CHIVAS USA vs COLORADO RAPIDS
STUBHUB CENTER, Carson, Calif.
August 11, 2013 (WEEK 24, MLS Game #221)
11 pm ET | 8 pm PT (UniMas; Altitude)
The Colorado Rapids put a pair of long undefeated runs on the line when they visit Chivas USA on Sunday evening at StubHub Center. The Rapids are unbeaten in their last seven league games following a 2-2 home draw with Real Salt Lake -- and haven't lost to Chivas USA since 2009. Chivas USA return home off a second consecutive defeat, dropping a 2-0 decision last week at the San Jose Earthquakes.
REFEREE: Chris Penso. AR1 (bench): Daniel Belleau; AR2 (opposite): Chris Strickland; 4th: Jesus Cisneros
MLS Career: 43 games; FC/gm: 23.0; Y/gm: 2.8; R: 10; pens: 14
DISABLED LIST: CHV: Daniel AntuÒez ... COL: Diego CalderÛn
SUSPENDED: CHV: Carlos Bocanegra (through August 11) ... COL: Hendry Thomas (through August 11)
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: COL: Shane O'Neill
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: CHV: Mario de Luna, Bobby Burling, Carlos Alvarez, Gabriel Farfan, Tristan Bowen ... COL: Dillon Powers, Nathan Sturgis
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (24 meetings): Chivas USA 5 wins, 25 goals ... Rapids 13 wins, 42 goals ...Ties 6
AT CHIVAS USA (11 meetings): Chivas USA 4 wins, 13 goals ... Rapids 8 wins, 17 goals ... Ties 0
2013 (MLS)
4/13: CHV 0, COL 1 (Brown 7)
5/25: COL 2, CHV 0 (Harris 11; Sturgis 78)
- The teams are meeting for a third time this season, and the Rapids have won both previous matches while not allowing a goal. A Deshorn Brown penalty kick was enough for a 1-0 win April 13 in Carson, and Atiba Harris and Nate Sturgis scored in a 2-0 May 25 victory.
- The Rapids have not lost to Chivas USA since March 21, 2009, going 8-0-2 in the 10 matches since. The Rapids have won on each of their last four visits to take on Chivas in Carson, over the past four seasons.
- Colorado has a six-game undefeated streak alive against Chivas USA at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, dating back to 2008. The Rapids have won four of the six meetings since in Commerce City, with two draws.
- Coaches record: Oscar Pareja vs. CHV: P5 W4 L0 D1 ... JosÈ Luis Real v COL: first game
LAST MEETING (MLS)
- The Rapids were in front just 11 minutes into the match. Following a string of one-touch passes, left back Chris Klute's pinpoint cross into the box connected with a sliding Atiba Harris, who slotted past a helpless Dan Kennedy in the Chivas goal.
- The Rapids sealed the result in the 78th minute. Fullback Brian Mullan's through ball found Deshorn Brown speeding down the right flank, and the rookie's cross into the box found Nathan Sturgis open in front of net for an easy finish.
- COLORADO RAPIDS (4-2-3-1): Clint Irwin - Brian Mullan, Marvell Wynne, Drew Moor, Christopher Klute - Pablo Mastroeni (Kamani Hill 83), Nathan Sturgis - Atiba Harris (Danny Mwanga 73), Martin Rivero (Dillon Powers 44), Deshorn Brown - Edson Buddle.
- CHIVAS USA (3-3-1-3): Dan Kennedy - Carlos Borja, Mario de Luna, Bobby Burling - Eric Avila, Edgar Mejia (Oswaldo Minda 37), Josue Soto - Gabriel Farfan (Marvin Iraheta 59) - Carlos Alvarez, Jose Correa (Jose Rivera 68), Jorge Villafana
CHIVAS USA
Chivas USA suffered a second consecutive loss, falling 2-0 to the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday evening at Buck Shaw Stadium. Chivas USA sit in ninth place in the Western Conference with 17 points from 22 matches.
LAST MATCH
- The Quakes took the lead just before halftime. Steven Beitashour sent a long pass over the Chivas USA back line which Victor Bernardez floated into the area for Chris Wondolowski to head home from just outside the six-yard box.
- Wondolowski hit for his and San Jose's second in the 87th minute to seal the victory, pouncing on the rebound from a Shea Salinas deflected shot and lifting it over a prone Dan Kennedy in the Chivas goal.
- Chivas USA head coach Jose Luis Real made three changes to the team that lost to Seattle Sounders FC at CenturyLink Field. Josue Soto, Eric Avila and Julio Morales all came into the team in place of Carlos Alvarez, Jorge Villafana and Gabriel Farfan.
- CHIVAS USA (4-4-2): Dan Kennedy - Marky Delgado, Mario de Luna, Carlos Bocanegra (sent off 62), Josue Soto - Tristan Bowen (Jorge Villafana 46), Edgar Mejia (Carlos Alvarez 76), Carlos Borja, Eric Avila - Erick Torres, Julio Morales (Steve Purdy 64).
TEAM NEWS
- For a 14th consecutive game, Chivas USA scored either one goal or were shut out. They have not scored multiple goals in a game since a 2-2 draw with San Jose on April 27. Chivas have been shut out 10 times this season.
- "It's been a tough season. Most important is our transition for the next season. We are a very young team. I am happy with the development of the players," said Chivas USA head coach JosÈ Luis Real.
- The average age of the Chivas starting lineup was just over 24 years of age. Nine players were 25 or younger, and two teenagers (Marco Delgado, 18, and Julio Morales, 19) were included in the team. The MLS record for the youngest ever starting XI was the MetroStars, vs. the LA Galaxy on June 19, 2004, with an average age of 22 years, 138 days.
- "My job in Guadalajara was to install young players of quality and that's no exception here," Real said. "We have experienced players here with a lot of quality and we need them, but if you compare our team with others in the league, you see a lack of experience. The only way to get experience is to play in these types of games."
- Morales made his first start in a league match since May 5 in partnering Erick Torres in attack. He had come off the substitutes' bench in five consecutive contests.
- "We started some young payers today; our right back [Marky Delgado] is 18, both our forwards [Julio Morales and Erick Torres] are 20 years old," said goalkeeper Dan Kennedy. "You have to look at the big picture; the entire team is improving and that's the biggest thing to focus on. We learn from it and move on."
- Making his third consecutive start in his return to Major League Soccer, Carlos Bocanegra was sent off after 62 minutes and will miss out on the Colorado game. Bocanegra had been sent off twice in his first MLS stint, once in both 2002 and 2003 ñ and both in games vs. Columbus for the Chicago Fire.
- After returning from international duty with El Salvador, Steve Purdy made his first league appearance since May 19, coming on for the final 26 minutes. Purdy is expected to be given the start in central defense with Bocanegra's absence.
- "He's a player who has been called up to a national team that had a very good performance in the Gold Cup," Real said. "He's a Chivas USA player, and everyone on the squad knows that at any moment you can get an opportunity. Opportunities present themselves like this and I have no doubt that Purdy is a player that we can be confident will respond to the expectations."
GET MORE CHIVAS USA NEWS AT CDChivasUSA.com
COLORADO RAPIDS
The Colorado Rapids extended their undefeated run to seven matches, coming back for a 2-2 draw with Real Salt Lake on Saturday evening at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. The Rapids are in a tie for second place in the Western Conference with 35 points from 24 matches.
LAST MATCH
- Less than two minutes into the match, Real had the lead. Sprinting down the right side of the box, Kyle Beckerman delivered a perfect cross for a wide-open Ned Grabavoy to bundle over the line at the back post.
- But the lead didn't last long. On a harmless-looking long ball over the top into space, Rapids striker Deshorn Brown used nothing but pure speed to wrestle his way around a defender and fire the ball past RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando for the ninth-minute equalizer.
- But 10 minutes later, Rapids defender Drew Moor caught Robbie Findley's legs in a last-ditch tackle in the area, resulting in a clear penalty. A thunderstorm blew through just as Alvaro Saborio was lining up to take the penalty kick, resulting in a 62-minute delay. When play was restarted, Saborio finished off the spot kick for a 2-1 RSL lead.
- Yet the Rapids struck back again in the 70th minute. Rookie Dillon Powers snuck a brilliant through ball down the wing to left back Chris Klute, who delivered another terrific cross to Jaime Castrillon, who headed home for the equalizer.
- Rapids head coach Oscar Pareja made two changes to the team that defeated the LA Galaxy 2-0 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. German Mera and Atiba Harris came into the team for Nick LaBrocca and the suspended Hendry Thomas.
- COLORADO RAPIDS (4-2-3-1): Clint Irwin - Marvell Wynne (Jaime Castrillon 46), Drew Moor, German Mera, Christopher Klute - Shane O'Neill, Nathan Sturgis - Atiba Harris (Tony Cascio 35), Dillon Powers, Deshorn Brown - Edson Buddle (Danny Mwanga 56).
LAST MATCH
- The Rapids extended their undefeated streak to seven games ñ their longest since a club-record nine-game run in 2011 ñ in laying claim to the Rocky Mountain Cup for the first time since 2006.
- "The cup is important. We knew what this game meant for our fans and our organization. We wanted the three points and I thought, honestly, we deserved it," said Rapids head coach Oscar Pareja. "... That says a lot about what our team put into the field. The cup, we take it with a lot of joy because our fans and the club want it and we keep working because we wanted the three points and now we need to go get it somewhere else."
- Said defender Drew Moor: "The fans have made such a big deal out of this. I've said it several times, this team has accomplished a lot since I've been here ñ we've won an MLS Cup, we've won a lot of big games, but this was the one thing that was missing, at least since I've been here."
- Coming off the substitutes' bench after not featuring for two matches, Jaime CastrillÛn scored his first goal of the season. CastrillÛn scored eight goals in 2012, his first year in MLS.
- "[Castrillon] called it," Pareja said. "He told me, 'I'm going to score this Saturday.' He said that because he said, 'I want to fight for this team, I feel ready.' He told me a few times this week, 'I'm going to score on Saturday the winning goal.' And he did score. It was great."
- Dillon Powers collected his fourth assist in the last seven games in helping set up the late equalizer. Powers has also scored two goals in that time.
- "That's a goal straight off the training ground. I think Salt Lake had possessed the ball very well right before we scored that goal, but we stayed patient, we kept them in front of us, and when it was our opportunity it was a great interchange of play down the left side," said Moor. "[Chris] Klute has been working on his crosses all week. I think he was disappointed in his crosses last weekend, but he played a fantastic ball and Jaime [CastrillÛn] does what Jaime does best."
- Deshorn Brown scored his sixth goal and now leads MLS rookies. He has scored three goals during the Rapids' current unbeaten run.
- Tony Cascio made his first appearance since July 4, coming on for 55 minutes after Atiba Harris was forced from the field with an injury.
