Chivas USA Weekly Update

Published on November 10, 2008 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Club Deportivo Chivas USA News Release


CHIVAS USA'S SEASON ENDS WITH 2-2 PLAYOFF TIE VS. REAL SALT LAKE: Chivas USA's 2008 season drew to a close on Saturday night as the Red-and-White drew 2-2 with Real Salt Lake in front of an electric playoff crowd of 19,265 at The Home Depot Center. After Salt Lake's 1-0 victory on Saturday, Nov. 1 in Utah, RSL advances to the Western Conference Championship, by a 3-2 aggregate score, and will host the New York Red Bulls on Saturday, Nov. 15. On Saturday, the Red-and-White took a 1-0 lead tonight on Sacha Kljestan's 30th minute penalty kick, but RSL struck back with goals from Dema Kovalenko and Javier Morales. Justin Braun's late equalizer knotted the score at two, but Chivas USA could not find a third goal. The Red-and-White ended the regular season with a 12-11-7 record (W-L-T) and qualified for the playoffs for the third consecutive season in the club's four years of existence. The team's crowd of 19,265 was the second highest of all eight first-round playoff games played in the last two weeks.

CHIVAS USA TO CONTINUE TRAINING IN COMING WEEKS: As the MLS season has come to a close for the Red-and-White, Chivas USA will hold conduct a brief team meeting Tuesday at The Home Depot Center, before performing fitness exams on Wednesday and Thursday. The team will continue training at The Home Depot Center until late November. Media should please contact Chivas USA Communications (contact information above) in advance to request specific player interviews this week, as not all players will be available at The Home Depot Center on all three days.

JORGE FLORES TO JOIN U.S. U-20 NATIONAL TEAM IN SPAIN: Chivas USA midfielder Jorge Flores has been called up by United States Under-20 National Team coach Thomas Rongen for the team's upcoming international training camp in Spain from Nov. 15-23. During the trip, the team will play three friendlies, facing youth teams from Spanish sides Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid, and Rayo Vallecano. Flores played in 11 regular-season MLS matches for Chivas USA this year, starting six and scoring three goals. So far in 2008, the Anaheim, Calif. native has been with the U.S. U-20's for tournaments including the Copa Chivas (Mexico), the Campos Verdes International Tournament (Portugal), and the Milk Cup (Northern Ireland). In May, Flores was with the team for a pair of games in England against English Premier League reserve teams, where he had a goal and an assist. Flores has played in more games (8) with the U.S. U-20's this year than any other player.

CHIVAS USA 2008 SEASON AWARD WINNERS: Prior to the team's final game of the regular season, Chivas USA honored its team award winners. Sacha Kljestan highlighted the winners, earning both team MVP honors as well as the Red-and-White's Budweiser Golden Boot. Kljestan finished the regular season tied for first on the team in goals, with five, but his seven assists broke the deadlock with forwards Ante Razov and Alecko Eskandarian. Other players honored were Claudio Suárez, winner of Chivas USA's Chivas Regal Award, for the player "who best represents the spirit of Chivas USA"; Defender of the Year Paulo Nagamura; and U.S. Soccer Foundation Humanitarian of the Year Jonathan Bornstein, as well as, midfielder Sacha Kljestan joins the elite company of Ramón Ramírez (2005), Ante Razov (2006), and Brad Guzan (2007) as Chivas USA's Most Valuable Player for 2008.

THIRTY LINEUPS IN THIRTY-TWO GAMES: Over the course of the 2008 season, Chivas USA missed a total of 183 man-matches due solely to injuries, averaging nearly six players per game. This, along with suspensions and the departure of goalkeeper Brad Guzan, forced Chivas USA to use a total of 30 different groups of 11 starters in its 32 MLS games (including playoffs). The Red-and-White started each of their first nine matches with a new group of eleven starters, but then used the same group of starters in games at Colorado (5/24), vs. Columbus (5/31), and at New York (6/5). In each of the following MLS matches since, the team has brought out a new group, bringing the total to 30 in 32 games. Chivas USA Head Coach Preki has handed a first MLS start to no fewer than eleven players: goalkeeper Dan Kennedy, defenders Bobby Burling and Eric Ebert, midfielders Kraig Chiles, Dejair, Jorge Flores, Daniel Paladini, Keith Savage, and Raphaël Wicky, and forwards Justin Braun and Roberto Nurse. All - except Flores who debuted in 2007 - has also made their MLS debuts this season.

YOUTH UPDATE: CHIVAS USA YOUTH TEAMS TO PLAY IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA THIS WEEKEND: The Chivas USA Youth Teams endured a tough week in U.S. Soccer Development Academy action, as the U-16's fell to the LA Galaxy U-16's 1-0, and the U-18's lost to the Galaxy by a 3-0 score. Despite the loss, the Chivas USA U-18's remain in first place, with a record of 7-2-0 (W-L-T) in the SoCal Division of the Development Academy's Western Conference, thanks to a recent seven-match winning streak. The U-16's sit in third place in their division with a 3-4-2 record (W-L-T). Both teams will head to Northern California next weekend, facing Mustang SC of Danville, Calif., on Saturday, followed by the Santa Cruz County Breakers on Sunday. More information on the Chivas USA's U-18 and U-16 Teams can be found in the latest Chivas USA Youth Soccer Update at cdchivasusa.com, or by visiting the U.S. Soccer Development Academy website.

'KICK-IT' THIS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15 AT WESTWOOD RECREATION CENTER: 'Kick-it at the Park L.A. with Chivas USA' continues this Saturday, Nov. 15, with a clinic at the Westwood Recreation Center, located at 1350 Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, 90025. A series of four, 90-minute clinics kicks off at 9:00 a.m., followed by clinics at 10:45 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 2:45 p.m. Run in conjunction with the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, 'Kick-it' is a series of clinics that emphasize physical fitness, sports, and education for as many as 400 children at each of 40 locations throughout the year. A five-dollar fee gets participants 90 minutes of instruction, a voucher for a future Chivas USA game, a t-shirt, soccer ball, and Certificate of Completion. Most recently, Chivas USA held a clinic at the Penmar Recreation Center at 1341 Lake Street, Venice, 90291 on Nov. 8. For more information on the program, or to register for a clinic, visit www.kickitatthepark.com.

LISTEN TO 'PASIÓN CHIVAS USA' EVERY THURSDAY NIGHT ON W RADIO 690 AM: Join Hipólito Gamboa and Rigoberto Cervantez for a special season-end edition of 'Pasión Chivas USA', Chivas USA's weekly show on W Radio 690 AM, airing this Thursday, Nov. 13 at 6:00 p.m. PT. One of the most powerful AM radio signals in all of the western United States, XEWW 690 AM can be heard from Tijuana in the south, all the way to the San Joaquin Valley in the north. Join Cervantez and Gamboa as they look at the 2008 Chivas USA season on this week's show.

VISIT 'DENTRO DEL REBAÑO', CHIVAS USA'S OFFICIAL BLOG: Chivas USA's official blog, 'Dentro del Rebaño' (or 'Inside the Flock') is online with updated content from the team, including video previews of upcoming games, as well as post-match videos. Check http://chivas-usa.blogspot.com today for the latest information on Chivas USA!

CHIVAS USA BIRTHDAYS: Three Chivas USA players celebrate November birthdays; Jonathan Bornstein turned 24 on Nov. 7, Jesse Marsch turned 35 the next day, and on Nov. 11, Daniel Paladini also turns 24.

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Major League Soccer Stories from November 10, 2008


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