After the first match in Chivas USA’s 10-day road trip against FC Dallas ending with a scoreless draw, the Red-and-White midfielder Jorge Villafaña knows the team has been improving in order and possession of the ball inside the field. Nonetheless, he is aware that there are things the team could have done to win the game.

“I think the team showed a lot of passion,” Villafaña said. “I think we never let down and we keep pushing forward. They had some chances, but we finished 0-0 , we are happy with the point.”

Led by goalkeeper Dan Kennedy and the backline, Chivas USA got their first clean sheet of the season, and Villafaña knows that being under José Luis Real orders the team is getting better in confidence and on the game.

“The team is looking better each and every game, we are trying to get to the right path. Last game we had the opportunity to gain three points, and this time we did a good job at getting a point in a difficult place. We are happy. This gave us confidence for the next game against Montreal,” said Villafaña.

Chivas USA will face Montreal Impact on Sunday, July 7 at 4pm (PT) in Stade Saputo, Villafaña knows that this match would be complicated, but trust that victory can come against the Impact.

“We know is another away game and it is a good team. we are improving and getting stronger as a team, we are confident that we are going to get a good result,” finalized Villafaña.

The Red-and-White arrive in Montreal

Chivas USA trained today in Dallas prior to the team’s travels to the north of the US border that took them to Montreal. The Rebaño Angelino will there face Montreal Impact on Sunday, July 7 at 4:00 p.m. (PT).

Training was divided into two parts, one built specially for the group of players who saw action in last night’s scoreless draw with FC Dallas, while the other focused on the guys who didn’t dress up.

The starters took part of a regenerative session that started with flexibility work and a short jog to ease up their bodies. Later on they went onto possession work to finish relaxing in the hotel’s pool.

While the first group walked around the pool, the rest of the players went on to passing the ball while on speed runs from each corner of the room, and transitioning there. Today’s session for this side ended with five three-minute games 4v4.
After training and a good breakfast to recover, Chivas USA headed to their second stop in their 10-day tour, Canadian Montreal. At their arrival, the Goats met with a warm and humid weather due to some afternoon rain.

The Rojiblancos will train on Saturday morning ahead of Sunday’s game against Eastern Conference rival.

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Morales, happy to be back

After almost two months of being out due to his call-up to Mexico’s U20 National Team, forward Julio Morales is back with Chivas USA. Both Morales and the Mexican Youth National Team were participating in the FIFA U20 World Cup in Turkey.

On Thursday evening, after less than 24 hours of being with the Goats, Morales returned to action with his club as he entered the match in the 79th minute, helping his team earn a scoreless draw against Western Conference leader FC Dallas.

“I feel good. I’m a bit tired because of all the trips, but I felt good, comfortable and happy to be back with my team to give all that I can,” Morales said about his return to Chivas USA after the game.

Previous to Thursday’s match in Dallas, Morales had played his last game with the Red-and-White eight weeks ago in the match against Sporting KC on May 5th. Back then, Chivas USA did not count with the experience and leadership that Jose Luis Real brings. Even though he was with the team for just a few hours, Morales saw the difference in the team from the time he left to how they are now.

“They looked good; with the same intensity and attitude of always. We couldn’t score to get the result we wanted but a point on the road is going to help us,” Morales said.

Despite arriving to a new technical staff, Coach Real is not a complete stranger to Julio Morales. The 19 year-old has passed and worked under the tutalege of Jose Luis ‘Güero’ Real after starting off his youth career in the Chivas Guadalajara Youth Divisions, area of which the Red-and-White Coach is still dedicated to.

“I’ve known Coach Real for a while since I was at Chivas Guadalajara. He’s a good coach. When I was over there, he helped me a lot with my movements and finishing. He’s a good coach and he’s going to help us a lot and lead us in the right direction.

“Personally, I think he motivates me, the attitude and the desire to want to do things the right way and with decision,” Morales concluded.

Kennedy records first clean sheet to kick off three-game road trip

Chivas USA goalkeeper and captain Dan Kennedy was closed to tasting it last Saturday at home against New England Revolution, but still, the net minder had to wait until Major League Soccer’s Week 19 to record his first clean sheet of the season.

Thursday night’s scoreless tie against FC Dallas gave Kennedy and Red-and-White their second consecutive point in Head Coach Jose Luis Real’s newly-implemented system. Though a shutout victory last week would have been an even better way to record his first zero on the score line, Kennedy will take positive results any day. In the early stages of the first half, Chivas USA’s defense came under pressure often as FCD’s attack managed to get into dangerous spots in their attacking third. But the Rojiblancos defense was able to turn away the home side.

“They had some success with some through-balls early and we survived them,” said Kennedy. “When you’re playing on the road you obviously need to make sure they don’t finish off their chances. And we were fortunate tonight. In the second half I thought we started possessing the ball better and had a little more run of play and limited their chances.”

Though the stats will show that Kennedy recorded just one official save on the night, he without question played a much bigger role than that would indicate. As he is known for around the League, Kennedy was in position around his line and came off it when needed. Nevertheless, that single recorded save was huge in the waning minutes of the matched locked at zero. In the 86th minute, FDC’s Jair Benitez crossed a ball from the left sideline into the box and nearly linked up with forward Blas Perez, who momentarily found space near the penalty mark for a header that was on frame. But Kennedy did leave too much of the net exposed and was there to deny the threat, preserving scoreless tie.

As the Goats begin preparations for the second leg of their three-game road trip, Real’s squad looks to continue building on their first back-to-back results since March, as well as their recent stingy defensive play. Under “El Güero’s” new system, which incorporates a more traditional four-man backline, the Rojiblancos have allowed just two goals in their last three matches and will try to hand Real his first League win heading into Montreal.

“It’s a building block. We’re unbeaten in the last two games and we still have two more left on this road trip, so we need to take that confidence with us knowing that we can get points anywhere. We got through today, and now it’s about recovering quick because we have a game Sunday in Montreal. Fortunately, Montreal are not in the best form right now and we’re coming into a little bit of a better way. So that should be a good game for us.”

Preview: U23’s going for fifth win

Chivas USA’s U23 squad will be looking to remain on top of the SoCal Premiere League standings and to extend their six game unbeaten streak as they face PSC Irvine Soccer Academy this Saturday, July 6 at 5 pm PT at Veteran’s Park Soccer Complex in Pomona.

In their last League game, the Red-and-White defeated Corinthians USA Pomona United 4-2 on Saturday in Citrus College. Despite going down one goal early in the game, Alberto Velazquez, Jose Gomez, Anthony Dheming and Javier Castro each notched a goal for the Chivas USA victory.

On Wednesday afternoon, Chivas USA’s U23 Team faced Mexican side Xolos U20 Team in a friendly scrimmage closed to the public at the StubHub Center. With two goals by Jose Gomez and another by Javier Castro, the young Red-and-White defeated Xolos 3-1.

After five games played in the League, the Goats sit in first place with 13 of 15 possible points and hold a 4-0-1 (W-L-T) record, having notched a League-best of 20 goals and counting with only six goals against.