Chivas USA Playoff Sunday & More
A fire in a house across the street from mine delayed blogging this morning (no one was hurt), but at least the structure didn't get fully involved.
Much the same can be said of Chivas USA, which slumped to an impotent 1-0 loss Saturday in Kansas City and without their starting striking tandem of Maykel Galindo and Ante Razov never really looked like scoring.
"We have to find a way to get results," Chivas USA Coach Preki told The Kansas City Star with the team's lack of attacking depth dramatically exposed in the loss.
Former Long Beach Press Telegram Chivas USA beat writer Matt Zimmerman, who quit to go back to graduate school in Missouri, was on hand to provide the Southern California perspective.
Noteworthy:
* Should Chivas USA advance from its series against Kansas City, as the highest seed in the West the club would host MLS’s Western Conference Final the following Saturday at 7:30 p.m. (Nov. 10) against the winner of the Houston-Dallas series.
*Chivas USA midfielder Lawson Vaughn, red-carded in Chivas USA’s final regular-season game on Oct. 20 against the Houston Dynamo, served his one-game suspension and did not play in Kansas City, but is eligible to return for the second leg at home.
*On Thursday, a special Chivas USA Fan Rally will be held at 7 p.m. at Plaza Mexico in Lynwood.
*Former Galaxy goalkeeper Kevin Hartman (Peninsula High) set numerous marks Saturday including a 246-minute scoreless streak that enabled him to equal the all-time postseason shutout record of 13 with Zach Thornton.
Hartman also extended his all-time records in wins (22), minutes played in goal (3,682), saves (141), games played in goal (40) and games started in goal (40).
He now ranks second all-time in games started among all players, trailing only former teammate Cobi Jones of the Los Angeles Galaxy (43).
Despite the loss, Chivas USA midfielder Jesse Marsch remains bullish on the return game.
"We feel good about tonight's result. I thought we dominated the match. We were able to dictate the game the way we wanted. We didn't give them any chances tonight, and we were unfortunate that the free kick glanced off the wall."
CSUN Beached in Santa Barbara
The Matadors men lost 3-0 at UC Santa Barbara Saturday night, before a crowd of almost 2,000, which allowed the Gauchos to overtake Cal Poly at the top of the Big West conference.Northridge returns to Big West action at 2 p.m. Wednesday against Cal Poly at Matador Soccer Field.
About 100 Percent Soccer
Sportswriter Nick Green has written the 100 Percent Soccer column since 2005 for the Daily News, Daily Breeze and other Los Angeles area newspapers. The blog of the same name began in 2007. A native of England, he began writing about soccer in the mid-1980s and in 2000 permanently exchanged a seat in the stands for one in the press box. He lives six miles from Carson's Home Depot Center, home of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas USA and the training headquarters for U.S. Soccer and is married to a long-suffering soccer widow. Join Nick on FaceBook and follow him on Twitter.
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