Chivas USA will enter Sunday’s match against Western Conference foe the Colorado Rapids at home looking to secure a result in the third and final meeting between the sides this season. The Rojiblancos will also look to win their second-straight home match to kick off a three-game home stand.
Since the Goats defeated the Rapids, 3-0, during the preseason, Colorado have answered back by taking the first two regular-season meetings. The Rapids came away with a 1-0 win in mid April at the then-called Home Depot Center and in late May took a 2-0 victory at home to add to their all-time advantage in the series.

VIDEO: Preview, Chivas USA vs. Colorado Rapids

The all-time series began in 2005 during Chivas USA’s inaugural season in Major League Soccer and has favored the Rapids at 13-5-6. But the Rapids will meet a different Chivas squad from the one they faced in previous encounters. With the arrival of Head Coach Jose Luis Real to lead the Rojiblancos in June and his implementation of a more standard four-man back line, combined with the arrival of key acquisitions such as forward Erick Torres, the Red-and-White will indeed show a different look in the season series finale.
One of Chivas’ new signings, however, will not be available for selection on Sunday, as center back Carlos Bocanegra will serve a one-game suspension for the red card he was issued during last week’s match against the San Jose Earthquakes. Bocanegra, in his third start with the Rojiblancos, was sent off in the 62nd minute for what the referee deemed as a reckless tackle in San Jose’s attacking third. Stepping in for the two-time World Cup veteran’s place will be another physical defender with ample international experience in Steven Purdy, who most recently competed with El Salvador’s national team in the Gold Cup.

READ: Bocanegra’s confidence high

For two clubs who will be meeting for the fourth time this year, there is indeed a high level of familiarity, including the players in both locker rooms. Current Rapids midfielders Nick LaBrocca and Atiba Harris each played for Chivas for two seasons, and Goats’ midfielder Eric Avila’s rights were acquired this off-season from Colorado in exchange for LaBrocca.
Since his arrival the Red-and-White are 1-1-1 at home under the former Chivas Guadalajara manager and will look to continue building that positive success and confidence with a victory on Sunday night beginning at 8 p.m. (PT) at the StubHub Center.

Avila will battle familiar faces

As a youth soccer prospect, Eric Avila’s talents took him to compete from his native San Diego all the way up to Costa Rica and countless stops in between. In the process, the midfielder crossed paths with many players he would go on to consider friends, and upon joining Major League Soccer in 2008 out of the University of Santa Barbara, he was welcomed by familiar faces he had befriended as a youngster, including Anthony Wallace, who he met in the U.S. Residency Program in Bradenton, Fla.

Avila was part of the U-17 men’s squad residency and became close teammates with Wallace upon being drafted into the League, as well as Drew Moor. In 2010, Avila and FC Dallas reached the MLS Cup Final against the Colorado Rapids, only with a small twist. Both Wallace and Moor were acquired by Colorado and went on to raise the cup with their new club against their former teammates.

“We played against them in the final so it was kind of weird seeing them on the other side,” Avila recalled. “But obviously it’s a game and we battled it out, but I was really happy for them and their success.”

READ: Purdy gets the nod at center back for Sunday’s match

And come Sunday at the StubHub Center, Avila and his former teammates will once again share the same pitch on opposite sides. In addition to Wallace and Moor, Avila will also battle Nathan Sturgis, whom he also befriended at the Residency Program and later as a professional with Toronto FC. Colorado has taken the season series’ first two matches and Avila and Rojiblancos will look to salvage the third and final result against their Western Conference foe.

“They’re hard-working, honest players looking to give everything they got for their team, regardless of what friends are out there on the pitch. At the end of the day they’re just really good people and good friends.”

In addition to the friendships he has garnered, Avila says he is most happy to see how many of the players he has gotten to play with and befriend are very much active in MLS.

“I met a lot of good friends in the Residency Program and in my time in MLS, and now they are all around the league. It’s amazing to see players you came up with when we were young still playing. A lot of times players fall off and take different paths but just seeing them and playing against each other is really nice to have all around the League.”

Hugo Arellano & US U-15 BNT fall to Brazil

Chivas USA academy player Hugo Arellano and the U.S. U-15 Boys’ National Team kicked off on Saturday, Aug. 10, their participation in the Copa Mexico de Naciones falling to Brazil 1-0 in the dying minutes of the 70-minute match.

READ: Young Goat Hugo Arellano called up by U.S. U-15 BNT

After an impressive and challenging performance by the two sides, in which the U.S. U-15 BNT was the stronger team, the sides thought they would end up in a scoreless draw. However, Brazilian forward Leonardo Rodrigues Lima came up big for the Carioca team, scoring the game’s lone goal in the 66th minute.

Running into the box from the middle arch, Rodrigues found a high ball coming from the right flank, that he headed clean to the back of the net.

With the result, the US U-15 BNT sits in third place of Group B behind Uruguay and Brazil, and followed by last place Panama, who they will face on Sunday, Aug. 11 also at 6 a.m. (PT).

Last training session before Colorado

In a training session reigned by a good sense of humor, Chivas USA players prepped for their West Conference clash against the Colorado Rapids on Sunday, Aug. 11 at 8 p.m. (PT) at the StubHub Center.

The Red-and-White arrived at Field 6 at 9:30 a.m. and after a short talk that explained the objectives of the session, the team split up in two groups. The sides were chosen in an old fashion way, with two captains selecting the players they wanted in their teams.

As the teams were set, the two sides began warming up with a light jog in one side of the field, and stretching exercises. Once they were ready for action, the two groups faced each other in a reduced field in half the pitch for 45 minutes.

After deciding the winner in penalty kicks, the team as a whole began working on set pieces, having in mind the video of Colorado studied prior to Saturday’s session.

Training concluded with stretching exercises and a game of soccer tennis featuring coaches against players.