PRO SOCCER NEWS: LA Galaxy Wins the SuperClasico 1-0 Against Chivas USA
Duel of the Goal Keepers. Dan Kennedy vs Josh Saunders. Chivas USA vs LA Galaxy - Chad Barrett's goal wins the match for LA Galaxy.
On a cool Sunday evening in front of a sold out Home Depot Center, the intra-city SuperClasico between Chivas USA and the LA Galaxy was revisited for the 22nd edition in front of an intense and boisterous sell-out crowd of 27,000 fans. Playing as the home team in the second installment of the bi-annual match- up, Galaxy forward Chad Barrett gave the home crowd reason to cheer, as his header near the short area in the 53rd minute gave his team the eventual game-winner by the minimal difference of 1-0. With the loss, Chivas USA Head Coach Robin Fraser’s squad remains in seventh place with 36 points in the Western Conference with only their season final remaining next Saturday.
- From the opening whistle, both team’s keepers were challenged often. Dan Kennedy continued to display his superb play between the posts for the Rojiblancos as he blocked repeated Galaxy threats. Galaxy keeper Josh Saunders was also challenged at different moments of the match, none more so than Chivas USA midfielder Michael Lahoud’s shot from right outside the box which sailed just high above the crossbar in the 10th minute.
- 1-0 - Galaxy took the lead in the 53rd minute when faced with a two-on-two sequence inside the Red and White’s penalty area, Kennedy did all he could to prevent the match’s only goal. Galaxy forward Adam Cristman centered a looping pass from the right wing to the cutting Barrett who did not fail to knock it into the back of Kennedy’s net.
- With the win, the LA Galaxy are now 19-4-10 on the season, giving them a league-best 67 points. They remain in first place in the Western Conference, seven points ahead of Seattle.
- With 67 points, the LA Galaxy have now recorded the most points in MLS history since the end of the shootout following the 1999 season.
- While Berhalter played, the Galaxy were without Sean Alvarado, Landon Donovan, Sean Franklin, Bryan Jordan, Robbie Keane and Leonardo who all missed the game through injury.
- Chivas USA will close the 2011 season at home against their northwest rivals the Seattle Sounders this Saturday, October 22, at the Home Depot Center. The match will feature the Soccer Kicks Cancer campaign through its Breast Cancer Awareness Night and is set to kick off at 7:30 p.m. PT and will be broadcast on TV through Fox Sports West (delayed 10:30 pm PT) and KWHY Channel 22 and RADIO W Radio 690 AM.
THE WORD FROM THE TEAMS:
- CHIVAS USA HEAD COACH - ROBIN FRASER
On the game… “I don’t think we were good enough with the ball. As a result we turned it over and put ourselves under pressure. Certainly LA was coming at us a great deal in the first half, but I think a lot of that is attributable to the fact that we were not quite good enough with the ball. In the second half, I thought we were better. This is another game where we’ve seen to have made a few critical mistakes at a critical time.”
On the goal… “We had a lot of possession, we were able to create a few chances, but we weren’t able to convert. It’s difficult once you get behind a good team. [Galaxy] don’t make a lot of mistakes in the back and they look for the one opportunity to capitalize on and they have won I don’t know how many games that way this year.”
- CHIVAS USA GOALKEEPER – DAN KENNEDY
On the game… “I felt that the fight was there. The difference in the game was bearing the one opportunity. I don’t know how many clear cut opportunities we had but we did well in the first half to avoid some really dangerous situations on their end and that’s what you have to do in order to win a game like this. We have to put out those fires, and that’s what we did in the second half. In halftime, we came in with an idea of what we wanted as a team but unfortunately, we gave up a goal and they sat back and we actually had a good run at them, but, we weren’t able to get them back.”
On Galaxy… “Sometimes, when they get a goal, it changes their tactics, so there’s a little more space for us but, we were definitely more dangerous when we got scored on. They’re a good team, they know how to grind out a result, and they’re the best in the league at doing it.”
On next game… “We gotta win, we gotta give our fans something to cheer about. That’s what it’s about.”
- CHIVAS USA FORWARD – MARCOS MONDAINI
On the game… "It was a very intense game, it was open to anyone. From the beginning, it was a competitive game and it was obvious that whoever scored would make the difference. It’s all in finding the counterattack and they found it and scored.”
On the teams’ performance… “[Galaxy] have good players and they were able to take advantage of the moment. We needed to be more precise in the attack. We were able to get into the box but we weren’t able to score and we need to be more precise in the attack.”
Chivas USA (8-13-12) vs. LA Galaxy (19-4-10)
October 16, 2011- The Home Depot Center
Scoring Summary:
Scoring Summary:
LA -- Chad Barrett 7 (Adam Cristman 1) 53
Misconduct Summary:
LA -- Gregg Berhalter (caution; Reckless Tackle) 57
CHV -- Juan Pablo Angel (caution; Tactical Foul) 61
CHV -- Ante Jazic (caution; Dissent) 75
Lineups:
Chivas USA -- Dan Kennedy, Zarek Valentin, Andrew Boyens, David Junior Lopes (Heath Pearce 46), Ante Jazic, Ben Zemanski, Nick LaBrocca, Michael Lahoud (Laurent Courtois 59), Marcos Mondaini, Juan Pablo Angel, Alejandro Moreno.
Substitutes Not Used: Simon Elliott, Victor Estupinan, Jorge Flores, Blair Gavin, Zach Thornton.
LA Galaxy -- Josh Saunders, A.J. DeLaGarza, Omar Gonzalez, Gregg Berhalter, Todd Dunivant, Mike Magee, David Beckham, Juninho (Michael Stephens 61), Paolo Cardozo, Chad Barrett (Jovan Kirovski 85), Adam Cristman (Chris Birchall 73).
Substitutes Not Used: Dan Keat, Miguel Lopez, Dasan Robinson, Donovan Ricketts.
Referee: Jair Marrufo
Referee's Assistants: Corey Rockwell; Frank Anderson
4th Official: Jasen Anno
Attendance: 27,000
Time of Game: 1:52
Weather: Clear and 70 degrees
Related Articles: Chivas USA News on SoccerNation
ShareThis
Print
