Chivas USA Notes (1-0 win vs. Portland Timbers, The Home Depot Center, Carson, Calif., 7/18/2012)

 

·       CARSON, Calif.  (Wednesday, July 18, 2012) – Chivas USA defeated the Portland Timbers, 1-0, Wednesday evening before a crowd of 13,827 at The Home Depot Center. Midfielder Miller Bolaños’ first goal of the season along with Ryan Smith’s third assist for the year was all the offense needed for the Red-and-White to collect three points at home. With the win Chivas USA now has 23 points in the Western Conference and continues its solid run, as it is unbeaten in eight of its last nine matches, including three home victories.

·       With Smith and Bolaños in the starting eleven, the Goats were able to wreak havoc on both flanks, especially Smith, who now has all three of his assists this season against Portland.  After receiving a long ball from fellow midfielder Nick LaBrocca on the right wing, Smith worked the ball superbly around the Portland defender and into the box where he crossed it to Bolaños, who knocked it into the top net in the 16th minute.

·       The Red-and-White put plenty of pressure on the Portland defense from the opening whistle to the end of the match, outshooting the Timbers 15-14 for the overall match (8-1 in the first half) and created several dangerous opportunities in and around the box. Smith not only looked to set-up his teammates but also took a number of solid shots from just outside the box in the fifth and 11th minute. 

·       The Goats nearly went up a second goal on several occasions. Sub Jorge Villafaña’s center into the box from the left sideline found Juan Pablo Angel for the header, but Portland goalkeeper Troy Perkins was able to stop it. In the 74th minute, the second goal looked as though it was inches away from landing, as Paolo Cardozo floated a shot over Perkins’ head when he came out of his net to break up a pass to Angel. But the ball bounced just wide left of the far post.

·       Chivas USA now looks toward its much anticipated rematch with cross-hall rival the LA Galaxy, Saturday, July 21 as visiting team at The Home Depot Center at 7:00 p.m. The match will broadcast on television, live on Prime Ticket (in English) and Telefutura (in Spanish). For more information about the game please visit cdchivasusa.com. Follow us on Twitter @cdchivasusa and Facebook.com/chivasusa

 

THE WORD FROM THE TEAMS:

 

CHIVAS USA HEADCOACH – ROBIN FRASER:

Thoughts on game: “I thought the first half went very well for us, we started off positive. We did a good job of managing the tempo of the game. At times we possessed well and when we found moments to be dangerous, if not dangerous, we were pretty close to being dangerous. It was good to see us play with that sort of rhythm. In the second half we definitely weren’t as good with the ball and weren’t as forward thinking as we were in the first half and as a result we ended up defending a lot more.

Credit to the group, obviously to go down a man for the number of minutes we did, to deal with the daytime game, the group really hung in there.  I’m very proud and happy for the win and the shutout.”

On Ryan Smith’s performance: “Ryan was certainly effective and dangerous a number of times. He hasn’t played a lot of minutes recently since the concussion in the reserve game, so getting him back to match fitness is certainly a work in progress. We knew that going in with himself and with Miller [Bolaños], guys who haven’t played a lot of minutes lately. But we felt like they were guys that were going to be dangerous for us and fortunately it worked out.”

Thoughts on the SuperClasico: “[Galaxy] has very good attacking players, no two ways about it. The goal is to deal with them and deal with them collectively as we have attempted to deal with everyone. If we work together and smart, hopefully we will limit their chances and we will do some things on the attacking end of the field in that game.”

CHIVAS USA GOALKEEPER – DAN KENNEDY:

Thoughts on game: “We needed to win this game – it was a big game for us. I actually thought it could’ve been two or three nothing, we’re happy.”

On sixth shutout of the season: “Shutouts are a good thing.”

On his selection to MLS All-Star team: “I’m ready and excited to face a team like Chelsea.”

CHIVAS USA MIDFIELDER – RYAN SMITH:

Thoughts on game: “We won at home, it was nice. It was a great team spirit today, I know we only scored one goal but the one goal was enough.  Everyone is happy and it’s three points at the end of the day, we can’t complain with anything.”

On his assist: “For me it was brilliant because sometimes we play such great stuff at home and we don’t get rewarded for it and today, in the first half in particular, we played very well, we attacked very well.  With the assist, it’s something that I do, we’ve struggled to score goals this year but I managed to pull off a good move and Miller got to the ball at the end of the save and scored, it was great.”

On the fourth consecutive unbeaten match: “It shows what we’ve been. We’ve been quite solid, aside from the Open Cup game, but we’re on the right path.  We won today which is going to give us confidence for the next game.”

PORTLAND TIMBERS HEAD COACH – GAVIN WILKINSON:

On the game: «I think in the first half we lacked a little bit of energy, we lacked imagination, we lacked creativity – out ball speed was a little bit poor and individual areas cost us the goal. I think our shape was by and large a lot better and going into the second half we picked up the tempo a little bit and we started to press a lot higher.»

What needs to happen to score: «It’s a matter of hitting the target and, again, taking our time in and around the box, and to move the ball a little bit quicker and create better opportunities but I think we dominated the second half and were unlucky not to find the equalizer.»

On what Portland did well and what the team must improve on: «I think our defending one-on-one. I think in the middle of the park we did a decent job and we got isolated out wide and we need to do a better job of dictating play, even in our defensive third.»

On Portland’s 607 minute road goalless streak: «I think today I’ll leave it up to you to answer. Did we deserve to score?  We created chances, a couple of good, good chances.  It’s a matter of self-belief and getting those opportunities and hitting the target, and hitting the target with a purpose.»

PORTLAND FORWARD – ERIC ALEXANDER

General thoughts: «It’s disappointing, another road loss. I thought we could have had a couple goals in the second half and some breakdowns gave them a goal early.»

On what makes playing on the road different: «Different surfaces, size of the field, I don’t know – not   much, really.  But it seems to affect how we play a little bit and we’ve got to fix it.»

On missed opportunities: «I had one, I probably could have scored. Darlington [Nagbe] had a nice header that just missed, Boyd almost scored on a volley. All opportunities that we could have capitalized on but didn’t.»

On playing in the heat on Saturday at FC Dallas: «Playing there for a year and a half, I know if we go and press the game for the first half we’ll be dead at halftime.  I know what it’s going to take to win there, especially as a road team and it’s going to be really tough.»

PORTLAND FORWARD – KRIS BOYD

General thoughts: «I thought in the second half we totally dominated the game and at least should have come away with a point, but it’s not to be and we’ll move on to Dallas on Saturday and hopefully go in with the same performance we did in the second half and hopefully get three points there.»

On what changed in the second half: «I mean, I don’t know.  Football’s a difficult game sometimes to pinpoint where something changes, but I think we upped the game speed a little bit. We got at them in higher areas of the pitch and were closing them down and it lead to a few mistakes and we probably should have capitalized them, but as I said it wasn’t to be today.»

On adjustments for Saturday’s game: «I think the only change that we really want is the three points.  It’s a difficult place to be going to play football, but it’s up to us to go and be in control of the ball and play the game at our speed.  Hopefully we can go there this time and get the three points.  We went early in the season and they took the lead in the first half and in the second half we had most of the play, but it’s up to us to take our chances.”

Chivas USA (6-7-5) vs. Portland Timbers (5-10-4)

July 18, 2012 – Home Depot Center

 

Scoring Summary:

Miller Bolaños 1 (Ryan Smith 3) 16

 

Chivas USA — Dan Kennedy, James Riley, Danny Califf, John Valencia, Ante Jazic, Miller Bolaños (Jorge Villafaña 62), Ben Zemanski, Nick LaBrocca, Ryan Smith, Paolo Cardozo (Peter Vagenas 75), Alejandro Moreno (Juan Pablo Angel 56)

Subs not used: Tim Melia, Cesar Romero, Rauwshan McKenzie, Jose Correa

 

Portland Timbers – Troy Perkins, Kosuke Kimura, Hanyer Mosquera, Mamadou Danso, Steven Smith, Darlington Nagbe (Franck Songo’o 61), Jack Jewsbury, Diego Chara, Kalif Alhassan (Danny Mwanga 77), Eric Alexander (Sal Zizzo 70), Kris Boyd

Subs not used: Joseph Bendik, Mike Chabala, David Horst, Lovel Palmer

 

Misconduct Summary:

POR – Kosuke Kimura (yellow, off the ball foul) 45+1

POR – Jack Jewsbury (yellow, foul) 54

Referee: Armando Villareal Referee’s Assistants: Frank Anderson, Ian Anderson 4th Official: Baldomero Toledo

Attendance: 13,827 Time of Game: 1:52 Weather: Clear, 81 degrees

cdchivasusa.com

 

About Chivas USA

Founded in 2004, Los Angeles-based Club Deportivo Chivas USA has achieved remarkable success in seven full seasons in Major League Soccer. From 2006-2009, the Mexican-owned club qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs in four consecutive seasons, to the delight of its passionate supporters. In addition, Chivas USA’s innovative grassroots programs demonstrate its deep commitment to the Southern California community, while the club’s youth teams and Soccer Academies offer unprecedented opportunities to the region’s best young talent. For more information on Chivas USA, please call 1-877-CHIVAS-1 or visit cdchivasusa.com.