Chivas USA regresó nuevamente a los entrenamientos para encarar el complicado enfrentamiento de este sábado ante el D.C. United en el RFK Stadium de la capital estadounidense.

El Director Técnico, Preki, habló con los jugadores y les enfatizó que los siguientes encuentros serán vitales para la clasificación a la Liguilla.

El equipo viajará a D.C. el próximo jueves en la mañana y se concentrará en esa ciudad hasta el día del encuentro. Con cuatro enfrentamientos restantes en la temporada regular, Chivas USA ahora tendrá una pequeña gira de dos partidos de visita al hilo, comenzando este sábado cuando enfrente al D.C. United. El encuentro se jugará a las 4:30 p.m. Hora del Pacífico (7:30 p.m. Hora del Este y será televisado en vivo por Fox Soccer Channel y Fox Sports En Español).

El arquero Dan Kennedy expresó que “sentía mucha confianza por su reciente actividad con el equipo angelino” y que se había sentido muy bien en los últimos dos encuentros del chiverío.

En el interescuadras participó nuevamente Alecko Eskandarian, quien lleva una racha de dos partidos seguidos anotando gol, y que también se hizo notar con un golazo en la práctica. Los medios de comunicación lo solicitaron preguntándole sobre su próxima visita a la capital, lugar donde conquistó un campeonato de la MLS en 2004.

“Conozco muy bien a la organización y sé que también ellos están presionados por conseguir el resultado… viví por cuatro años ahí y es difícil de olvidar eso”, expresó Eskandarian.

Los Rojiblancos están situados en el segundo puesto de la Conferencia Oeste con un récord de 10-10-6 (victorias-derrotas-empates), válido para 36 puntos. Los Rojiblancos necesitan continuar su racha positiva (cuatro victorias en los últimos seis partidos) para mantenerse alejados de sus escoltas, los Rapids de Colorado y el Real Salt Lake, ambos a sólo dos unidades abajo. Sin embargo, también el D.C. united necesita de una victoria, pues actualmente se úbica en el quinto lugar de la clasificación en la Conferencia Este y de terminar hoy la temporada regular, los capitalinos no clasificarían a la Liguilla.

A long-range goal from forward Maykel Galindo in the 81st minute handed the Chivas USA Reserves a 2-1 win over the LA Galaxy Reserves in a match played this morning on Field 4 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. The win improved the Chivas USA Reserves record to 2-3-3 (W-L-T) on the season, while the Galaxy Reserves dropped to 1-5-2.

In a first half that saw several chances from each side, it was the Galaxy that earned the 1-0 lead just before the break. A cross to the back post from midfielder Peter Vagenas found Israel Sesay, and the 18-year-old forward’s header beat Chivas USA goalkeeper Lance Parker to give the Galaxy the halftime advantage.

Chivas USA struck back just after halftime to tie the game at one. A flurry of chances resulted in a broken play where newly-acquired midfielder Dejair played a ball to Keith Savage, whose close-range low shot beat Josh Saunders in the Galaxy net.

The deadlock was broken nine minutes from time, when Maykel Galindo scored his first Reserve Division goal of the season. Midfielder Kraig Chiles played a ball to Galindo roughly 30 yards from goal, and the forward lashed a shot that hit the top corner of the net.

In the team’s next match, the Chivas USA Reserves are set to face the San Jose Earthquakes Reserves on Oct. 12 in San Jose, while the LA Galaxy Reserves next play at home to the Colorado Rapids, also on Oct. 12. For more information on Major League Soccer’s Reserve Division, please visit http://web.mlsnet.com/mls/reserve/.

Preki and goalscorers Alecko Eskandarian and Sasha Victorine discuss the 2-1 victory over Victorine’s former team, the Kansas City Wizards..

Chivas USA midfielder Sasha Victorine, making his first start for the Red-and-White, scored the game-winning goal against his former team in Chivas USA’s 2-1 victory over the Kansas City Wizards. Victorine also assisted on the first goal of the match, by Alecko Eskandarian, as the Red-and-White regained the second position in the Western Conference.
A pair of Chivas USA’s Western Conference rivals also earned wins on Saturday, as Real Salt Lake and the Colorado Rapids moved into a tie for third place with 34 points. The Red-and-White, with 36 points, currently hold the tie-breaker over both RSL and Colorado.
Alecko Eskandarian opened the scoring on the night in the 26th minute, finishing a low cross from Sasha Victorine. Forward Ante Razov, who later left the match in the 30th minute with an apparent calf injury, also assisted on the goal, which was Eskandarian’s fourth of the season, and second in two games.
Victorine’s goal came during stoppage time at the end of the first half, when he drove a curling 20-yard shot past Kevin Hartman in the Kansas City net. Atiba Harris and Sacha Kljestan assisted on the goal, and Kljestan and Razov remain tied for the team lead in assists with six apiece.
Kansas City Wizards forward Josh Wolff scored on a close-range bicycle kick in the 70th minute on a broken play, but goalkeeper Dan Kennedy and the rest of the Chivas USA defense held firm to earn the win.
Chivas USA Head Coach Preki, on tonight’s match: “I give my guys an incredible amount of credit because they fought, and they’re still fighting. They deserve what they’re getting; they’re putting themselves in a good position, and hopefully we’ll take care of business in the rest of the season.” (For a full quote sheet, please visit http://www.cdchivasusa.com/.)
The match saw the return to the lineup of defender Alex Zotinca, who went 65 minutes in his first action since tearing his ACL in March, during preseason. Forward Maykel Galindo, who last played on Aug. 14, also returned to the field, playing the final 13 minutes. Chivas USA now has four games left in the regular season. The next two are on the road (Oct. 4 at D.C. United, Oct. 11 at the San Jose Earthquakes), and then the team will close with two games at home (Oct. 19 vs. the Colorado Rapids, Oct. 25 vs. the Houston Dynamo). For more information on any matches, or to purchase tickets, fan can call 1-877-CHIVAS-1 or visit http://www.cdchivasusa.com/.

PHOTO: JUAN MIRANDA/CHIVAS USA

After three straight away games, in which the Red-and-White earned two wins and a loss, Chivas USA returns to host the Kansas City Wizards this Saturday night, Sept. 27, at 7:30 p.m. PT. Kansas City currently sits in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, just one point out of a spot in the playoffs, while the Red-and-White own the second spot in the Western Conference but are in the middle of a tight race in the division for the postseason.

Click here to listen to Preki talk about the match against Kansas City.

You can also watch our game preview on our Official YouTube Channel. Listen to goalkeeper Dan Kennedy and new acquisition Sasha Victorine discuss Saturday’s match against Kansas City, Victorine’s former team.

Families can also take advantage of Chivas USA’s Family Pack, which gets you 4 tickets, 4 hats and 4 hotdogs starting at just $58. Chivas USA will also be celebrating Manhattan Beach Night, where city leaders will be greeted by Manhattan Beach resident Jesse Marsch and a special ‘Parade of Champions’ will give soccer-loving kids from Manhattan Beach the opportunity to walk around the field prior to the game. For more information on these activities or to purchase tickets, please call 1-877-CHIVAS-1 or visit http://www.cdchivasusa.com/.

SIEMPRE FIELES
Los seguidores de la Legión 1908 de Idaho hicieron el viaje a la ciudad de Salt Lake para seguir al Rebaño angelino en la victoria de 1-0 sobre los locales.

Después de ligar tres partidos fuera de casa, en la cual los Rojiblancos lograron dos victorias y una derrota, Chivas USA regresa para enfrentar a los Hechiceros de Kansas City este sábado, 27 de septiembre, a las 7:30 p.m. Hora del Pacífico. Kansas City se sitúa actualmente en la sexta posición en la Conferencia Este, mientras que los Rojiblancos poseen el segundo lugar de la Conferencia Oeste, aunque todavía están en una ardua pelea para alcanzar la postemporada. Las familias pueden tomar ventaja del Paquete Familiar de Chivas USA, el cual consiste de cuatro boletos, cuatro gorras y cuatro hotdogs desde $58. Chivas USA también estará celebrando la noche de Manhattan Beach, en donde líderes de esa ciudad estarán saludando al mediocampista Jesse Marsch. Además, habrá una noche especial de “Desfile de Campeones”, en la que los niños de Manhattan Beach tendrán la oportunidad desfilar antes del encuentro con los jugadores. Para más información sobre las actividades o para comprar boletos, pueden llamar a 1-877-CHIVAS-1 o visita www.cdchivasusa.com.

On a rainy Saturday night at Rice-Eccles Stadium and with a goal from former Real Salt Lake player Alecko Eskandarian, Chivas USA defeated RSL 1-0 and climbed to second place in the Western Conference. It was also RSL’s final game at Rice-Eccles before moving into their new Real Salt Lake Stadium next month. Tonight’s attendance (26,391) was the third-largest home crowd in RSL history. The Red-and-White also handed RSL its first loss at home this season.
With just five games left in the MLS regular season, Chivas USA is in second place with 33 points, followed by Colorado and RSL, tied in third place with 30 points. The Red-and-White win also represents a valuable head-to-head tiebreaker over RSL in case both teams finish the regular season even on points. Currently, Chivas USA also holds the head-to-head tiebreaker against Colorado. Only the top three teams in the Conference have a guaranteed spot in the playoffs.

Chivas USA forward Alecko Eskandarian scored his third goal of the season at the 72nd minute of play (unassisted) when he took advantage of a miscommunication between Real Salt Lake’s goalkeeper Nick Rimando and defender Nat Borchers.
Chivas USA Defender Jonathan Bornstein suffered a head injury during a play in the first half and had to be replaced by Sasha Victorine, who made his debut with the Red-and-White at the start of the second half. Bornstein’s concussion injury forced Chivas USA Coach to modify his line up during the second half. Victorine started in the midfield and Francisco Mendoza moved to left back.
Midfielder Jesse Marsch made his first appearance with Chivas USA since he suffered a jaw fracture during the last game against the Galaxy on August 14th. Marsch entered the game at the 66th minute of play for forward Ante Razov.
Chivas USA Head Coach Preki, on tonight’s match: “We got a fortunate goal. Sometimes, in this game, you have to be lucky and get one of those things. This year luck hasn’t been on our side too often, so tonight we’ll take it. It’s that time of year that we’ll take the points, it doesn’t matter how they come.”
“We always knew that we had a good team. It was just a matter of getting everybody healthy and getting everybody playing. I don’t think we played our best tonight. It was our first time we put this group together in a long time.”