CARSON, Calif. - Chivas USA today announced the 18-player roster for the Chivas USA Under-19 Team's upcoming trip to Guadalajara, Mexico starting next Monday, June 18. During the six-day trip, which completes the 2006-07 cycle for players born in 1988 or earlier, the Chivas USA U-19's will face opponents from all three of Guadalajara's Mexican First Division clubs: sister team Chivas de Guadalajara, Club Atlas and Tecos UAG. The trip comes one year after the squad's successful first international trip to the Copa Saprissa in Costa Rica in May 2006.
Per Chivas USA's Youth Development policy, all players were chosen on merit only, and travel and lodging will be provided by the club.
"We are proud, for the second year in a row, to be able to take our U-19 Team on an international trip where they will be tested against high-level opposition in a competitive environment. After facing some of the top youth teams from around the world in last year's Copa Saprissa, our U-19's now get to face the top teams in Guadalajara, a hotbed of Mexican soccer and the birthplace of Chivas," said Chivas USA Director of Soccer Dennis te Kloese.
Head Coach Sacha van der Most's roster is headlined by Sueño MLS Winner Jorge Flores, the 17-year-old Anaheim product who achieved national renown in March when he beat out 2,000 other aspiring players by earning a spot on the Chivas USA U-19's, in an six-week open tryout that was covered by Univision's popular 'República Deportiva' sports magazine show. In addition, Chivas USA returns eight players who participated with the U-19's in the Copa Saprissa in May 2006, when the side finished third in a competitive Group A that included youth sides from Real Madrid of Spain, Olympia of Honduras, Costa Rican sides Santos and Saprissa, and Cruzeiro of Brazil.
18-PLAYER ROSTER :: CHIVAS USA U-19'S TRIP TO GUADALAJARA
Name |
Birth Year |
Position |
Hometown |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Chris Cortez |
1988 |
F |
Mission Viejo, CA |
Trabuco Hills HS ('05), Veteran of Copa Saprissa '06 squad |
Brandynn Elwart |
1988 |
D |
Las Vegas, NV |
Veteran of Copa Saprissa '06 squad |
Michael Farfán |
1988 |
M |
Temecula, CA |
Cal St. Fullerton; Ex-U.S. U-17 intl.; Veteran of Copa Saprissa '06 squad |
Jorge Flores |
1989 |
F |
Anaheim, CA |
Winner Sueño MLS 2007; Anaheim HS ('07) |
Eduardo Gutiérrez |
1989 |
F |
Baldwin Park, CA |
Azusa HS ('07) |
Bryan Hernández |
1988 |
F |
Norwalk, CA |
Corona HS ('06) |
Gerson Mayen |
1989 |
M |
Los Angeles, CA |
Arsenal FC (Coast Soccer League) |
Antonio Meza |
1988 |
D |
Oxnard, CA |
Joined U-19's via tryouts in 2006 |
Felipe Miranda |
1987 |
GK |
Anaheim, CA |
Veteran of Copa Saprissa '06 squad |
William Molina |
1988 |
M |
Van Nuys, CA |
Van Nuys HS; Veteran of Copa Saprissa '06 squad |
Andy Muñoz |
1988 |
GK |
Van Nuys, CA |
Joined U-19's via tryouts in 2006 |
Francisco Navarro |
1989 |
D |
Norwalk, CA |
Norwalk HS ('07) |
Pedro Ochoa |
1988 |
D |
Long Beach, CA |
Cypress College; Millikan HS ('06); Veteran of Copa Saprissa '06 squad |
Erik Rivas |
1989 |
M |
Lakewood, CA |
St. Mary's College (starts Fall '07) |
Edson Rivera |
1988 |
M |
Lynwood, CA |
Harbor College; Veteran of Copa Saprissa '06 squad |
Miguel Sánchez |
1988 |
D |
Lynwood, CA |
Inglewood HS ('06); Sueño 'Final 5' |
Luis Silva |
1988 |
D |
Bakersfield, CA |
Veteran of Copa Saprissa '06 squad |
Jose Torres |
1989 |
F |
San Diego, CA |
Member of Nomads (CSL) U-17 Natl. Champ. team |
Head Coach: Sacha van der Most
Assistant Coach: Samuel Rivas
Director of Soccer: Dennis te Kloese
"This trip is a big one for us. First, because our players have been training long and hard each week in Bell Gardens for the chance to participate in this series of important matches and, second, because we will be observing some of our younger players, who will have the chance to continue with the U-19's during the 2007-08 cycle, which starts later this year," said Chivas USA U-19 Head Coach Sacha van der Most.
After arriving in Guadalajara on Monday, the Chivas USA U-19's play their first match on Tuesday, when they face the Segunda División side of sister team Club Deportivo Guadalajara at Chivas' Verde Valle training center. On Wednesday, the squad will face the Segunda División team of Chivas' crosstown rival Atlas, before facing Chivas' Segunda team again on Thursday. The trip closes with a match against the Primera 'A' side of Tecos UAG on Friday at the Estadio Tres de Marzo, home of Tecos' First Division team, before the squad's return to Los Angeles on Saturday.
Ahead of Monday's departure, the Chivas USA's U-19's will play their final preparation match tonight, Friday, June 15 at the Bell Gardens Sports Center in Bell Gardens, California at 7:30 p.m. PT. The team will then attend Chivas USA's MLS match against the Colorado Rapids this Saturday at 7:30 p.m. PT at The Home Depot Center before meeting at 8:30 a.m. PT on Monday morning at Los Angeles International Airport.
SCHEDULE :: CHIVAS USA U-19'S TRIP TO GUADALAJARA (JUNE 18-23, 2007)
Date Event/Opponent (Team) Location Time (Local)
6/15 Fr Preparation match vs. Academia Bell Gardens, CA 7:30 p.m. PT
6/16 Sa Chivas USA vs. Colorado Rapids The Home Depot Center 7:30 p.m. PT
6/18 Mo Depart for GDL (Delta # 281) LAX Airport (Meet @ 8:30) Depart 10:50 a.m. PT
6/19 Tu Chivas de Guadalajara (2ª Div.) Verde Valle (Guad.) 9:00 a.m. CT
6/20 W Atlas (2ª Div.) Secaf (Guad.) 10:30 a.m. CT
6/21 Th Chivas de Guadalajara (2ª Div.) Verde Valle (Guad.) 9:00 a.m. CT
6/22 Fr Tecos UAG (Primera 'A) Tres de Marzo (Guad.) TBA
6/23 Sa Depart for LAX (Delta # 282) GDL Airport Depart 4:58 p.m. CT
