Chivas USA participated in the Spinal Injury Games, an annual event organized by Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, a non-profit hospital in Downey, CA. Goalkeeper Dan Kennedy played soccer with spinal injury patients while also visiting numerous other patients during the event.

Chivas USA followed captain Jonathan Bornstein as he lived his last game with the club. Jonathan Bornstein played his final match with Chivas USA on Saturday night at The Home Depot Center in Carson as the Red-and-White fell to the Chicago Fire by a 4-1 score. Bornstein, a Los Alamitos native and UCLA alum, started and played 85 minutes in his final match before he joins Tigres of the Mexican First Division in January. Bornstein left the match to a huge ovation in the 85^th minute, and immediately after the game addressed the stadium from midfield. “It’s been an up-and-down year,” he told the fans. “I just wanted to say thank you very much for all your support throughout the year, and throughout my career at Chivas USA.”

Jonathan Bornstein played his final match with Chivas USA on Saturday night at The Home Depot Center in Carson as the Red-and-White fell to the Chicago Fire by a 4-1 score. Bornstein, a Los Alamitos native and UCLA alum, started and played 85 minutes in his final match before he joins Tigres of the Mexican First Division in January.

Bornstein left the match to a huge ovation in the 85^th minute, and immediately after the game addressed the stadium from midfield. “It’s been an up-and-down year,” he told the fans. “I just wanted to say thank you very much for all your support throughout the year, and throughout my career at Chivas USA.”

Entering the game for Bornstein was Bryan de la Fuente, a 19-year-old midfielder from Bell, Calif., who developed in the Chivas USA youth system. The Homegrown Player made his MLS debut in the game, saying afterward: “I’m very happy. In truth, there are no words to describe what I felt in the moment, but, thank God, Martín gave me the opportunity to make my debut.”

Chicago Fire forward Brian McBride played his final match on Saturday, and opened the game’s scoring with a beautiful goal in the 40^th minute. A low cross from Freddie Ljungberg came to McBride, who flicked the ball with his heel past Zach Thornton in the Chivas USA net.

The Fire took a 2-0 lead after Ljungberg scored in minute 47, but Chivas USA forward Giancarlo Maldonado pulled a goal back in minute 57, floating a header into the net off a cross from Sal Zizzo. As Chivas USA pushed forward to tie the game, the Red-and-White gave up two more goals, from Calen Carr in minute 68 and Baggio Husidic in minute 93.

The season ends for Chivas USA with a record of 8-18-4 and no playoff berth for the first time since the club’s inaugural season in 2005. “This season, our fans, our ownership, our players have been tested and challenged,” said Head Coach Martín Vásquez after the game, “but we also think that we have to continue to work…. We need to take a deep breath and regroup.”

Midfielder Sal Zizzo’s assist to Maldonado was his first point for Chivas USA after joining the team in midseason. The goal was Maldonado’s second in MLS action.

Before the game, Chivas USA honored its 2010 team award winners, with Michael Umaña earning Defender of the Year, Justin Braun earning Golden Boot and Most Valuable Player, Michael Lahoud receiving Humanitarian of the Year, and Jonathan Bornstein taking the Claudio Suárez Award, given to the player who best represents the spirit of Chivas USA.

Chivas USA Head Coach Martín Vásquez, and Midfielder Bryan de la Fuente give their reactions on Chivas USA’s last match of the 2010 MLS season.

Join Jo Ankier and Jonathan Bornstein as he gives his final toughs on his last game with Chivas USA.

Don’t miss the ChivaGirls performance this Saturday during the last match of the season!

Chivas USA fell by a 3-0 score to the San Jose Earthquakes on the road on Wednesday night, with Earthquakes striker Chris Wondolowski scoring a second half hat-trick to give the home side the win. The Red-and-White fall to 8-17-4 on the season, while San Jose improves to 13-9-7 and prepares for the playoffs.

The Red-and-White have just one game remaining in 2010, facing the Chicago Fire at The Home Depot Center in Carson this Saturday, October 23 at 8:00 p.m. PT. It is Fan Appreciation Night, with prizes, raffles and giveaways occuring throughout the match. For more information or to purchase tickets, please call 1-877-CHIVAS-1 or visit cdchivasusa.com.

Kevin Guppy, a Cal State Northridge alum and Chino Hills native, earned the start in goal for Chivas USA as starter Zach Thornton was rested. Guppy made six saves, including one stellar stop in the second half, in his MLS debut.

By starting the match, midfielder Paulo Nagamura set a record by becoming the Brazilian player with the most appearances in MLS history. Nagamura has played 145 games in MLS, more than any other player from Brazil, including 87 games for Chivas USA. The rest of his appearances came with the LA Galaxy and Toronto FC.

After a scoreless first half, San Jose was able to take control in the second half, first scoring in the 55th minute after Chivas defender Michael Umaña fouled Wondolowski in the box. Wondolowski slotted the resulting penalty just under the diving Guppy.

Wondolowski struck twice more, in minutes 59 and 72, to notch a hat trick and leave him with 17 goals on the season, tied with the LA Galaxy’s Edson Buddle for the league lead. He also set a single-season San Jose Earthquakes record.

Both of Chivas USA’s starting central defenders in the match, Michael Umaña and Yamith Cuesta, were forced to leave the game due to injury. Cuesta suffered a left knee injury in minute 62 and was replaced by Jonathan Bornstein, while Umaña strained his right hamstring four minutes later and was replaced by Sal Zizzo. The Red-and-White finished the game with Mariano Trujillo, Ante Jazic, Bornstein and Jorge Flores on the back line.

Next home game: Chivas USA will celebrate Fan Appreciation Night on Saturday, October 23 at 8:00 p.m. PT at The Home Depot Center. For more information, or for tickets to the match, please call 1-877-CHIVAS-1 or visit cdchivasusa.com.

Chivas USA would like to thank all the fans that showed their support during the 2010 season.

Chivas USA fell for the first time in league play at Qwest Field on Friday night by a score of 2-1 against the Seattle Sounders in front of a sellout crowd of 36,356 fans in Seattle, WA.

The Red-and-White (8-16-4) had not lost or conceded a goal in league play against the Sounders before tonight’s match until Seattle’s Steve Zakuani scored at the 9th minute of play. Chivas USA was the only MLS team that the Sounders (14-9-6) had not defeated during the regular season until tonight.

Chivas USA went down in the scoreboard early in the match when the Red-and-White defenders couldn’t clear the ball outside the box and Seattle’s Parke passed it to Zakuani, who got in between a handful of defenders and dribbled Zach Thornton to put it into the net for the first goal of the match at the 9th minute. The Sounders kept attacking and encountered the second goal very soon when Freddy Montero set the ball to Zakuani, who cut it inside to Osvaldo Alonso, and the Seattle midfielder knocked it to Thornton’s far post at the 25th minute for the decisive goal.

The Red-and-White’s only goal came very late in the match at the 92nd minute when Rodolfo Espinoza sent in a cross from the right hand side to Jesus Padilla, who won the header and scored just a minute before the final whistle. It was Padilla’s sixth goal of the season.

Chivas USA was without forward Alan Gordon, who is serving a two game suspension, and Justin Braun, who is recuperating from a concussion suffered last week. Giancarlo Maldonado started the match and put the ball inside the net in the 60th minute but the play was ruled offside.

The Red-and-White remains with 28 points and with a record of 8-16-4 in the Western Conference, eliminated from Playoff contention. The team has two matches left in the season, first on the road against the San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday and the last game of the season against the Chicago Fire on October 23 on Fan Appreciation Night.
The Red-and-White will travel to Los Angeles on Saturday and will take Sunday off. Chivas USA will resume training on Monday at 10:00 a.m. PT on Field 6 at The Home Depot Center before traveling on Tuesday to San Jose for the match against the Earthquakes on Wednesday.

Last home game: Chivas USA will celebrate Fan Appreciation Night for the final MLS game of 2010 on Saturday, October 23 at 8:00 p.m. PT at The Home Depot Center. For more information, or for tickets to the match, please call 1-877-CHIVAS-1 or visit cdchivasusa.com.

Chivas USA held its 4th annual ‘Fundación Chivas de Corazón’ Charity Golf Tournament on Sept. 27 at the Pacific Palms Resort in the City of Industry.