First the Galaxy, now Chivas USA. But while the Galaxy didn’t even try, Chivas USA was simply intent on giving the game away judging by what I watched online.
I wasn’t alone in that:
I don’t think @cdchivasusa cares anymore to be honest.Sad! #RuinedMyTeam @andyvwatson
— CISCOlution™ (@CISCOlution) June 13, 2013
With arch rivals Mexico stumbling to another World Cup qualifying draw Tuesday night, the U.S. took command of the Hexagonal with its best performance of the year so far defeating Panama 2-0 before an energized Seattle crowd that may just have been the best ever to cheer on the Americans.
It was a feel-good night all around for the U.S. with Sounder Eddie Johnson sealing his return to national team glory before what is now his home crowd, Jozy Altidore still clicking with yet another goal and a midfield that controlled the game from start to finish.
And if Seattle ever gets a grass field, it should immediately become the favored U.S. home field don’t you think? Who wouldn’t like to turn the daunting Azteca tables on El Tri?
In other soccer news:
MLSsoccer.com has done its best to bury the embarrassing racial discrimination lawsuit filed earlier this week by two former Chivas USA coaches against the club we wrote about earlier this week here.
Incidentally, that’s what happens when sports leagues create “news” websites or channels purporting to cover the league (although that’s a discussion for another time and place).
I was on public radio station KPCC this morning to talk about the story. If you missed it, you can listen here.
The day after they actually won a game (albeit to minor league opposition in the lightly-regarded U.S. Open Cup), Chivas USA fired their Mexican head coach for “the team’s poor performance on the field.”
José Luis Sánchez Solá, who sported terrible fashion sense and fractured Spanish, but was nonetheless the most entertaining feature of the club, was let go late Wednesday evening.
You understand why this had to happen, right? (according to the Chivas USA news release):
Since his hiring, Sánchez Solá had at his disposal a competitive team with the institutional premise of a formal interaction, based in communication in which the club listened to his petitions to incorporate players approved by him. However, he was not able to reflect it with results.
While serving as Chivas USA Head Coach, Sánchez Solá not always followed the patterns of respect and conduct implemented by Major League Soccer, as well as by Chivas USA.”
Good thing Chivas USA got rid of those employees who don’t speak Spanish!
Ladies and gentlemen, your new head coach: “Mr. José Luis Real Casillas, who currently acts as Sporting Development Director at Chivas Guadalajara. His experience and knowledge of the organization will be key to continue moving forward with the current project and to find the best sporting results for the team in the current season.”
Good luck with that.
*Could you see this one coming? I guess it’s the obvious end game of Chivas USA’s renewed philosophy on its Mexican heritage in a sense: respected former Anglo U.S. internationals and club youth coaches claim racial discrimination by the club and file a lawsuit.
*The U.S. and the Galaxy’s Omar Gonzalez got stomped by Belgium tonight, but coach Jurgen Klinsmann sounded positively upbeat: “I would rather play Belgium 10 more times than El Salvador 100 times because that is when you learn,” he said. School is in here.
*The LA Galaxy reserves lost tonight, too, in the U.S. Open Cup to the same minor league team that have ousted them before although I’m guessing the absent Bruce Arena doesn’t really care now that he won’t have to worry about midweek distractions and the annoyance of playing Chivas USA in the next round. Come to think of it, that applies to me, too. Game story here.
*Much rumored, but unseen Galaxy midfielder Frank Lampard scored for England to draw 1-1 with actual and oft-seen Ireland-led Galaxy striker Robbie Keane subbed out disappointingly relatively early on. Game story.
*The Galaxy announced today that the first-ever soccer games played at 51-year-old Dodger Stadium are set for Aug. 3 when Real Madrid plays either Everton or Juventus in a doubleheader with the Galaxy, which will take on one of those two latter teams in the second game of the night. The four teams are part of the west region of the previously announced Guinness International Champions Cup.
From the press release: Dodger Stadium has seen many legendary baseball moments through the years, while hosting more than 147 million fans since it opened its doors. Dodger Stadium has also played host to events such as the 1984 Olympic Games baseball competition, the 2009 World Baseball Classic Final, a Mass conducted by Pope John Paul II, concerts by the biggest names in the business like The Beatles, Michael Jackson and U2 as well as a basketball game and championship boxing match. These will be the first professional soccer games played and come January, 2014, the stadium will host its first National Hockey League game between the Kings and Ducks.
*Chivas USA came from behind to beat minor league outfit the LA Blues in Fullerton Tuesday night, but needed goalkeeper Dan Kennedy to help them at both ends of the field to secure the win.
The Goats will face the winner of tonight’s Carolina Railhawks-Galaxy match (live at 4 p.m. on Time Warner Cable) in the next round.
*In other televised games, the Galaxy’s Robbie Keane is leading Ireland against England on Fox Soccer as I write this, while the U.S. faces Belgium at 5 p.m. on ESPN.
Tickets to the 7:30 p.m. game at Titan Stadium in Fullerton are still available for $5 to $8 each.
Struggling Chivas USA beat the struggling local USL Pro team 5-1 in preseason, but has lost six of its last seven MLS games. The Blues punted GM Warren Barton last week.
The winner of the game plays the victor of the Wednesday U.S. Open clash between the Galaxy and Carolina RailHawks June 12 at Home Depot Center.
More on the tournament is here.
The Galaxy will play the Carolina Railhawks for the second consecutive season after the NASL club beat the Carolina Dynamo Tuesday night to reach the third round if the U.S. Open Cup. Kickoff is at 4:15 p.m. next Wednesday in Cary, N.C.
Chivas USA, meanwhile, will face the LA Blues after the USL pro outfit downed the Ventura Fusion 5-1 in Fullerton in the biggest blowout of the night Tuesday in the knockout competition. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Titan Stadium.
Chivas USA reached the semifinals last year before falling to eventual champion Seattle.
Later Wednesday U.S. Soccer released the fourth round draw, which paired the winner of the Chivas-Blues game with the winner of the Railhawks-Galaxy game.
The important part of this equation for local fans: if the Galaxy win they will host the fourth round game 7:30 p.m. June 12.