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 News from Around the Americas | July 2006 
Chivas Proud to Beat Mexican Rival
 Luis Bueno - MLSnet.com
| | Chivas USA players and coaches said the atmosphere was electric against Club America. (Juan Miranda/MLS/WireImage.com) |
Carson, Calif. - Mexico's most intense rivalry spilled over into MLS on Sunday as Chivas USA and Club América met at The Home Depot Center on Sunday.
But it was the second-year side who came out victorious as Chivas USA beat 10-time Mexican Primera Division champions in the so-called InterClasico.
Chivas USA beat América 5-4 in a penalty-kick shootout after the match finished 1-1 in regulation. Francisco Palencia, who scored in the 18th minute, said the victory was important for the club as well as MLS.
"It's good to have these games and I am very happy that we won today," Palencia said. "Just a few (MLS) teams have beaten Mexican teams. We've already beaten them twice. I'm glad that the MLS teams can beat the Mexican guys because that means the MLS is growing."
Chivas USA also beat América 1-0 in a friendly before the start of last season. Sunday's game brought out a large contingent of América fans. In fact, a large majority of the 22,586 in attendance were clad in America yellow and blue.
América's supporter groups, La Monumental, set up on the southeast side of the stadium. Throughout the match, the América fans danced and chanted. Several smoke bombs were touched off and released yellow and blue smoke.
Chivas' Legion 1908 supporter group responded nicely, though. The red-and-white clad Legion were equally as boisterous as their counterparts on the opposite side of the stadium.
Players were excited about the intense and electric atmosphere the game created.
"It was a little hostile in the first half with things being thrown out on the field, smoke bombs and paper and confetti and whatnot but that's what makes the game," Chivas USA goalkeeper Brad Guzan said. "That's how the game should be."
That there were more América fans in the stands than Chivas USA supporters was not surprising to Palencia.
"The people who came in the red and white stripes were Chivas USA fans, not Chivas fans from Mexico so I'm glad that the few people who came support us 100 percent," Palencia said. "I expected that there were going to be more América fans this afternoon. They are one of the most important teams in Mexico."
Chivas USA matched América stride for stride. The MLS side fielded most of its regulars at the start of the game, including Ante Razov who leads the league with 11 goals. At halftime, Chivas USA coach Bob Bradley made 10 substitutions as only Guzan stayed on the field. Still, Chivas USA's reserves did well to match America's effort.
América coach Luis Fernando Tena made mass substitutions as well. In the 58th minute, four new players entered the match. Two minutes later, four more players came on. By the 78th minute, the final América starter -- Matias Vuoso -- left the match.
"Every time we play these matches, we need to show people that our team is very good, show people that we have good young players and take advantage of these games to move the game forward," Bradley said. "It was nice to see so many of our young players do a good job today."
In the penalty-kick shootout, Guzan stopped shots from Nacho Torres and Armando Sanchez to guide Chivas to the victory. More than the result, however, the game left a good taste in Chivas' mouths with the hopes of regularly producing like environments on a regular basis.
"There was a lot of passion out there. You could feel it and we're working day by day in MLS and hopefully one day there can be this kind of passion here," Palencia said. "We are in a good way with the Galaxy but maybe between Washington and New York or other teams can work for this type of environment because the players like it very much."
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs. |
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