Chivas USA Notes –  (0-0 Tie vs. New York Red Bulls, The Home Depot Center, Carson, CA, 7/16/11)
 
Chivas USA draws in a scoreless match against New York Red Bulls on Saturday evening before 14,838 fans at The Home Depot Center. Goalkeeper Dan Kennedy had a great night by saving the Goats’ goal four times and gave the Red-and-White their four-game unbeaten run.
 
Game referee Mark KadleciK awarded a penalty to Chivas USA in the 90th minute for an apparent handball from Carlos Mendes in the box, but after double checking with his linesman, referee decided to call it off.
 
Chivas USA season’s record moves to 5-7-8 with 23 points, and remains in the sixth place in the Western Conference. The Red-and-White will host Houston Dynamo on Saturday, July 16, 2011 at The Home Depot Center. The match will kick off at 7:30 p.m. PT and it will be broadcast on Prime Ticket and KWHY Channel 22, and W Radio 690 AM. For information on the game and to buy tickets, please visit cdchivasusa.com
 
THE WORD FROM THE TEAMS:
 
CHIVAS USA – Head Coach Robin Fraser
 
On game: “I thought for most of the first half, we didn’t play with much confidence and as a result, we turned the ball over a bit and led New York to have most of the play than we did in the first half. I thought the first 10 minutes of the first half we’re extremely positive; we played more aggressively and more confidently and as a result we were able to create a couple of decent chances towards the end of the half. In the second half, we were a lot more confident and a little bit more aggressive and as a result, we were able to maintain a decent possession in the field and have chances.”
 
On the draw: “Overall, we weren’t as sharp in the final third as we wanted, and we weren’t as precise as we wanted to be. At the end of the day, we want to win all of our games at home but a draw is certainly better than a loss.”
 
On team’s confidence: “Confidence is a very fragile thing and while we did play very well against them [New York], within the game, especially with a young team, they’re going to see confidence go up and down and when things don’t go your way, particularly early, at times you see certain players question their actions. But I thought we did a good job fighting out at that and getting back to a place where we play confidently; as a result, at the end of the first half, we created some very good chances.”
 
CHIVAS USA – Goalkeeper Dan Kennedy
 
On the game: “I’ll take the best of it [the game]. I thought the defensive line was pretty solid considering [New York] is one of the teams with the most attacking players. I think they had two or three goal scoring opportunities, and I think we had the same. It’s one of those games that could’ve gone either way so a tie is a fair result. But now, at home, we can’t have a tie streak, that’s not good enough. When I can read what my defenders are going to do, it’s easier for me to cut down angles and make plays.”
 
CHIVAS USA – Midfielder Mariano Trujillo
 
On the game: “Our home games are getting complicated since teams come here to get three points, always come to attack and it’s always more difficult to create than to destroy, especially today that they [New York] had important and dangerous players in the attacking end and we knew that we had to be careful.”
 
NEW YORK RED BULLS – Head Coach Hans Backe:
 
On the game: “That’s a good start to have a clean sheet of course for Frank and the back four.  We have conceded very easy goals the last 5, 6, 7 weeks, so it’s a good start for the back four and Frank.  It was an even first half, and then I think we played really well the last 30 minutes in the second half, and of course if we had just been a little sharper we would have won this game one or two nil. After the second half I think we should have won the game. This must be one of the few games where Chivas didn’t have the possession on their side; I think it was pretty even.  I haven’t seen the stats for that, but normally they are winning possession every game, so that’s a good sign for us, on the road.  And of course not giving away one shot on goal says that we defend well.  And we had chances good enough to get the winning goal.”
 
On frustration: “Sometimes, we made some poor decisions.  We could have moved the ball much quicker in wide areas.  We had some poor decision making with stray passes when we should have kept possession.  Sometimes you just have to live with that.  Hopefully we’ll just sit down with some of the players and talk about the decision making.”
 
On Goalkeeper Frank Rost:“He’s a guy with tons of experience, and also the way he can organize the back four.  I wouldn’t say he’s a crazy goalie- all goalies are crazy- but he’s a guy who will not allow the back four players to not do their job.  He’s very tactically good to organize his back four with his way of talking with all the players, and that’s massive for us.”
 
·         NEW YORK RED BULLS – Forward Thierry Henry:
 
On the result: “That’s one thing we wanted to do, after the game against DC- play as a team.  It’s not easy to play against Chivas, they keep the ball very well, and they have some good players.  I thought overall, before or after the hour I would say the game was pretty even, but in the last thirty minutes we looked like the team to score the goal, and we had our chances, but we didn’t take them.  I know we’re drawing a lot of games, but this one is a good one.  Especially after the DC United game and especially away from home, [allowing] no shots on target, that means something.”
 
On looking frustrated:“I am always frustrated.  Not with my teammates, but about the game.  That’s how it is.  I’m a competitor and I want to win.” 
 
·         NEW YORK RED BULLS – Defender Tim Ream:
 
On the result: “We came into the game and we wanted to get a clean sheet first and foremost, and basically we did our job.  Obviously it’s disappointing getting a tie, but you have to start somewhere, and clean sheet for us after the let down last week is a good start.”
 
On the transition with Goalkeeper Frank Rost: “It’s pretty easy.  He’s a veteran goalkeeper, he talks a lot, and he communicates well, so it was pretty easy for us.  We just did the same thing that we’ve been doing.  Communication is the key, and he communicated well, and that helps us out a lot.”
 
Chivas USA (5-7-8) vs New York Red Bulls (6-4-11)
July 16, 2011- The Home Depot Center
Scoring Summary:
NONE
LINEUPS:
New York Red Bulls — Frank Rost, Jan Gunnar Solli, Carlos Mendes, Tim Ream, Roy Miller, Dane Richards, Dax McCarty, Teemu Tainio (Mehdi Ballouchy 84), Joel Lindpere, Juan Agudelo, Thierry Henry.
Chivas USA — Dan Kennedy, Michael Lahoud (Mariano Trujillo 38), Michael Umana, Heath Pearce, Zarek Valentin, Ben Zemanski, Simon Elliott, Nick LaBrocca, Jorge Flores (Blair Gavin 78), Justin Braun, Victor Estupinan (Chris Cortez 68).
Misconduct Summary:
CHV — Mariano Trujillo (caution; Reckless Foul) 39
CHV — Ben Zemanski (caution; Persistent Infringement) 59
Referee: Mark Kadlecik
Referee’s Assistants: Jeff Hosking; Matthew Kreitzer
4th Official: Baldomero Toledo
Attendance: 14,838
Time of Game: 1:52
Weather: Clear-and-70-degrees
cdchivasusa.com