Sal Zizzo, a 23-year-old US youth international, is now a member of Chivas USA following a weighted lottery which took place on Wednesday evening.
The Goats had the third best chance (16.28 percent) of landing the former UCLA product, who will play in his native Southern California.
Zizzo, who started all five matches for the USA at the 2007 FIFA Under-20 World Cup, had been playing in Germany since 2007 until his contract with Hannover 96 expired this summer. His stay in the Bundesliga was marred by a left knee injury suffered during training in October 2009.
The San Diego native played two years at UCLA before turning professional with Hannover 96 after the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in July 2007. Zizzo made his senior national-team debut later that same summer on August 22 against Sweden.
Four teams opted out of Wednesday's weighted lottery in which the percentage chances for winning the rights to the player were determined by each team’s record over its last 30 regular-season games. The New England Revolution, Chicago Fire, Toronto FC and Columbus Crew did not participate.
By virtue of winning the lottery, Chivas USA will not be eligible to participate in another lottery for the rest of the 2010 season.
