It’s a Disappointing Day for Chivas USA
In the aftermath of Chivas USA’s 2-0 loss to D.C. United on Saturday afternoon, it was hard to tell what was more disappointing for the Southland’s newest professional soccer team -- the result or the attendance.
Probably the fan count.
Because while it may be too much to ask an expansion team to beat the defending champion in its first-ever outing, an announced crowd of only 18,493 showed up at the 27,000-seat Home Depot Center. Only 18,000-plus because the last time a Major League Soccer franchise in Southern California debuted, on April 13, 1996, the Galaxy drew 69,255 to the Rose Bowl.
“I’m a coach. I’m not a salesman, I’m not front-office staff,” said Chivas USA Coach Thomas Rongen. “We’d like to see the whole stadium full, no doubt about it.
“But we’ve just got to focus on the locker room and making this team better.”
And while a multitude of excuses was at the ready for Chivas USA officials -- the Pope’s death just before game time, which could have affected the club’s Mexican fan base, sister club Chivas de Guadalajara’s Mexican league game at Puebla on television an hour after Chivas USA’s opening kick, the Chivas USA game in the middle of the day during work hours and on national television -- they refused to pull out any of them.
Instead, club officials pointed to the positives of Chivas USA’s first MLS game. The crowd that was there was passionate and provided a somewhat-sea of red and white stripes. And the team did show promise with possession, even if it could not find the back of the net. Besides, president and co-owner Antonio Cue said a few days earlier that Chivas USA was on a “five-year plan.”
But that did not take any of the sting out of the defeat for the players themselves. Especially not with both of D.C. United’s goals -- from Joshua Gros in the 32nd minute and Christian Gomez in the 76th -- coming immediately after restarts after Chivas players had gone down. It was as if Chivas were caught napping.
“Those were two of the softest goals I’ve ever seen,” said Chivas defender Ryan Suarez. “I don’t [care] if we’re suffering growing pains or whether we’re speaking Spanish, Brazilian or English.”
That there is no Brazilian language mattered little to Suarez. He was already on a roll.
“Those goals came on counter attacks and those are the easiest things to stop,” Suarez said. “You take a foul.
“I won’t settle for mediocrity.”
D.C. United’s first goal came after Chivas midfielder Francisco Gomez was taken out by a tackle from behind by Alecko Eskandarian, who was given a yellow card, one of three D.C. United cautions.
Gomez, who was later diagnosed with a left-ankle sprain that will keep him out for at least a week, was carried off the field on a stretcher and replaced by Francisco Mendoza.
D.C. United took immediate advantage on the restart, sprinting toward the Chivas goal and past the Chivas defense. Jaime Moreno found Brian Carroll on the left before Carroll’s cross in the box met up with Gros.
Gros easily beat Chivas’ 20-year-old rookie goalkeeper Brad Guzan with his quick shot.
“They might have caught us on our heels, but it’s something we can learn from,” Guzan said.
Chivas’ best chance in the first half, when it dominated possession but never really had any good looks at the goal, came in the 39th minute when forward Thiago Martins’ bicycle kick in the box was wide and to the right.
With better looks in the second half, Chivas could not finish then either, Ramon Ramirez and Matt Taylor each sending shots over the crossbar and Mendoza’s left-footed blast from 30 yards out curling away at the last moment.
Chivas outshot D.C. United, 13-11, with each team getting three shots on goal.
D.C. United put things out of reach when Gomez’s goal, which came after he dribbled through the box and past three defenders, occurred with Chivas down a man after defender Ezra Hendrickson had to leave the field suffering from cramps.
“That’s the thing,” Hendrickson said. “D.C. is a good team and when you make mistakes against a good team, you’ll pay.
“They were always a step quicker than us to the ball in the box.”
Said Ramirez, the team captain: “A few moments of lack of concentration made the difference.”
