Get to know second-year forward Justin Braun in this week’s edition of Chatting With Chivas USA – his proud hometown, his nickname, and his high-pitched impersonation of a pop star.

Chivas USA fell 1-0 tonight at the Houston Dynamo in a battle between first- and second-place teams in Major League Soccer’s Western Conference.
Houston forward Stuart Holden scored the game’s only goal, deep into in first-half injury time, following a long clearance by goalkeeper Pat Onstad that was headed on by Dynamo forward Cam Weaver.
Despite the result, Chivas USA remains in first place in MLS, with a record of 8-3-3 (W-L-T), good for 27 points, just three points ahead of the second-place Dynamo. However, the Dynamo have played three fewer games than Chivas USA.
In the four-year history of the Chivas USA vs. Houston Dynamo rivalry, the home team remains unbeaten in all 13 meetings (regular season and playoffs), with the Red-and-White posting a 0-6-2 record all-time (W-L-T) at Robertson Stadium, while the Dynamo are currently 0-2-3 vs. Chivas USA at The Home Depot Center.
Chivas USA Head Coach Preki, on tonight’s match: “I thought we were pretty decent in the first 30 minutes and basically controlled the tempo of the game. In the last 15 minutes [of the first half] we made a couple of mistakes, and they all of a sudden started feeling a little bit more comfortable. … And then, we give up the dumbest goal ever, from a goal kick.” (For a full quote sheet, please visit cdchivasusa.com.
For tonight’s match, Chivas USA was missing Southern California natives Jonathan Bornstein and Sacha Kljestan, both currently in South Africa with the U.S. National Team for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, as well as Mexican defender Mariano Trujillo, who was serving a one-game suspension for yellow-card accumulation. In addition, Chivas USA was missing six players due to injury.
Following Sunday’s game at Columbus, Chivas USA opens SuperLiga 2009 on Saturday, June 20 at The Home Depot Center, when it hosts Tigres UANL of Mexico at 7:00 p.m. For the second consecutive year, Chivas USA takes on top teams from Mexico and MLS in SuperLiga. For more information, please call 1-877-CHIVAS-1, visit cdchivasusa.com.

Listen to post-game audios in English from:

Head Coach Preki
Defender Carey Talley
Midfielder Paulo Nagamura

Escuche las declaraciones después del partido en español de:
Delantero Maykel Galindo
Defensa Jorge Flores

Chivas USA, el superlíder de la Major League Soccer, sostendrá dos partidos de visita antes de su debut en SuperLiga 2009 contra Tigres de la UANL el 20 de junio en El Home Depot Center. El encuentro ante el Houston Dynamo será mañana, miércoles y será televisado por ESPN2 y ESPN Deportes, además de la transmisión local por W Radio 690 AM. El equipo texano está colocado a sólo 6 puntos del conjunto Rojiblanco en la Conferencia Oeste. El equipo luego se enfrentará al Crew de Columbus, el campeón defensor de la Copa MLS, el domingo. Escucha al defensa Claudio Suarez y delantero Eduardo Lillingston hablar sobre el encuentro.

Luego el equipo regresará al Home Depot Center el próximo sábado, 20 de junio, a las 7:00 p.m. para el primer encuentro de Chivas USA en SuperLiga 2009 ante Tigres de la UANL. Para más información sobre SuperLiga o para comprar boletos llamar a 1-877-CHIVAS-1 o visite cdchivasusa.com.

Chivas USA, the top team in Major League Soccer, hits the road this week for a pair of nationally televised road matches ahead of the team’s debut in the 2009 SuperLiga, against Mexico’s Tigres UANL, on June 20 at The Home Depot Center. First up is a Wednesday match at the Houston Dynamo, currently sitting at second place in the Western Conference, six points behind Chivas USA.
Preki, captain Jesse Marsch, and defender Carey Talley look ahead to first-place Chivas USA’s match against second-place Houston Wednesday night.

The match will be broadcast live nationally on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes, and locally on W Radio 690 AM. The team then moves on to play at the Columbus Crew on Sunday, meeting the defending MLS Cup and Supporters Shield winners for the first time in 2009. The match will be broadcast live nationally on TeleFutura and locally on Prime Ticket. The team then comes back to The Home Depot Center on Saturday, June 20, at 7:00 p.m. for the Red-and-White’s first match of the 2009 SuperLiga, facing Mexico’s Tigres UANL. For more information on SuperLiga, or to purchase tickets, please call 1-877-CHIVAS-1 or visit cdchivasusa.com.

Experience the sights and sounds of Chivas USA’s 1-0 victory over Seattle, including reaction from Preki, Shavar Thomas, Carey Talley, Atiba Harris, Justin Braun, Jorge Flores, and Michael Lahoud.

An Eduardo Lillingston goal in the 38th minute was enough to give Chivas USA a 1-0 victory over Seattle Sounders FC on Saturday night at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. The win improves the Red-and-White’s record to 8-2-3 (W-L-T), good for 27 points and keeping the team in first place, six ahead of the Chicago Fire and Houston Dynamo, tied for second. It was Chivas USA’s first win since May 9, after two ties and a loss in its last three games.
Lillingston’s goal came on a rebound given up by Seattle goalkeeper Kasey Keller after a hard shot from midfielder Paulo Nagamura. The Mexican striker now leads Chivas USA in goals, with five, putting him one ahead of Nagamura. It was also Lillingston’s third game-winning goal of 2009, good for the MLS lead in this category.
Chivas USA goalkeeper Zach Thornton made three saves to earn the clean sheet, and is now atop MLS with seven shutouts on the season. Thornton’s shutout tonight was the 65th of his career, which ties him with San Jose’s Joe Cannon for second place on the MLS all-time list in the category. Thornton’s goals against average in 2009 is now 0.69, and he continues to lead the league in saves, with 47.
Chivas USA’s Jorge Flores earned his first start of 2009 and midfielder Michael Lahoud started for the first time in his MLS career as the Red-and-White were without Sacha Kljestan and Jonathan Bornstein, on duty with the U.S. National Team, as well as midfielder Jesse Marsch, who was suspended for the match. Both Flores (left defense) and Lahoud (central midfield) played all 90 minutes.
Defender Claudio Suárez also earned his first action of 2009, entering the match as a 70th minute substitute for Shavar Thomas.
Chivas USA will hold its third ‘Practice in the Community’ of the 2009 season tomorrow morning in Moreno Valley, conducting a training session followed by an opportunity for fans to take photos, get autographs and meet players. The event will be hosted by Inland United Brasil S.C., a top youth soccer club based in the Inland Empire, at Moreno Valley Community Park at 13380 Frederick St in Moreno Valley.
Chivas USA Head Coach Preki, on tonight’s match: “Against Chicago we were very unlucky not to take all the points, we had many chances to put the game away and we don’t. Tonight we put one away and then we really showed resilience and toughness and good mentality… to get a result.” (For a full quote sheet, please visit cdchivasusa.com.)
Chivas USA then plays at the Columbus Crew on Sunday, June 14 before returning home to open SuperLiga 2009 against Tigres UANL on Saturday, June 20 at The Home Depot Center. For tickets or more information, please call 1-877-CHIVAS-1, visit cdchivasusa.com or contact Chivas USA Communications.

PHOTOS: Juan Miranda/Chivas USA

Gayle Anderson was live yesterday at The Home Depot Center with a preview of this Saturday’s Chivas USA vs Seattle Sounders at 7:30 p.m.. Watch this video if you missed how Chivas USA Equipment Manager Raul Guerrero prepares before players step on the field.

Click here to watch the rest of KTLA reporter Gayle Anderson’s visit to Chivas USA at The Home Depot Center, including the participation of fans and ChivaGirls and players.