Sports stats



Chivas USA gets three in Philly

January 20, 2006 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Club Deportivo Chivas USA News Release


PHILADELPHIA (Friday, January 20, 2006) - Chivas USA selected two players today in the 2006 Major League Soccer SuperDraft, while acquiring a third player via trade, to strengthen its squad ahead of its second campaign in Major League Soccer. On a busy draft day, the Red-and-White added U.S. U-20 midfielder Sacha Kljestan and UCLA winger Jonathan Bornstein, while receiving right back Jason Hernández in a trade with the MetroStars.

Present at Chivas USA's Draft ‘war table' in the Pennsylvania Convention Center were Senior Vice President and General Manager Whit Haskel and Head Coach Bob Bradley, accompanied by Assistant Coach Martín Vásquez and the latest addition to the Red-and-White coaching staff, two-time MLS MVP and new Chivas USA Assistant Coach Predrag Radosavljevic, the man best known as ‘Preki.'

"Coming into the draft with two picks, we were looking to acquire several players who could make an immediate impact on our team. Sacha has played on the highest international level, while Jason was a valuable asset for the MetroStars last year and Jonathan is a talented young forward. We welcome all of them to the Chivas USA family," said Haskel.

"It was good for our team to trade the first pick, because we got three excellent players and not just one. Jason is a great defender. I like the way Sacha sees the game and the way that Jonathan moves on the left side. I'm really happy about our picks", said head coach Bob Bradley.

Originally holding the first selection overall in the Draft, Chivas USA traded its first-round pick for that of the MetroStars (5th overall), the former team of Chivas USA Head Coach Bob Bradley. In the trade, Chivas USA also received 22-year-old MetroStars defender Jason Hernández.

A gifted right back, Hernández played three games for the MetroStars (all starts) in 2005, his rookie season in Major League Soccer. Born August 26, 1983 in Englewood, New Jersey, Hernández - who is of Puerto Rican descent - played four years at Seton Hall University, where he was a business major.

With its first-round pick (5th overall), Chivas USA acquired attacking midfielder and Southern California native Sacha Kljestan, a member of the U.S. U-20 national team and three-year starter at Seton Hall University, where he was a business major.

Born in September 9, 1985 in Anaheim, California, Kljestan started all 60 games during his collegiate career at SHU under head coach Manfred Schellscheidt, recording 20 goals and 28 assists. He also played two games (one start) for the U.S. U-20 national team at the 2005 World Youth Championship in the Netherlands, as the Americans went undefeated during the first round, drawing against Germany (0-0) while defeating Egypt (1-0) and eventual world champions Argentina (1-0) before falling to Italy in the Round of 16.

"I'm very excited to play for Chivas USA and a coach like Bob Bradley. Also, I feel fortunate to play alongside such good players like Ramón Ramírez, Paco Palencia and Juan Pablo García. I'm sure they will guide me to be a better player," said Kljestan.

With its fourth-round pick (37th overall), Chivas USA acquired forward and Southern California native Jonathan Bornstein, a product of Cal Poly Pomona and, most recently, UCLA, where he started all 20 games his senior year, scoring 5 goals and registering 4 assists.

Born November 7, 1984 in Torrance, California, Bornstein first played college ball at Cal Poly, where in just three seasons he managed to ranked second in career assists (19), fifth in career goals (19) and third in career points (53). A graduate of Los Alamitos High School, he won a national championship with the Irvine Strikers and also has represented the U.S. in the Maccabiah Games in Israel (2005).

Chivas USA resumes training on February 1 at The Home Depot Center ahead of the team's second campaign in Major League Soccer, when opens at home against Real Salt Lake on Sunday, April 2. Tickets, starting at just $10 per game, are available by calling 1-877-CHIVAS-1 or online via www.CDCHIVASUSA.com.

• Discuss this story on the Major League Soccer message board...

Major League Soccer Stories from January 20, 2006


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central