goalkeeper Jon Busch and just inside the far post.
- But the Quakes once again had some late drama. Sam Garza, a 60th-minute substitute, roamed free on the left wing before delivering a perfectly placed near-post cross that Alan Gordon met with authority, just beating goalkeeper Dan Kennedy to the ball and nodding it inside the back post.
- Chivas USA head coach Robin Fraser made four changes to the team that suffered a late 2-1 loss to the Chicago Fire at The Home Depot Center. Ante Jazic came into the back four for Rauwshan McKenzie, Peter Vagenas and Laurent Courtois started in midfield for Oswaldo Minda and Jorge Villafana, and Jose Correa replaced Juan Pablo Angel up top.
- CHIVAS USA (4-3-1-2): Dan Kennedy - James Riley, John Valencia, Heath Pearce, Ante Jazic - Nick LaBrocca, Peter Vagenas (Blair Gavin 75), Laurent Courtois (Michael Lahoud 46) - Miller Bolanos (Ryan Smith 68) - Jose Correa, Alejandro Moreno.
TEAM NEWS
Fraser talks SuperClasico rivalry
- For the second time in as many games and the third time this season, Chivas USA conceded a tying or losing goal in the 88th minute or later. Chivas has allowed six goals after the 75th minute this season, even with Portland Timbers for most in MLS.
- "Part of that is how we manage a game," Chivas head coach Robin Fraser said. "If we do a better job of managing the game and ending the game on a little bit more on our terms then it does look quite our way. But when you're hanging on at the end then it's difficult."
- Chivas USA did get a result on the road for the fourth time in five matches this season, despite the late equalizer. They are still looking for their first win at The Home Depot Center this season, and first since last Sept. 24.
- "It shows our potential. I think we've been a bit unfortunate at home. For me, we come on the road and we know we're up against something, so we fight really hard. We need to have that same fight when we're at home," said goalkeeper Dan Kennedy.
- Given his first start in MLS, Jose Erick Correa scored his first goal just four minutes into the match. He had come on as a substitute vs. Chicago for his league debut.
- "He's a hard worker. He's the type of forward who looks to run in behind defenses. We thought that was going to be important. We thought that was one of the things that was going to be key for us (today). His running, certainly early on, proved to be the difference for us."
- Said Correa: "Coach Fraser gave me the opportunity to be a starter for this particular match. I had an opportunity to play in the last match, but he decided to put me in as a starter. I think I did what he needed for me to do. I have to work a lot to get better. Every day that comes by, we have to work harder."
- Ante Jazic returned to the back four as Heath Pearce returned to central defense to partner with John Valencia, who maintained his place ahead of Rauwshan McKenzie.
- "We asked a lot of Heath (Pearce) and John (Valencia) in the center of the park, and our outside backs to get pressure out to their servers," said Kennedy. "In the end, we came here and we got a result. We can move forward with that."
- With Oswaldo Minda suspended, Peter Vagenas came into the team in the deep-lying central midfield spot.
- "We can't ask ourselves to defend for 80 minutes, anytime you do that, teams are going to get chances," defender James Riley said. "I thought that we did dealt with it admirably, but you're not going to be able to put out every fire so the thing is to not have to put ourselves in situations like that where we're asked to put out fires every time ó and critical fires at that."
- On Thursday, Chivas underwent a serious makeover, obtaining center back Danny Califf from Philadelphia Union in exchange for midfielder Michael Lahoud, and picking up forward Juan Agudelo from the New York Red Bulls for defender Heath Pearce.
