New England Revolution (9-7-6) at Chivas USA (10-9-3)
A cool, overcast Sunday brunchtime at Home Depot Center that's perfect for soccer.
It's Chivas USA's first game in two weeks and they'll be hoping to fare better than their intra-stadium rivals last night who had returned from a similar layoff.
Significant absences for both teams today with Revs midfielder Shalrie Joseph missing because of the red card he received in New England's 4-2 defeat to the Kansas City Wizards last weekend, while Chivas USA striker Maykel Galindo is also missing after getting sent off in the 1-0 loss to the Galaxy Aug. 29. Chivas USA also have Marcelo Saragosa absent through suspension, but do have Paulo Nagamura in the lineup and he's pretty much the same player anyway.
That means Jorge Flores, off to the U-20 World Cup with the U.S. (along with teammate and substitute Gerson Mayen) slots into the left back spot, Michael Lahoud is preferred in midfield over Jesse Marsch and Justin Braun makes his first start since June. (Updated: I'm told Marsch bruised his calf in training Friday).
Zach Thornton also returns in goal and new signing Jon Conway is preferred to the shell-shocked lance Parker.
Chivas USA XI: Thornton, Talley, Bornstein, Cuesta, Flores, Padilla, Lahoud, Nagamura, Kljestan, Braun, Santos.
Former Galaxy goalkeeper Matt Reis returns for the Revs after missing the last game with a knee injury.
The game is on Fox Sports West.
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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