Results tagged “Preki” from 100 Percent Soccer

Game story.

Highlights

Notable: Chivas USA are undefeated in their last six games.

But they also haven't scored more than two goals in a game all season long.

MLS standings

Quotable:

"I tried to warn the group (that) there is no easy games. I don't think we took them lightly tonight," said Chivas USA Coach Preki on facing the lowly Earthquakes. "The game against New York, the game against San Jose tonight might haunt us in the end in the standings."

Here's Sacha Kljestan on Chivas USA's lack of proficiency on scoring from set pieces:

"We've never been a really good set piece team. Earlier in the season we had a goal off a corner kick or something, but I don't think we've ever been a good team on set pieces. Defensively I think we've been really good this year on set pieces and tonight we gave up two goals on set pieces so it's disappointing. But I don't know what it is.

And finally, here's Kljestan on the significance of the result:

"We should have been at 47 points tonight and alone in first place, but there's nothing you can do now, you've just got to move on. We still have games in hand. We still hold the keys to our own destiny.

Game story.

MLS standings. Note that Chivas USA have three games in hand over the Galaxy and could vault over them Wednesday with a win in Salt Lake City before Saturday's SuperClasico.

Bonus quotes;

Here's Preki on getting a second straight win after not winning for two months before that:

"Obviously, we had a couple of new guys and it's not always easy to gel right away with your teammates, but I thought both of those guys the longer the game went (on) they settled in and they both played better, especially in the second half. This is a period of a little bit of a readjustment for us, a few new faces and hopefully we can survive this period. ... I thought the defensive effort of our team tonight was very good - it reminded me of the old days. We can build on it. The group is now getting bigger, we're getting healthier. "

Preki on new striker Maicon Santos, a Brazilian who has played in Israel, Tunisia and Libya:

"He's a target guy, he can hold the ball. He's good with his feet even (though) tonight I thought in the first half he lost it quite a few times. But he has a really soft touch. You can see on the second goal when he plays Sasha (in). He plays him a ball that not too many players can (make). He has a lot of talent. The thing for him is how fast can he settle in this league, how fast can he learn about the physicality of this league and if he can do that I think he'll be an important player here."

On whether Sacha Kljestan is returning to form:

"I think so. He's been working really hard in training, we've been talking. We've looked at a couple of different videos trying to get him back to where he was because we all know Sacha has a lot of talent and when Sacha comes to play, when he really wants to play, Sacha is one of the better players in the league, so I think it's a good sign. I thought he had a really good game. I thought he worked hard defensively, too. We just hope he keeps going because if he plays like that - obviously his goal is to go to the national team, World Cup, things like that - if he plays like this the door is open for him."

On the debut of midfielder Jesus Padilla:

"I thought he was nervous first half - new building, new locker room, new teammates. He's been here three-four days. (He's been) trying to settle down. He's a young player who hasn't played a lot of minutes. I thought the first half was iffy for him. In the second half he was a little more aggressive and he played a better second half, although he could have made a couple of better decisions in the final third. But he at least has offensive instincts and we can hope he can only gets better."

Goalkeeper Lance Parker, who endured that horrendous debut against Colorado Aug. 8 where he let in two goals in four minutes, was considerably more psyched with his shutout:

"I'm pretty excited about it - a lot better than the Colorado game a few weeks back. The guys made it real easy for me. (I) Didn't have too much to deal with though."

After watching the Chivas USA-Galaxy game, I have just one question: I wonder what Zinedine Zidane thought of MLS?

It was not, as Galaxy Coach Dave Sarachan conceded, "beautiful soccer."

Photos by Sean Hiller

Game story.

Bonus quotes:

Galaxy Coach Bruce Arena on the team's third consecutive one goal win:

"Our guys had the right mentality. ... Winning 1-0 in this sport is important and we're learning to do that. ... The pieces are coming together a little bit better."

Chivas USA's Preki succinct assessment:

"We didn't have enough movement up top and we didn't create enough chances. ... I don't really think they were better than us. It was an even game and one play decided the game.""

Preki on the disappointing Sacha Kljestan:

"We expected a little bit more of him."

On the need for reinforcements up front:

"We're looking."

Landon Donovan, Maykel Galindo and Gregg Berhalter: still life.

BTW, former Red Bulls goalkeeper Jon Conway has begun training with Chivas USA.