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Chivas USA adds six players to roster

March 17, 2006 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Club Deportivo Chivas USA News Release


CARSON, Calif. (Friday, March 17, 2006) - Chivas USA today announced that it has added veteran World Cup defender Carlos Llamosa, midfielders Brent Whitfield and Jonathan Bornstein and goalkeeper Preston Burpo to the club's 18-man senior roster. The Red-and-White also announced the signing of defender Lawson Vaughn and forward Estuardo Sánchez to developmental contracts. With the addition of these six players, Chivas USA continues to fill out its squad ahead of its April 2 season opener versus Real Salt Lake at The Home Depot Center. Per league policy, contract terms were not revealed.

"These signings demonstrate Chivas USA's commitment to veteran leadership, including another World Cup veteran in Carlos Llamosa, with an infusion of youth that will provide speed and creativity to our squad. They also demonstrate our commitment to signing local talent, while putting together an exciting team that will reward fans with entertaining soccer," said Chivas USA Senior Vice President and General Manager Whit Haskel.

A native of Palmira, Colombia, Carlos Llamosa represented the United States at the 2002 World Cup and brings considerable MLS and international experience to Chivas USA's backline. A two-time MLS Cup champion (1997, 1999) and three-time MLS All-Star (1999, 2001, 2002), Llamosa began his MLS career with D.C. United (1997-2000) before joining the Miami Fusion (2001) and later the New England Revolution (2002-2005). Since making his U.S. national team debut on November 6, 1998, against Australia in San Jose, California, Llamosa represented the U.S. 29 times between 1998 and 2002, including the qualifying and final rounds of the 2002 World Cup, as well as the 1999 Confederations Cup in Mexico. Llamosa joins Chivas USA from the New England Revolution, by way of his native Colombia, where from August to November 2005 he trained with his former club, Atlético Huila of the Colombian first division.

"We feel these six players will provide our team with a great balance of experience and young talent, as we continue to build our squad ahead of our season opener on April 2. Each has earned his place on Chivas USA's roster and we look forward to their future contributions to our club," said Chivas USA Head Coach Bob Bradley.

Goalkeeper Preston Burpo and midfielder Brent Whitfield join Chivas USA from the reigning USL First Division champion Seattle Sounders. Named MVP of the 2005 USL First Division final and a nine-year Sounders veteran, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Burpo has long been one of the top goalkeepers in the United States' second tier. Whitfield, a 25-year-old Cal State Fullerton product and native of Long Beach, California, was the Sounders' second-leading scorer in 2005, amassing six goals in his rookie campaign in the USL First Division. Previously, Whitfield played for the Southern California Seahorses of the Premier Development League.

As part of the deal for Burpo and Whitfield, Chivas USA announced that it will play an exhibition game against the Seattle Sounders on Sunday, May 7, 2006 at 6:00 p.m. PT at Qwest Field in Seattle. The match, which wraps up Cinco de Mayo festivities sponsored by the Washington State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (WSHCC), is Chivas USA's first in the Pacific Northwest. Tickets, starting at just $12, are available by contacting the Seattle Sounders at (206) 622-3415 or online via www.seattlesounders.net.

Chivas USA also announced the signing of two draft picks: midfielder Jonathan Bornstein, Chivas USA's fourth-round pick in the 2006 MLS SuperDraft, and defender Lawson Vaughn, the club's third-round pick in the 2006 MLS Supplemental Draft. Bornstein joins the Chivas USA's 18-man senior roster, while Vaughn has signed a developmental contract.

Finally, Chivas USA announced the acquisition of 18-year-old forward Estuardo Sánchez as a Discovery Player. Born in Los Angeles, California, to Guatemalan parents, the 5-foot-11, 165-pound Sánchez joins the Red-and-White after impressing with Chivas USA's U-19 team, led by Director of Football Dennis te Kloese. Sánchez, who played club ball with FC Barcelona of Southern California's Coast Soccer League, has been training with Chivas USA's first team since the beginning of the 2006 preseason. On February 15, he scored Chivas USA's second goal in a 3-2 loss to the United States national team during a closed-door scrimmage at The Home Depot Center.

Chivas USA's next preseason scrimmage is this Sunday, March 19 against fellow Major League Soccer club Real Salt Lake at The Home Depot Center. Kickoff is 10:00 a.m. PT.

Chivas USA, Major League Soccer's Mexican-owned, Los Angeles-based franchise, kicks off its second campaign in MLS on April 2, 2006 at 4:00 p.m. PT versus Real Salt Lake at The Home Depot Center in Carson, California. Tickets, starting at just $10 per game, are available by calling 1-877-CHIVAS-1 or online via www.cdchivasusa.com.



Major League Soccer Stories from March 17, 2006


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