Chivas USA continues training on East coast

Published on August 15, 2005 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Club Deportivo Chivas USA News Release


WASHINGTON, D.C. (Monday, August 15, 2005) - Following Saturday's game against D.C. United, Chivas USA (3-17-3, 12 pts.) continues training on the East Coast ahead of this weekend's match against the MetroStars, set for Sunday, August 21 at 3:00 p.m. PT (6:00 p.m. ET) at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey (TV: KAZA Azteca 54; Radio: KMXE Radiovisa 830). The match not only represents the Red-and-White's first-ever game against the MetroStars (7-7-8, 29 pts.), but will also mark the debut of Chivas USA's newest signings, including high-profile Mexican internationals Juan Francisco Palencia and Juan Pablo García. As always, audio and LIVE stats for the match will be available via www.CDCHIVASUSA.com, the official website of Club Deportivo Chivas USA.

SET-PIECES AND SNAPSHOTS: Chivas USA will train this week at American University and Robert F. Kennedy Stadium in the Nation's Capital before departing Wednesday morning for New Jersey, where the team will train from Wednesday to Sunday. In addition, Chivas USA will take advantage of its stays in D.C. and the New York metropolitan area to conduct educational tours of these important American cities. On Tuesday afternoon, the team will tour the National Mall in D.C., visiting such sites as the Lincoln and Vietnam War memorials and the Smithsonian Institution. On Friday afternoon in New York, the team will take a guided tour of Midtown and Lower Manhattan.

20-MAN ROSTER: In addition to the sixteen-man roster eligible for this past Saturday's game against D.C. United, (Javier Barragán, Armando Begines, Milton Blanco, Héctor Cuadros, Brad Guzan, Ezra Hendrickson, Rodrigo López, Antonio Martínez, Francisco Mendoza, Mike Muñoz, Jesús Ochoa, Orlando Pérez, Ramón Ramírez, Isaac Romo, Douglas Sequeira and Arturo Torres) Chivas USA is training this week with four 'guests' from Mexico: D-M Héctor Castro, M-F Juan Pablo García, GK Sergio García 'Matute' and M-F Juan Francisco Palencia...

LÓPEZ AND MUÑOZ MAKE DEBUTS: Saturday's match against D.C. United marked the debuts of Chivas USA's rookie midfielders Mike Muñoz and Rodrigo López. Muñoz, a 21-year-old U.C. Berkeley product, native of Los Alamitos, California and third-round pick in the 2005 MLS Supplemental Draft, came on as a 75th-minute substitute for defender Jesús Ochoa, while López, an 18-year-old native of Guadalajara who on August 5 won the Milk Cup in Northern Ireland with the U.S. U-18 National Team, entered in the 84th minute in place of forward Arturo Torres. With the debuts of Muñoz and López, a total of six Chivas USA rookies have now seen first-team action in 2005, the other four being D-M Aarón López, M-F Milton Blanco, GK Brad Guzan and D-M Esteban Arias.

NICOLE MEGALOUDIS CUP: Following morning practice on Sunday, Chivas USA players Javier Barragán, Milton Blanco, Brad Guzan, Ezra Hendrickson, Rodrigo López and Mike Muñoz - along with Director of Sport Thomas Rongen and Assistant Coach Martín Vásquez - conducted a soccer clinic and signed autographs at the Nicole Megaloudis Cup in Leesburg, Virginia. The two-day, 84-team tournament, created in memory of Nicole Megaloudis, daughter of Gail and Thomas Rongen, was held in benefit of the foundation named in Nicole's honor, which helps athletes in financial need complete their university studies while participating in athletics. For more information on the Nicole Megaloudis Foundation, please email: remembernicole@aol.com.

INJURY SIDELINES HENDRICKSON: Chivas USA's 'Iron Man', defender Ezra Hendrickson missed his very first minutes of the season this past week due to injury. First, the 6-foot-3 fullback was subbed out with a right quadriceps strain at halftime of the team's game against the Los Angeles Galaxy at the Los Angeles Coliseum. Then, Hendrickson missed his first start of 2005 on Saturday in D.C., breaking a streak of 22 consecutive starts in the backline of the Red-and-White. Yet despite missing one and-a-half games (135 minutes), Hendrickson's 1935 minutes logged so far in 2005 still make the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines international Chivas USA's team leader, as well as placing him within the top 15 league-wide in the category.

CHIVAS USA MAKING HISTORY: Chivas USA was part of a doubleheader that produced the second best attendance in MLS history on Wednesday, August 10, 2005. Chivas USA played its last game against the Los Angeles Galaxy this season at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum with and attendance of 88,816 who also watched Club America beat Chivas de Guadalajara 2-1. The biggest MLS attendance in history is 92,216 which took place during a league game between Galaxy and Tampa Bay on June 16, 1996, at the Pasadena Rose Bowl.

HONORS: Last Saturday before kick off between Chivas USA and D.C. United, Red-and-White players Ezra Hendrickson and Thiago Martins received their 2004 MLS Cup championship rings. Both players spent last season with D.C. United. Ezra Hendrickson personally received his ring while Chivas USA Director of Sport Thomas Rongen received Thiago Martins' ring who did not travel due to an injury.

MATT TAYLOR, TO GERMANY AND BACK AGAIN: After missing four regular-season games due to a sports hernia, Chivas USA forward Matt Taylor underwent successful surgery last Wednesday in Munich, Germany. The surgery was performed by renowned specialist Dr. Ulrike Muschaweck, who has performed this particular surgery on more than 1,000 professional soccer players worldwide, including D.C. United defender Bryan Namoff, who was able to recover within three weeks after undergoing surgery in July. Should Taylor make a similarly speedy recovery, he could be available as early as Chivas USA's next home game, on September 3 versus the Columbus Crew at The Home Depot Center.

RESERVES VS. METROSTARS: The Chivas USA Reserves (1-6-0, 3 pts.) will join their first-team counterparts in New Jersey on Sunday ahead of their Reserve Division fixture against the MetroStars Reserves (3-2-3, 11 pts.). The match will be held at 7:00 a.m. PT (10:00 a.m. ET) at Giants Stadium.

UP NEXT: Following Monday's Reserve Division match, Chivas USA returns to Southern California on ahead of its first and only MLS 2005 regular season contest at Pizza Hut Park, the new home of Western Conference rivals FC Dallas, to be played on Saturday, August 27 at 5:30 p.m. PT (TV: KAZA Azteca 45; Radio: KMXE Radiovisa 830). Then, with new signings in tow, Chivas USA returns to play at The Home Depot Center on September 3 with another unique international 'doubleheader': a massive in-stadium viewing party, with U.S. vs. Mexico World Cup qualifying match on the stadium's big screen starting at 4:30 p.m. PT, followed by Chivas USA vs. Columbus Crew on the main field at 7:00 p.m. PT. For information and tickets, please call 1-877-CHIVAS-1 or visit www.CDCHIVASUSA.com.

CHIVAS USA SOCCER ACADEMY: The Chivas USA Soccer Academy continues play this week, with two weekly sessions at The Home Depot Center, in preparation for the weekend's slate of games in the Baldwin Park Soccer League. For more information on the Academy, please contact Chivas USA Soccer Development Manager Eduardo Creel at ecreel@cdchivasusa.com.

'CHIVAS DE CORAZÓN': This and every Thursday at 7:00 p.m. PT, be sure to tune in to KMXE Radiovisa 830 AM for Chivas USA's weekly Spanish-language radio program, 'Chivas de Corazón', hosted by John Laguna and Mario Valadez. The one-hour program features news, interviews, analysis and fan commentary about Chivas USA and sister team Club Deportivo Guadalajara, popularly known as 'Chivas'. To participate in this exciting weekly program, please dial 1-877-883-0830.

COMEDY NIGHT: Tickets are still available for Chivas USA's 1st Annual 'Noche de Comedia' (Comedy Night) at The Home Depot Center's Stadium Club restaurant on Thursday, August 25 from 7:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. PT. The evening kicks off with music and a silent auction, followed by the evening's main attraction: a performance by 'the one and only' Gilbert Esquivel (as seen on Que Locos, Comic View, The Ortegas and the Apollo Comedy Hour). Music and a cocktail reception are to follow. Proceeds from the event go to the Fundación Chivas de Corazón, and tickets are available for just a $50 tax-deductible donation. For more information contact Chivas USA Community Relations Coordinator Alicia Mendoza at 310-630-4569.

CHIVAS USA INJURY REPORT

QUESTIONABLE: Ezra Hendrickson (R quad strain)

OUT: Víctor Arbeláez (L adductor muscle strain), Francisco Gómez (L quad strain), Thiago Martins (L ankle sprain), Matt Taylor (sports hernia surgery)

CHIVAS USA SCHEDULE FOR THE WEEK OF AUGUST 15-22

*Subject to change. Media access will be provided after games and training sessions. For the latest information, contact Chivas USA's Public Relations Department.

Monday, August 15: Training, double session (10:00 a.m. ET, American University; 4:00 p.m. ET, RFK Auxiliary Field)

Tuesday, August 16: Training (10:00 a.m. ET, American University); Washington, D.C. Sightseeing Tour (Time TBD)

Wednesday, August 17: Travel to New Jersey (depart 9:30 a.m. ET); Training (Giants Stadium, 4:00 p.m. ET)

Thursday, August 18: Training, double session (10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. ET)

Friday, August 19: Training (10:00 a.m. ET); Sightseeing tour of Manhattan (Time TBD)

Saturday, August 20: Training (10:00 a.m. ET)

Sunday, August 21: Chivas USA Reserves depart LAX to Newark Liberty International Airport; Chivas USA vs. MetroStars (6:00 p.m. ET / 3:00 p.m. PT, Giants Stadium - TV: KAZA Azteca 54; Radio: KMXE Radiovisa 830; Web: www.CDCHIVASUSA.com)

Monday, August 22: Chivas USA Reserves vs. MetroStars Reserves (10:00 a.m. ET / 7:00 a.m. PT); Team departs Newark Liberty International Airport to LAX

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Major League Soccer Stories from August 15, 2005


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