Same Old Tune for Chivas USA
It was anything but a joyful atmosphere deep in the Home Depot Center as Thomas Rongen tried explaining Chivas USA’s latest loss Saturday night when Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” kept interrupting him.
A reporter’s cellphone was the culprit.
“Nice song,” the embattled Chivas coach said with a grin. “That’s the double whammy. No respect. I guess when you’re 1-8-1, you don’t deserve any anyway.”
The tune could also have been one of lost opportunity.
Because while the Galaxy was without forward Landon Donovan, who was playing for the U.S. national team, Chivas could not take advantage in the second meeting involving Los Angeles’ two Major League Soccer clubs. The Galaxy emerged with a 2-0 victory in front of an announced 20,916, Chivas’ largest home crowd of its tumultuous first season.
Pablo Chinchilla and Peter Vagenas each had second-half goals and Jovan Kirovski assisted on both for the Galaxy (6-2-1).
There had been much speculation during the week that Rongen’s job was on the line, and with the parade of Chivas de Guadalajara dignitaries who attended the game, little eased that thought.
And after the loss, Chivas USA President and co-owner Antonio Cue said he would announce changes to the expansion franchise Monday, though he hinted they would be aimed more at personnel than at the coaching staff and said players from Mexico were on their way in August. The international transfer window opens Aug. 15.
Chivas has two allocation spots left, though only one is for a senior international player.
“We need someone up there scoring for us because we don’t have anyone that can score [with regularity],” Cue said. “When you can’t score goals you can’t win games and when you can’t win games you can’t get points and when you can’t get points, you’re out of the picture.
“I think we thought our players were going to be able to handle it. It’s been tough.”
Still, Cue said he still believed in the seven Mexican nationals sent to MLS from Guadalajara.
But there was a lengthy pause when asked if he still believed in his coach before saying, “I still believe in the coach.”
At least L.A.’s Mayor-elect believed in Chivas -- Antonio Villaraigosa took the first kick while wearing a red and white-striped jersey with his name emblazoned on the back and pledged his allegiances to Chivas. Like he rebuked the Angels last week when saying L.A. was a Dodger town, he bypassed the Galaxy for Chivas.
The feel-good affair for Chivas lasted through the first half as it played defensively with a continuity and familiarity that had escaped it this season.
That ended in the 62nd minute.
Taking a free kick from the right flank, Kirovski sent a curling ball into the box, where an unmarked Chinchilla headed it past goalkeeper Martin Zuniga.
Chinchilla had been defended by Douglas Sequeira, but Sequeira fell down on the play, allowing Chinchilla, who was in the lineup because Chris Albright suffered a sprained left knee in the club’s midweek scoreless tie with Columbus, to run free.
“That changed the game,” said Chinchilla, who victimized his Costa Rican countryman, Sequeira, for his first career MLS goal. “It allowed us to relax more and get into a rhythm.”
In the 76th minute, Kirovski split Arturo Torres and Alfonso Loera and sent a quick cross to an on-rushing Vagenas, who got by Ryan Suarez to blast a shot past Zuniga.
It was Vagenas’ career-high fourth goal of the season, two coming against Chivas.
All of which put the spotlight on Rongen.
“I really focus first and foremost on putting Chivas USA on the map,” Rongen said. “It’s a long-term project and I emphasize long-term. I don’t believe the results are indicative of a team that doesn’t believe [in itself].
“[My job security], it’s a non-issue for me at this time.”
