Seattle Sounders vs. Chivas USA | MLS Match Preview

SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC vs CHIVAS USA
CENTURYLINK FIELD, Seattle, Wash.
July 28, 2013 (WEEK 22, MLS Game #203) 8 p.m. PT (UDN; KONG/ROOT-NW)
Seattle Sounders FC are looking to put the skids on a winless run as they entertain a Chivas USA club that just stopped a long one of its own, when the clubs conclude Week 22 on Sunday evening at CenturyLink Field. Sounders FC haven’t won in three games, coming off a 1-1 home draw with the Colorado Rapids last weekend. Chivas USA won for the first time in 15 games last time out, a 1-0 home win against Toronto FC 11 days ago at StubHub Center.
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REFEREE:
Kevin Stott. AR1 (bench): Colin Arblaster; AR2 (opposite): Chris Strickland; 4th: Jesus Cisneros
MLS Career: 236 games; FC/gm: 25.6; Y/gm: 3.3; R: 60; pens: 50
DISABLED LIST:
SEA: Josh Ford, Steve Zakuani … CHV: Daniel Antuñez
SUSPENDED:
CHV: Eric Avila (through July 28)
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: SEA: Jhon Kennedy Hurtado
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: SEA: Eddie Johnson, Zach Scott … CHV: Mario de Luna, Bobby Burling, Carlos Alvarez, Gabriel Farfan, Walter Vilchez
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES:
SEA: Eddie Johnson (USA)
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME
(11 meetings): Sounders FC 5 wins, 16 goals … Chivas USA 2 wins, 9 goals … Ties 4
AT SEATTLE
(4 meetings): Sounders FC 2 wins, 4 goals … Chivas USA 0 wins, 2 goals … Ties 2
FUTURE MATCH:
9/4: Seattle Sounders FC vs. Chivas USA, 7 p.m. PT

The teams are meeting for the second time this season. An Obafemi Martins goal and an own goal, in the first half, led Sounders FC to a 2-0 win June 1 in Carson.
Sounders FC are unbeaten in their last nine meetings with Chivas USA, since Chivas won the first two meetings ever between the clubs in 2009. Seattle has won five times with four draws, including a 6-2 victory last Aug. 25 at The Home Depot Center, the biggest victory in the club’s MLS history.
The teams have also met twice in the U.S. Open Cup, both times in a semifinal, with Sounders FC advancing on each occasion, in 2010 and 2012.
Coaches' records: Sigi Schmid vs. CHV: P17 W6 L5 D6 … José Luis Real v SEA: P1 W0 L0 D1

LAST MEETING (MLS)

6/1: CHV 0, SEA 2 (Martins 22; own goal 33)
Sounders FC took the lead in the 22nd minute. Lamar Neagle's ball in behind the Chivas defense freed Obafemi Martins all alone on goal, and he scored with a nifty, left-footed chip over Chivas goalkeeper Dan Kennedy from inside the area.
Sounders FC saw their lead doubled 11 minutes later when Mauro Rosales floated in a cross from the right corner, and Chivas defender Mario de Luna headed it directly into his own goal completely uncontested.
Seattle finished the game a man down after Martins was sent off in the 70th minute by referee Ricardo Salazar for a foul on Gabriel Farfan.
CHIVAS USA (4-4-2): Dan Kennedy - Mario de Luna, Joaquin Velazquez, Bobby Burling, Walter Vilchez (Tristan Bowen 70) - Eric Avila, Carlos Alvarez, Gabriel Farfan, Jorge Villafana - Oswaldo Minda (Marvin Iraheta 64), Jose Correa (Miller Bolanos 61).
SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC (4-4-2): Michael Gspurning - DeAndre Yedlin, Djimi Traore, Zach Scott, Leo Gonzalez - Mauro Rosales (David Estrada 76), Servando Carrasco, Osvaldo Alonso (Andy Rose 21), Mario Martinez (Marc Burch 77) - Lamar Neagle, Obafemi Martins (sent off 71).

SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC
Seattle Sounders FC saw their winless run extended to three games, coming back for a 1-1 draw with the Colorado Rapids on Saturday afternoon at CenturyLink Field. Sounders FC are in seventh place in the Western Conference with 25 points from 18 matches.
LAST MATCH

Both goals came within a five-minute span midway through the second half. The Rapids took the lead in the 60th minute on a Drew Moor header nearly on the goal line from a corner kick by Nick LaBrocca -- which may well have curled inside the back post.
But Sounders FC drew level following a wild sequence. Lamar Neagle fired off a shot that rung off the right post. DeAndre Yedlin hit the rebound first time -- only to see it saved by Rapids goalkeeper Clint Irwin -- before he followed up by heading in the rebound.
Sounders FC head coach Sigi Schmid made four changes to the team that fell 1-0 to the San Jose Earthquakes at Buck Shaw Stadium. Andrew Weber started in goal in place of Michael Gspurning, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado came into central defense in place of Djimi Traore, Mauro Rosales started in midfield for Brad Evans, and Obafemi Martins came in up top with Eddie Johnson on international duty.
SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC (4-4-2): Andrew Weber - DeAndre Yedlin, Zach Scott, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Leo Gonzalez - Mauro Rosales (Brad Evans 71), Servando Carrasco (Eriq Zavaleta 86), Osvaldo Alonso, Marc Burch (David Estrada 76) - Lamar Neagle, Obafemi Martins.

TEAM NEWS

While Sounders FC saw their four-game home winning streak come to an end, they still extended their undefeated run at CenturyLink Field to seven games, since opening the season with a 1-0 loss to Montréal.
"It's disappointing, but you have to just roll up your sleeves and keep working. It's the same old thing – glass is half full, glass is half empty, you can be negative and positive, statistics can support positive things, statistics can support negative things, and they're actually the same stats and you're looking at the same thing,” said Sounders FC head coach Sigi Schmid. “We have to keep working. We know where we're at. We're still trying to get our best 11 on the field at the same time and get them to work together and hopefully at practice we can get that a little more, and as guys return from injuries we can get closer to that.”
DeAndre Yedlin scored his first MLS goal, making a second consecutive start following his return from the U-20 World Cup. Yedlin had scored in CONCACAF Champions League in March, vs. Tigres UANL of Mexico.
“I thought he struggled a little bit the last time out, but I thought today was better. It looked more like the DeAndre that was playing for us at the beginning of the year-using his quickness and speed getting in there, making things happen,” said Schmid.
After coming on as a halftime substitute for the injured Michael Gspurning the week before, Andrew Weber started in goal for Sounders FC, his first start since being reacquired by the club and the sixth start in his six year MLS career.
“I thought he did well. I thought he did really well on the one where he came outside the box and cleared it, he made a good decision there. ... He wasn't really tested a lot, but made his decisions well. On the corner, I think he could have played it a little better, for sure,” said Schmid.
After having started 16 league matches in a row, Djimi Traoré was not available for the Colorado match, after he was forced off early in the San Jose game with an injury.
“We'll have to see how things go this week. We think Djimi Traore should be able to be back this week, we think [Brad] Evans should be able to be available for the starting lineup next week, so that should help us,” Schmid said. “I don't know about our goalkeeping situation if much is going to change there, and we'll have to see about the others.”
Mauro Rosales made his first start in three games, since July 3, coming off the substitutes’ bench in each of the last two matches.
“I thought Mauro played well in the first half and some things came off of it. He had a couple of good crosses, a couple I know he'd like to get back,” said Schmid. “I think his final passes-he put Oba [Martins] on that one that Oba cut inside and missed on. He could have had an assist on that, obviously, if Oba scored. I thought today was a better game for him.”
Said Rosales” “I feel OK. I'm just trying to get confidence again. When you aren’t feeling confidence you need more minutes and more playing. I'm not getting that. I have to wait and do what I have to do in the minutes I get.”

CHIVAS USA
Chivas USA put an end to their winless streak after 14 matches in their last match, getting a late goal for a 1-0 victory against Toronto FC on July 17 at StubHub Center. Chivas USA sit in ninth place in the Western Conference with 17 points from 20 matches.
LAST MATCH

Chivas USA went a man down after just 24 minutes as Eric Avila received a straight red card from referee Sorin Stoica for his tackle on TFC midfielder Darel Russell.
But despite playing shorthanded, Chivas USA scored the game-winning goal in the 79th minute. Making his MLS debut, Erick Torres found open space outside the penalty area and sent a left-footed shot that deflected off Steven Caldwell and into the net.
Chivas goalkeeper Dan Kennedy was called upon to make three saves to backstop the club's first MLS victory since March 30 and the first for head coach José Luis Real.
Chivas USA head coach José Luis Real made four changes to the team that lost 3-1 to Philadelphia Union at PPL Park. Carlos Borja and Carlos Bocanegra came into the back four and Tristan Bowen and Erick Torres started up top, in place of Gabriel Farfan, the suspended Josue Soto, Jorge Villafana and Jose Correa.
CHIVAS USA (4-1-4-1): Dan Kennedy - Carlos Borja (Jorge Villafana 46), Mario de Luna, Carlos Bocanegra, Walter Vilchez - Edgar Mejia, Eric Avila (sent off 25), Marky Delgado, Carlos Alvarez (Gabriel Farfan 71), Tristan Bowen (Julio Morales 90) - Erick Torres.

TEAM NEWS

Chivas USA put an end to their winless streak after14 games in the loss to Philadelphia. It was one game shy of the club record, tied for the third-longest winless run in MLS history and matched the longest ever contained within a single season.
“Today is a special day for me. I don’t know how many games we had without a win, but all the players are happy because with this result all the players are going to have much better security and be much better mentally. The most important thing in this game was the victory,” said Chivas head coach José Luis Real.
Said goalkeeper Dan Kennedy: “It feels like three points and we haven’t felt that in a while. We’ve deserved it. We were so close to it in Montreal [last week] and that would have been a massive result. We’ve had so much change and transition this year, more than any other, but this team is still fighting and is still in it. Hopefully now we can build the confidence of this group and grind out some results.”
Making his debut after his arrival on loan from CD Guadalajara and inserted directly into the starting lineup, Erick Torres scored his first MLS goal for the match-winner.
“It’s a different soccer than in the Mexican league. You have to battle defenders that are very strong and physical. I have to keep working and adapting myself more each time to get into the rhythm of play in this league,” Torres said. “ … There was a good look at goal before the score that I couldn’t knock in, but that’s part of soccer. Thankfully I was able finish the second opportunity.”
Carlos Bocanegra made his Chivas USA debut, inserted into central defense alongside Mario de Luna. It was his first MLS game since Oct. 18, 2003, when he was with the Chicago Fire.
“We have to take little steps at a time and get better organized defensively, and that will lead into the attack,” Bocanegra said. “One thing that I will take from today’s game is that the guys fought for each other and that’s a very hard thing to do if you haven’t done in a while, and going down a man early in the game, that was rough. But hopefully we can use this as a turning point for the rest of the season.”
Said Real: “A big difference from the last games. Because Toronto, for about 60 minutes or more, had one more player and Chivas had to play defense. Bocanegra is a superstar for me. ‘Cubo’ [Torres] was playing against two or three opponents the whole game and scored the goal.”
Eric Avila, who had started four matches in a row after missing three consecutive matches June 19-29 while training in Mexico with CD Guadalajara, will miss the Seattle match through suspension after he was sent off after just 25 minutes vs. Toronto.
“We are losing one of the most important players for Chivas. To play without Avila is not easy. We had to change our idea in the game [after his expulsion]. We were waiting back with more security,” said Real. “Toronto was attacking. Not only did our defenders defend, but our forwards too. ‘Cubo’ [Torres], [Tristan] Bowen, [Jorge] Villafaña, all the players had a very good defensive game. We lost [Josue] Soto last week, and now Avila, but we won the game and this moment it’s the most important thing.”
Chivas have also announced the acquisition of central defender and Los Angeles native Jaime Frias Jr. on loan from sister club CD Guadalajara. The 20-year-old defender is a product of Guadalajara’s youth academy, where he featured prominently at the U-17 and U-20 levels.

CD Chivas USA Seattle Sounders FC