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Mejia Looks to Help Chivas USA Deliver Similar Results on the Road

September 17, 2013 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Club Deportivo Chivas USA News Release


Since his arrival to lead Chivas USA, Head Coach Jose Luis Real has turned the Red-and-White into a dangerous team at home. Under the former Chivas Guadalajara manager, the Rojiblancos have turned the StubHub Center into a difficult place to play for League opponents and have made playoff contenders pay for not showing up with their A game. The Goats are unbeaten in six of their last seven games at home, with three wins and three ties in that span and will now look to translate those results to points on the road. Helping in the club's gradual turnaround is midfielder Edgar "Chore" Mejia, who has been a consistent and steady performer throughout his first Major League Soccer season.

Chivas have recorded just three points away from Carson since Real's first match at Vancouver on June 19 and will need to begin securing similar results on the road as they have been at the SHC if they are to surpass last season's 7-18-9 record and continue the momentum they have built in the final third of the campaign.

Mejia, 25, arrived via loan from brother club Chivas Guadalajara and has been a calming veteran presence on the pitch with his team-high four assists. The Guadalajara native is confident that the club can become a dangerous team on the road and says the team has all the tools to do so going into Saturday's road match against the Houston Dynamo at BBVA Compass Stadium.

"We have to keep doing what has brought us results over the last few weeks and keep training the way we have, being consistent," said Mejia. "That is going to give us what we need to also have good matches as visitors.

"Maintaining concentration is the key. Concentration is the foundation along with the good communication that we have with each other to not relax and be attentive the entire match and finish our looks at goal."

Mejia is tied for most starts among the clubs midfielders with 22 in his 23 appearances this season and has been a key part in Real's system during Chivas' best home stretch of the season. The midfielder has shown his versatility both defending and attacking down the middle of the pitch and tallied his first MLS goal in a road win back in March against the Chicago Fire. Nevertheless, the Guadalajara native says the team has not wavered in its confidence in playing as the visiting side.

With five matches remaining in the season, the Rojiblancos will twice travel away from the SHC, and their meeting against Houston will be a good indicator of the progress made by Real's group as a road club. Saturday's match kicks off at 5:30 p.m. (PT) and will be televised on KDOC-TV and in Spanish on MundoFOX 22. The match can also be followed in Spanish on W 690 AM Radio.

Rojiblancos return to training after League and Reserves action

After recovering from League and Reserve match competition with an off day on Monday, Chivas USA returned to the pitch Tuesday morning to start their work week ahead of Major League Soccer's Week 30. The Red-and-White are set to travel to the Lone Star State to battle Eastern Conference side the Houston Dynamo on Saturday in the clubs' first and only meeting of the 2013 campaign.

The Goats kicked off the session with a light trot around the StubHub Center's Field 6 and moved on to a series of stretches to initial warm-ups under the guidance of Coach Armando Camacho. The group then rotated through various stages of strength and conditioning before incorporating the ball into their work regiment.

The squad then moved on to compete in one-on-one drills in reduced space with a goalkeeper in each goal. The offensive player would work the ball with a defender challenging him along the way and prevent a shot from being taken. Upon striking at goal, the attacking player would immediately become the defender as a new offensive player would now head toward the opposite goal. The drill then increased in competition as it was converted into a two-on-two drill.

Afterwards, the morning culminated with an 11-on-11 tactical scrimmage that ran nearly the full length of the pitch under the guidance of Head Coach Jose Luis Real and his staff. The competition emphasized ball distribution as well as defensive shape and rotation with the pitch segmented in three parts. The session then conclude with cool down session and supplementary stretches.

Chivas USA will return the Field 6 tomorrow in their second of four practices programmed ahead of Saturday's match at BBVA Compass Stadium. Kickoff is set 5:30 p.m. (PT) and will be televised in English on KDOV-TV and in Spanish on MundoFOX 22. The match can also be followed in Spanish on W Radio 690 AM.

Update: St. Baldrick's campaign Week One

It's been one week since Chivas USA launched their initiative to raise funds for St. Baldrick's Foundation, the country's leading organization in grants for childhood cancer research. Going up as volunteers are Red-and-White players Eric Avila and Tristan Bowen and the ChivaFighter mascot have been reaching out to fans, friends and family to raise money for their respective teams.

By the end of September, Avila and Bowen will take part of one of St. Baldrick's unique head shaving events that will take place at Haven Gastropub of Pasadena on Saturday, Sept. 28. Bowen and the ChivaFighter will take the great risk of shaving their head, but will also serve alongside Avila as guest barbers.

Early this week, St. Baldrick's Foundation announced on its official website that it had reached its campaign goal of raising $10,000. Since then, the volunteer-driven organization has bumped up their goal to $12,000 by the end of the month.

Below, we offer you a short update on each team. (Note: The totals below do not include cash donations).

Team Avila

In the one week that the teams have been active, Avila has already reached his $500 goal, raising $520 as of Tuesday, Sept. 17. Avila has counted on the support of his teammates Carlos Alvarez and best friend Gabriel Farfan who have joined his fundraising team.

Team Bowen

Chivas USA forward Tristan Bowen is not so far behind Team Avila as he has reached a total of $415 raised. Bowen will have approximately 10 days to raise the remaining $85. Alongside Bowen are teammates Josue Soto and Daniel Antunez.

Team Chivas USA

Last but not least, Chivas USA's team in St. Baldrick's stands in third place among the teams with $120 raised. The ChivaFighter will have his work cut out in the next week to raise the remaining $380 and hit his goal. Backing up Team Chivas USA is the Youth Development Academy, who has raised a total of $50 so far, as well as forward Jose Manuel Rivera and Assistant Athletic Trainer Rick Martinez.

Have you joined a team yet? There's still time!

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Major League Soccer Stories from September 17, 2013


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