SuperLiga Sunday: Chivas USA Gameday

Chivas USA is calling today’s third and final SuperLiga group game against the New England Revolution the biggest in club history, which isn’t saying much when the team is three years old, but sounds good, I guess. Tickets start at $15 for the 5 p.m. game (live on Telefutura) at Titan Stadium on the campus of Cal State Fullerton.

It’s a Preki-less Chivas USA today.

How many permutations are there to think about when wondering who will advance from the group?

Too many.

Here’s the short version from reporter Phil Collin:

None of the four teams in Group B has clinched a spot, and none have been eliminated. And how about this? Chivas can lose tomorrow and still advance. Don’t ask.

Um, I won’t.

Here’s the long version from the SuperLiga Web site:
Group B Scenarios
Next Group Matches:
Chivas USA vs. NE Revolution
Santos vs. Pachuca CF (7 p.m. Pizza Hut Park – Frisco)

NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION (6 points, +2 goal differential)

Revolution clinches 1st place with a win or tie.
Revolution clinches 2nd place with a loss AND a Pachuca loss or tie.
Revolution clinches 2nd place with a loss AND a Pachuca win IF Chivas USA wins the group in a three-way tiebreaker.
Revolution is eliminated with a loss AND a Pachuca win IF Pachuca wins the group in a three-way tiebreaker.

Note: If New England wins or draws its last group game, it would host every match it plays moving forward as neither Houston nor D.C. United could obtain 7 or 9 points. See note below on Semifinals.

PACHUCA (3 points, even goal differential)

Pachuca clinches 1st place with a win AND a Chivas USA win IF Pachuca wins the group in a three-way tiebreaker.
Pachuca clinches 2nd place with a win or tie AND a Chivas USA loss or tie.
Pachuca clinches 2nd place with a loss AND a Chivas USA loss IF both teams lose by one-goal margin and identical score lines.
Pachuca clinches 2nd place with a loss AND a Chivas USA loss IF both teams lose by a one-goal margin with Pachuca scoring more goals than Chivas USA.
Pachuca is eliminated with a loss AND a Chivas USA win or tie.
Pachuca is eliminated with a loss AND a Chivas USA loss IF Pachuca loses by two goals or more.
Pachuca is eliminated with a loss AND a Chivas USA loss IF Chivas USA loses by more goals than Pachuca.
Pachuca is eliminated with a tie AND a Chivas USA win.
Pachuca is eliminated with a win AND a Chivas USA win IF Chivas USA wins the group in a three-way tiebreaker.

CHIVAS USA (3 points, even goal differential)

Chivas USA clinches 1st place with a win AND a Pachuca loss or tie.
Chivas USA clinches 1st place with a win AND a Pachuca win IF Chivas USA wins the group in a three-way tiebreaker.
Chivas USA clinches 2nd place with a win AND a Pachuca win IF Pachuca wins the group in a three-way tiebreaker.
Chivas USA clinches 2nd place with a tie AND a Pachuca loss.
Chivas USA is eliminated with a loss AND a Pachuca win or tie.
Chivas USA is eliminated with a tie AND a Pachuca win or tie.
Chivas USA is eliminated with a loss AND a Santos win IF Santos wins by two or more goals.
Chivas USA is eliminated with a loss AND a Pachuca loss IF both results are identical and by a one-goal margin.
Chivas USA is eliminated with a loss AND a Pachuca loss IF both teams lose are by a one-goal margin with Pachuca scoring more goals than Chivas USA.
Chivas USA is eliminated with a loss AND a Pachuca loss IF Chivas USA loses by more goals than Pachuca.

SANTOS (0 points, -2 goal differential)

Santos clinches 2nd place with a win AND a Chivas USA loss IF Santos wins by two or more goals.
Santos clinch 2nd place with a win AND a Chivas USA loss IF Chivas USA finishes with the worst goal differential in three-way tie.
Santos is eliminated with a loss or tie.
Santos is eliminated with a win AND a Chivas USA tie or win.
Santos is eliminated with a win AND a Chivas USA loss IF both results are by one-goal margins.

Jonathan Bornstein will play today, as Phil observes:

Jonathan Bornstein showed up as suspended for yellow card accumulation on some press release, but that was a mistake from the Chivas PR machine. Or, as Bornstein put it: “How can I be suspended when I didn’t even get a yellow in the second game?” He’s right, although the scoring summary on mlsnet.com lists Bornstein as being booked in the 88th minute vs. Santos. That card actually went to Bobby Burling. Bornstein did pick up a card against Pachuca.

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About Nick Green

South Bay-based Los Angeles News Group soccer columnist and blogger Nick Green writes at the 100 Percent Soccer blog at www.insidesocal.com/soccer and craft beer at the Beer Goggles blog at www.insidesocal.com/beer. Cheers!