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Palencia Remembers the Importance of a Playoff Match vs Houston

September 19, 2013 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Club Deportivo Chivas USA News Release


When Chivas USA travel to the Lone Star State to battle the Houston Dynamo on Saturday, they will do so against a club that was part of the road to ascension for the Rebaño Angelino in their earliest seasons as part of Major League Soccer. The clubs squared off in the 2006 Playoffs, which marked the first time the Red-and-White reached the postseason.

In their inaugural Major League Soccer campaign in 2005, Chivas struggled with the common challenges that come in a franchise's expansion season, as the Goats tallied just four wins. Nevertheless, the club bounced back in impressive form during their sophomore campaign and turned their fortunes around with a record of 10-9-13 to secure a playoff spot. And one particular member of the Red-and-White organization knows what it takes to turn around the success of a team from one season to the next.

Current Director of Soccer Francisco "Paco" Palencia was part of Chivas USA's first season and was a key figure in the organization's success in the following years. With his four goals and four assists, Palencia helped lead the Goats to their postseason battle against Houston. Chivas' roster was among the most stellar in club history, which included defenders Claudio Suarez and Jonathan Bornstein, goalkeeper Brad Guzan, midfielders Sacha kljestan and "Panchito" Mendoza as well as forward Ante Razov, to name a few.

Palencia and the Rojiblancos won the first leg of the two-game series in the first round at home, 2-1, in which he delivered a goal. But the Dynamo bounced back and secured a 2-0 shutout to advance to the next round on an aggregate 3-1. Despite falling short in their MLS Cup journey, that season sparked a run in which Chivas USA made the Playoffs in four consecutive seasons.

"It was a very good thing because it was our second year," said Palencia. "The first year we did not end up too well in the standings and in the second we had a good season. We had a very good Head Coach and a very good team. Houston was a very strong opponent. We beat them here at home, 2-1, and I had the fortune of scoring a goal and we were able to bring the fans that joy. Afterwards we could not advance over there. But they are nice memories that you have when you play against these teams."

Now as Chivas Director of Soccer, Palencia is part of the leadership at the forefront of working to make the Rojiblancos a league contender once again. Palencia joined the front office this season and says that the club is committed, from top to bottom, to return to the success that the Rebaño Angelino has enjoyed in the past.

"Important games have been played here. The first season was the fuse and we followed up by qualifying the next year. So I think the team has the foundation to be an important team in MLS and that is what all of us are working toward. We have the duty and task to put the team where it belongs to be, among the top places in MLS and be an important team here."

Come Saturday the Rojiblancos will look to continue their positive stretch on the road as they have done at home. Since the arrival of Head Coach Jose Luis Real in June, Chivas USA are unbeaten in six of their last seven matches at the StubHub Center. The match will mark the first and only meeting between the sides and is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. (PT) at Compass Stadium.

U13 kick-off international tournament in Spain

Chivas USA's U13 Team continues participating in important tournaments, this time, by partaking in the Casillas International Youth Tournament in Madrid, Spain. The young Goats travelled across the Atlantic last Monday to begin preparing for the start of the tournament, set to kick off on Friday, Sept. 20.

This year, Chivas USA will be participating in the event for the first time alongside 24 clubs from 14 different countries. The youth squads participating in this tournament include Real Madrid (Spain), Ajax (France), FC Barcelona (Spain), Jef United (Japan), Juventus (Italy), Shandong Luneng (China) and Fulham (England). The tournament, which is currently celebrating its 13th edition, will be honoring English Premier League Chelsea FC's Coach Jose Mourinho, who was in attendance in the opening ceremony via video conference.

In their first match in the tournament, Chivas USA's U13 Team will face the youth squad of Sweden's Brommapojkarna on Friday at 10:30 a.m. (Local Time), 1:30 a.m. (PT), in the Fields of Alcobendas. Closing activity on their first day, the Red-and-White U13 will look to add points going up against Germany's Werder Bremen at 12 p.m. (Local Time), 3 a.m. (PT).

The following day, Chivas USA will close the group phase against Ajax, Club Atletico Madrid and Intersoccer Alcobendas. If the Red-and-White young squad makes it to the next phase of the tournament, the Quarterfinals and the Semifinals will be played on the same day. The Championship Match is then set to be played on Sunday, Sept. 22 in the Fields of Canillas.

Stay updated on the progress of Chivas USA's U13 squad in the Canillas International Youth Tournament via our Twitter accounts: @ChivasUSAYouth & @cdchivasusa.

Chivas USA complete their third-consecutive practice

Chivas USA completed their third-consecutive practice on Thursday ahead of Friday's trip to the Texan state where they will face Houston Dynamo in a Major League Soccer's Week 30 matchup programmed for Saturday at BBVA Compass Stadium.

The morning session kicked off with a light jog around the StubHub Center's Field 6 that also incorporated hip rotation for added flexibility. The squad then gathered for group stretches before moving on to agility drills under the instructions of Strength and Conditioning Coach Armando Camacho. The exercises consisted of short explosion drills while implementing shuffling, quick-step and zigzag movements for added warm-ups.

The players then broke up into pairs to incorporate ball work into their session with one-touch drills. The distributors would underhand the ball to their teammate and repeat the touches in a circular motion. Training then culminated with an 11-on-11 scrimmage under the guidance of Head Coach Jose Luis Real. The competition ran the full length of the pitch and lasted approximately one hour. After an intense and fast-paced game, the majority of the group was released once they finished a series of stretches. Meanwhile a few attackers remained behind after practice to run through extra finishing work in front of the goal.

The Rojiblancos will have a final practice in Carson before heading to Houston in final preparations for Saturday's showdown against the Eastern Conference side. The match will be the only meeting between the clubs this season and will televised beginning at 5:30 p.m. (PT) in English on KDOC-TV and in Spanish on MundoFOX 22. The game can also be followed in Spanish on W Radio 690 AM.

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