Zuniga Will Replace Guzan
The worm has turned for Chivas USA. And as such, the Worm has lost his job to the Octopus.
Veteran Martin “El Pulpo” Zuniga, who was injured in a March 2 exhibition game, will make his Major League Soccer debut tonight, starting in goal for the expansion franchise against FC Dallas, and 20-year-old rookie Brad “El Gusano” Guzan, who started Chivas’ first eight matches, has been relegated to the bench.
Also, Mexican youngster Issac Romo will replace Thiago Martins at center-forward, though Martins will start in the midfield.
“I’m ready to go,” Zuniga said after training Saturday afternoon. “Brad did a good job. He’s young and he faced many difficult conditions.”
Zuniga, 34, is a former member of the Mexican national team and, along with Chivas USA midfielder Ramon Ramirez, led Chivas de Guadalajara to its 10th championship, in 1997.
Zuniga has had two tours of duty with Guadalajara, 1995 to ’99 and 2002, and has also played in the Mexican first division with Tigres, Celaya, Tecos, Puebla and Veracruz.
He sprained his left knee in a 7-0 loss to the U.S. national team this spring, though, and his future seemed in doubt.
Guzan struggled mightily early on, giving up 11 goals in his first 302 minutes. Then he found his groove, giving up five in his last 418 minutes.
But with Zuniga, who played all 90 minutes of a Reserve Division match at Colorado last weekend, fit to play, the switch was made.
Dallas, with strikers Carlos Ruiz and Eddie Johnson, has scored 13 goals, including three in a 3-1 victory over Chivas on April 16.
“It’s not a demotion for Brad,” Coach Thomas Rongen said. “He’s not to blame but at this juncture we just feel we need a little veteran leadership in the back.”
Romo had been penciled in as a starter in preseason camp but could not wrestle the job away from the scrappy Martins, who scored twice in Chivas’ first three games but not since.
“I’m happy for the opportunity,” said the 6-foot-2 Romo, who has one goal. “It’s something I’ve been waiting for.”
Said Rongen: “Up front we’ve been a little impotent right now when it comes to scoring goals. He’s familiar with how we’ve been playing and how to post up and keep possession. With his height, that should be able to help, both attacking and defending on set pieces.”
With defender Alfonso Loera suspended after picking up two yellow cards in Chivas’ 2-0 loss at Real Salt Lake on Wednesday, six of the seven Mexicans sent from Guadalajara should be in the starting lineup.
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TONIGHT
vs. FC Dallas, 6:30, FSN West
Site -- Home Depot Center.
Radio -- 830.
Records -- Chivas USA 1-6-1, FC Dallas 4-1-3.
Record vs. FC Dallas -- 0-1-0.
Update -- Chivas USA has signed former Loyola Marymount goalkeeper Shaun Kalnasy to a developmental contract, filling 27 of the team’s 28 roster spots....Fans 50 and older will receive free admission to the game.
Tickets -- (877) 244-8271.
