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Chivas USA Ready for Rivalry

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Times Staff Writer

Red and white stripes look nothing like a bull’s-eye, but to the members of Chivas USA, they are all the same.

Especially when they go on the road ... wearing the red and white-striped jerseys made famous by their parent club in Guadalajara.

“The rivalry between the United States and Mexico is one of, I won’t say hatred because you should never say hate, but it’s an extreme rivalry,” said defender Ryan Suarez, whose heritage is Uruguayan.

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“There is a bad sentiment among some in the soccer community about a Mexican team in an American league.”

Passions are sure to be high in San Jose, where Earthquake Coach Dominic Kinnear told reporters he expected San Jose’s fans to be outnumbered by followers of Chivas USA.

“That would be pretty neat,” Thomas Rongen, Chivas USA coach, said.

“That’s nuestra raza,” Suarez said, meaning “our people.” “They’re a brave bunch and they’re vocal ... and the Chivas fans are always going to do their job. Now it’s up to the boys to do the job on the field.”

As such, Rongen said his club will revel in being a marked team and adopt an us-against-the-world mentality. “We’re very aware of the fact in every game we’re clearly the enemy because of what we stand for, the foundation,” Rongen said.

That Chivas USA came into the league riding a wave of bluster from Mexico, where the parent club uses only Mexican players, has only made the prospect of beating the expansion team all the sweeter for opponents.

“You don’t want to be the first to lose to Chivas USA,” Suarez said, “the same way you don’t want to be the first to be scored on by Freddy Adu.”

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Defender Douglas Sequeira, who missed last week’s season-opening loss to D.C. United because of visa problems in his native Costa Rica, has returned and is expected to start at left-center back.

Rookie Aaron Lopez, who started in Sequeira’s place, could move up to defensive midfielder in place of the injured Francisco Gomez.

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CHIVAS USA TODAY

at San Jose, 1 p.m., ESPN2

Site -- Spartan Stadium.

Radio -- 830.

Records -- Chivas USA 0-1-0, San Jose 0-0-1.

Record vs. San Jose -- First meeting.

Update -- After the match, an MLS Reserve League game will take place between Chivas USA and Earthquake reserves. Chivas USA has signed three players to three-day contracts, presumably for the match: goalkeeper Shaun Kalnasy and midfielders Raul Rivera and Jason Thompson. San Jose beat Chivas USA, 3-0, in an exhibition scrimmage divided into three 30-minute periods.

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