Chicago Gets a Preview, Galaxy a Win
Chicago got its first taste of Major League Soccer on Sunday when the Los Angeles Galaxy defeated Chivas of Guadalajara, 4-2 on penalty kicks, in front of a crowd of 27,103 at Soldier Field.
The game, the first of two between last season’s MLS runner-up and the reigning Mexican League champion, was tied, 0-0, after 90 minutes and was settled by penalty kicks--instead of the MLS shootout--because it was an international.
Mauricio Cienfuegos, Guillermo Jara, Greg Vanney and Welton scored for Los Angeles. Former UCLA keeper Kevin Hartman, who again played well in place of Jorge Campos, saved one Guadalajara attempt and another hit the right post and rebounded clear.
Noe Zarate and Ignacio Vasquez scored for Chivas, but Gustavo Napoles’ shot struck the post and Hartman threw himself to his left to deny Ramon Martinez and earn the Galaxy the victory.
Campos was not available because he is in Mexico taking care of what the Galaxy referred to as a personal matter. The club said it did not know if Campos will return in time for Wednesday night’s MLS All-Star game at Giants Stadium.
Sunday’s match, meanwhile, was an MLS preview of sorts for Chicago, which, along with Miami, will join the league next season, bringing it from 10 teams to 12. The crowd, largely Hispanic with many fans wearing Chivas’ famed red and white vertical striped jerseys, indicates that the city could well support a team.
So far, the club, owned by Kings co-owner Phillip Anschutz, does not have a name, but it will play at Soldier Field and it recently named Peter Wilt, 37, president-general manager of the Minnesota Thunder of the A-League the past three years, as general manager.
The league is interested in acquiring more top Mexican players, hence the invitation to Chivas, Mexico’s most popular club and the only one that by tradition features no foreign players, to play the two-game Independence Cup series against the Galaxy.
The second game will be at the Rose Bowl on Aug. 6.
Sunday’s encounter was hard hitting, with yellow cards aplenty. Defender Paul Caligiuri was red-carded for a foul from behind, leaving the Galaxy to play the last 22 minutes with only 10 men.
Both teams created numerous scoring opportunities. With little at stake other than pride, the Galaxy played as if it were not in the least in awe of the Mexican champions, even though Guadalajara features a half-dozen players from the Mexican national team.
Interim Coach Octavio Zambrano used the game to give his bench players a chance to play. Hartman, Peter Lak, Jose Botello and Bryan Taylor all played. Even “Melrose Place” actor Andrew Shue finally made an appearance.
