Minda Happy to be a Starter Again

September 11, 2013 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Club Deportivo Chivas USA News Release


After being out of action for nine games this season due to injury, Chivas USA midfielder Oswaldo Minda has been a key player for the Red-and-White squad in the past few games. Returning to the starting line-up and playing a good amount of minutes in the last four games, Minda is back to being healthy and is happy on his return to action, helping the team to two consecutive wins at home.

"Unfortunately due to lack of preparation I went through a lot of injuries, but today, thank God, I'm doing well," Minda told cdchivasusa.com. "I'm demonstrating my top level of play again, there's still room for improvement, I'm aware of that, but the things we've done in the past few games is good."

In this season, Chivas USA went through a coaching staff change where Head Coach Jose Luis Real came in to the group. Since the month of June, Real has worked with the team, including Minda, to improve the group and help in terms of player development. But for Minda, Real's integration wouldn't be the first time the two met.

"The truth is that coach has transmitted to me a lot of confidence," Minda said about "Guero" Real. "I've received his support and confidence above all. I think last year when he was here observing the team, he had already seen what I could do, and I've spoken with him several times and he has expressed that."

In his second season with the club, the Ecuadorian midfielder knows the league very well, but perhaps a few of the members of the group don't have that experience. This season, a few starters for the Red-and-White have been the youngest players in the league. But to help the younger players, experienced players like Minda have been integrated, giving the group another leader on the pitch.

"There are leaders in everything; for the bad, for good, and I think one of the things to stand-out about me is that I've been a positive leader despite all the uncomfortable situations that one can go through.

"But above all, with the confidence that coach transmits to you, that's very important in the performance that we put out on the field," Minda concluded.

Kennedy and Goats remain confident after third clean sheet

Chivas USA-s goalkeeper and captain Dan Kennedy has been a solid rock at goal, stopping numerous of dangerous attacks. His performance throughout the 2013 season is full of big saves and stopping goal attempts, denied penalties, and even scoring on a penalty kick goal in a U.S. Open Cup game.

After the 1-0 victory over D.C. United on Sunday at the StubHub Center, Kennedy recorded his third clean sheet of the season; the last one was recorded on July 17, facing Toronto. The keeper knows that with each game the team plays, there's an improvement and the scoreboard is witness to this.

"It shows that there are improvements, we managed the game a little bit better, so we came away with three points," Kennedy said. "In order to be successful in this league, we have to be able to close out games and we are just learning how to do that. It obviously helps when we have guys like Carlos [Bocanegra] and Bobby [Burling] in the back just doing the dirty work. It's part of our learning process."

Chivas is known for having one of the youngest rosters in the MLS, and has proved that giving the opportunity to young players has its rewards, like the seven goals in nine games from Erick Torres. But sometimes, experience is needed in the group in order to win.

"We need to adjust to that, we are in a point in this season where we are trying to improve and trying to play spoiler and win games. Hopefully what we can do is improve as much as a team, and individuals to build up a core of guys for next season," said Kennedy about the special mixture of experience and youth on the team.

Chivas USA has a week to prepare for the next match at the StubHub Center against the Portland Timbers on Saturday, September 14 at 7:30 p.m. (PT), and the task of keeping three points at home is clear.

"That-s our goal, we are getting better. (Sunday-s game) it's a good building block for the team. Now the next match is in five or six days we are able to rest and we look to get the three points," Kennedy concluded.

Training Report: Day two

After a well-deserved day off, Chivas USA returned to the StubHub Center's Field 6 on Wednesday morning to comply with the second training session of the week. The Red-and-White will have threedays to prepare for Major League Soccer's Week 29 match-up where they will face the Portland Timbers at home on Saturday.

Kicking off the day with a light jog, the Red-and-White focused the first hour of the day's session to work on the physical aspect of training. Lead by Strength and Conditioning Coach Armando Camacho, the Red-and-White continued onto a five-circuit station where they worked on their conditioning. Once all the players went through every exercise at each station, the group worked in pairs to improve on short passes.

Going into the primary work of the day with Chivas USA Head Coach Jose Luis Real, one group of players participated in an intersquad scrimmage held on one half of the field and listening carefully to the instructions of Coach Real. Meanwhile, the other group worked on improving on set plays.

For the remaining of the training session, the Goats worked on the tactical plan that they will put to the test this Saturday against the Timbers. The group that started off with Coach Real ended the day's work around 11:20 am (PT), while the rest of the players went on to work under the instructions of Real for the remaining 20 minutes of training.

Chivas USA will return on Thursday to continue preparing for their match-up against the Timbers, set for this Saturday at the StubHub Center. The match will kick off at 7:30 p.m. (PT) and will be televised in English on KDOC and in Spanish on MundoFOX 22 and can also be heard in Spanish on W Radio 690 AM. For all the latest news and updates on the club, follow us on Twitter: @cdchivasusa



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