USA opens playoffs tomorrow at Real Salt Lake, returns home November 8
October 31, 2008 - Major League Soccer (MLS) - Club Deportivo Chivas USA News Release
CARSON, Calif. (Friday, Oct. 31, 2008) - Chivas USA kicks off its third consecutive post season campaign this Saturday against fellow 2005 expansion side Real Salt Lake, which is in the MLS postseason for the first time in club history. The two-game Western Conference Semifinal starts with Game 1 of the home-and-home series this Saturday, Nov. 1, at 3:00 p.m. PT (4:00 p.m. MT), at RSL's brand-new Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah. Chivas USA will then host the decisive second leg on Saturday, Nov. 8, at 7:30 p.m. PT at The Home Depot Center. The first 10,000 fans in attendance for the Nov. 8 match in Carson will receive a free, limited-edition Chivas USA 2008 playoffs t-shirt. The match will be Bonus Game 'C' for media parking passes and Chivas USA Season Ticket Holders, and tickets can be purchased by calling 1-877-CHIVAS-1 or visiting cdchivasusa.com.
Saturday's match in Utah is the first leg of a home-and-home series, and the second leg will be played on Saturday, Nov. 8, at 7:30 p.m. at The Home Depot Center. The team with more goals in the two games will advance, and if the score is tied after two games, an overtime will be played, followed by penalty kicks, in the game on Nov. 8.
For Chivas USA's home playoff game on Nov. 8, the first 10,000 fans in attendance will receive a free, limited-edition Chivas USA 2008 playoffs t-shirt. The match will be Bonus Game 'C' for media parking passes and Chivas USA season ticket holders.
Chivas USA and Real Salt Lake have been rivals since both teams joined Major League Soccer in 2005, and the Red-and-White hold the all-time advantage with an 8-3-3 record (W-L-T) against RSL. At Real Salt Lake, both teams own a 2-2-2 record, but the teams have never met at the brand-new Rio Tinto Stadium.
So far in 2008, the two teams have squared off three times, with Chivas USA winning twice and RSL capturing one victory. The first game was a 3-1 win for the Red-and-White in their home opener on April 5, followed by a 1-0 Real Salt Lake victory on June 14 at The Home Depot Center. The final match of the season was played in Salt Lake, and Chivas USA came away with a 1-0 win.
Chivas USA forward Justin Braun, who finished the regular season tied for the league lead in goals among all rookies, will be returning to his hometown of Salt Lake City. Braun joined the Red-and-White in preseason early in 2008 after being spotted playing in an amateur tournament by Chivas USA Head Coach Preki, and has four goals and two assists for the Red-and-White this year.
The Union Ultras, one of Chivas USA's fan clubs, have organized a pair of events for Saturday's game. A group of 50 Ultras will be traveling via bus to Salt Lake City for the match, while the remaining members of the group have organized a viewing party for fans watching the game in the Los Angeles area. All fans are invited to join the Ultras at Red Vest Pizza at 12639 Glenoaks Blvd. in Sylmar, starting at 2:00 p.m. PT on Saturday, one hour before the start of the match.
With all the injuries that Chivas USA has had to deal with this season, there have been a total of 169 man-games missed solely due to injury, averaging nearly six players per game. The team will be without several players in Salt Lake; for a full copy of the latest Chivas USA Injury Report, please visit MLSnet.com.
Fans can now to purchase tickets to Chivas USA's second-leg playoff match, vs. either Colorado or Salt Lake, on Saturday, Nov. 8 at 7:30 p.m. PT at The Home Depot Center. The first 10,000 fans in attendance on the night will receive a free, limited-edition Chivas USA 2008 playoffs t-shirt. Tickets for the squad's third consecutive appearance in MLS postseason play, starting at just $14, are now on sale by visiting cdchivasusa.com, or calling 1-877-CHIVAS-1.
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Major League Soccer Stories from October 31, 2008
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- USA opens playoffs tomorrow at Real Salt Lake, returns home November 8 - Club Deportivo Chivas USA
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