Chivas changes result in a draw
After learning that his team’s run in SuperLiga would come to an end when his game was over because Tigres defeated the Chicago Fire 2-1, Chivas USA Coach Preki met the news with a polite shrug and pushed forward.
He used Saturday as an opportunity to rest key players and tinker with a lineup that has produced more losses than wins recently.
The result was a 1-1 tie against San Luis on Saturday in front of an announced crowd of 11,083 at Home Depot Center.
The tie was a moral victory of sorts as Chivas battled back from a one-goal deficit late in the game.
Midfielder Atiba Harris came off the bench and produced the game-tying goal off an assist from Bojan Stepanovic in the 88th minute to dampen San Luis’ chances of advancing to the SuperLiga semifinals.
Chivas made the best of an otherwise meaningless game, plugging in players that had little to no professional experience.
“Obviously the result didn’t really matter to us talking about the tournament,” Preki said. “So, you know, it was important for us to go into this game and get something out of the game. Get that mentality back.”
The mentality was what Preki had tried to rekindle after hitting a few rough patches recently.
Because Chivas knew that it would not be able to advance to the semifinals, Preki adjusted his lineup, using five substitutions in an effort to regain the swagger that led them to a 3-5-3 record in May and June in league games and SuperLiga competition.
Despite allowing San Luis’ Alfredo Moreno to score off a penalty kick from 11 yards out in the 53rd minute to break a scoreless tie, Preki thought his team’s reaction merited them a win.
“Frankly, to be honest, I was really proud the way we played,” Preki said. “We pushed the tempo; we were looking for the goal. Even at the end of day . . . my opinion, we should have won the game.
“Overall, good performance I think, especially given the circumstances that the game means nothing. We could have easily gone on the field after we gave up a goal. . . . But no, we had a fight in us and that’s good to see.”
Tigres and Chicago will play the winners of the Kansas City-Santos and New England-Atlas matches in the semifinals.
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