‘Heartbreaker’ May Have a Date Tonight
The wind-swept New England countryside does not seem the most likely setting for Chivas USA’s Mexican heartthrob to hold his coming-out party.
But as anyone associated with the Major League Soccer expansion franchise will tell you, this has already been the most unlikely of seasons. As such, forward Isaac Romo, who is called “rompecorazones,” or heartbreaker, by Spanish-language radio broadcasters, could get his first start tonight, against a first-place club in the Revolution.
“That would be nice, but I don’t know if that will be the case,” said Romo, who was credited with his first goal last week on a header off Ramon Ramirez’s free kick.
“The most important thing is what our team does. We’re looking for our first win and this would be a grand occasion to do that.”
Romo, 22, has puzzled the Chivas staff thus far.
One of eight Mexicans sent to Chivas USA by the parent club in Guadalajara, he was penciled in as the starting center-forward after leading La Piedad, Chivas’ second-division team, in scoring with nine goals in nine matches.
But unfulfilled expectations relegated him to spot duty while Thiago Martins claimed the center-forward spot.
When right winger Arturo Torres went down with a leg injury in the 25th minute of last Saturday’s 3-1 loss to the Galaxy, Romo went to the middle and Martins slid to the right.
And with Torres not making the cross-country trip, Coach Thomas Rongen could stick with Romo in the middle, Martins on the right and Matt Taylor on the left.
Unless ...
“That’s the dilemma we’re in right now,” Rongen said after practice here Friday. “We’re always going to have an attacking philosophy. We want to play the best 11 in their best positions.”
Meaning Rongen could move Taylor to the right, his natural position; keep Martins in the center, from where he already has scored two goals; give Mexican youngster Francisco Mendoza his first start, on the left, and bring Romo off the bench.
That would be fine with Romo.
“I’m happy here and everything is tranquil,” he said. “We’re frustrated with the results, but we’re happy with the effort. It’s a long season; we’re only in the fifth week.”
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CHIVAS USA TONIGHT
at New England, 4:30 PDT,
FSNW2, Fox Soccer Channel, FSE
Site -- Gillette Stadium.
Radio -- 830.
Records -- Chivas USA 0-3-1, New England 3-0-1.
Record vs. New England -- First meeting.
Update -- Chivas defender Ryan Suarez, who two weeks ago suffered his third concussion in five years, has been cleared to play, though he is still sensitive to light.
