Chivas USA still can’t reverse the trend
After struggling recently to hold on to the ball in the latter stages of the game, Mexico Tigres UANL’s Jesus Duenas made certain he would expose Chivas USA’s one lingering weakness.
Duenas controlled the ball after a deflected shot by Alan Pulido off Chivas USA’s goalkeeper Zach Thornton, and the Tigres midfielder delivered a goal to hand Chivas USA a 2-1 loss in its opening game of the SuperLiga at the Home Depot Center on Saturday.
Afterward, Tigres assistant coach Carlos Turrubiates said he was content with the team’s performance, especially considering its roster is filled mostly with younger players.
“The truth is that I wasn’t expecting this result, but I am really pleased with this young team’s performance,” Turrubiates said. “Beating an experienced team like Chivas USA with young players is just an unexpected result.”
More important, it continued the trend of Chivas USA’s inability to play the way it did to start the MLS season when it won seven of its first nine matches.
Although the last goal by Duenas in the 82nd minute is ingrained in the minds of Chivas USA players, there were other factors that contributed to the team’s loss.
Forward Eduardo Lillingston was called for two yellow cards, the second of which in the 67th minute resulted in his ejection and left Chivas a man down for the final 23 minutes.
“It was definitely a bad game -- a very bad experience,” Lillingston said. “It was a night to be forgotten. And under all those situations, I just apologized to all my teammates for my mistake.”
Chivas Coach Preki said he could sense even before the game that his team might be in for a frustrating night.
“It is one of those games that you are not ready from the locker room,” he said. “We were too slow with the ball, and playing against a young team that had a lot of attitude, it is hard to keep at the same pace.”
Tigres took a 1-0 lead in the 11th minute when Armando Pulido scored on a highlight-reel bicycle kick that landed in the top right corner of the net.
In the 55th minute, Chivas tied the score on a goal by rookie Michael Lahoud.
Chivas USA’s next SuperLiga game is Tuesday against the Chicago Fire at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill.
--
