NPR is in the building this evening preparing a story on Jorge Flores and tabbed your truly for a quick interview, so I'm a little late with the lineups.

The night's important numbers: the Wizards have won just once on the road this season and and Colorado's 5-4 win over the Red Bulls earlier today means Chivas USA is third in the table and seven points behind Western Conference leaders Houston, which drew 1-1 with Toronto.

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Ah, the Home Depot Center - acres of athletic facilities, a number of sporting personalities, and one frazzled me, trying to get stuff for stories.

I ran from the Galaxy's practice field to try to catch Claudio Suarez before he left with his teammates on a bus to the airport. I waited by the front entrance of the complex as various Chivas USA players walked by from the practice field. Click to continue reading...

Chivas USA 1, Tauro FC (Panama) 1 - Tauro advance 3-1 on aggregate

That score from last night is an attention-grabber, isn't it? MLS has invested a lot of effort in playing up a rivalry with Mexico as the best league in this part of the world, so a loss to a team from Panama -- which ranks somewhere below Costa Rica, Guatemala and El Salvador in terms of international achievement -- isn't at all what the league would want.

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Chivas USA will host a critical match against Tauro FC tonight. Chivas USA needs to win by two goals in order to have any hopes of advancing to the CONCACAF Champions League.

Here is audio of my post-game chat with Jonathan Bornstein about the game.

Acutally, it's a bit more complicated than just winning by two. Click to continue reading...

The second leg of matches in the CONCACAF Champions League kicks off tonight, with the headline being two MLS teams fighting for their tournament lives against lesser-known opponents.
The New England Revolution welcome Joe Public FC, the Jamaican side that advanced to the tournament by way of their runner-up finish in the Caribbean Football Union Club Championship in 2007. Click to continue reading...

First off, the Galaxy has just drawn 2-2 with the New England Revolution, Landon Donovan getting both goals.

Sean Franklin and Troy Roberts started in the center of defense with Eddie Lewis on the left wing, by the way.

More on that game later, but for now....

Chivas USA has Zach Thornton in goal as usual, Lawson Vaughn is at right back, Jonathan Bornstein on the left and Bobby Burling and Jim Curtin in the middle.

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I wrote a story on Jorge Flores for both espn.com and Futbol Mundial. As one can see, Flores make the cover of F.M. I used different quotes for each article, and there's one by Claudio Suarez in the F.M. article that is very prophetic. He talks about how young players can burst on the scene and make an impact because they're somewhat overlooked. Click to continue reading...

Five changes for Chivas USA tonight with a Tuesday CONCACAF preliminary round game looming Tuesday in Panama as Coach Preki tries to rest some starters, while defender Cary Talley is the latest to join a long injury list with a thigh strain. Six players are still out including striker Maykel Galindo

Zach Thornton is in goal, while Jim Curtin replaces Claudio Suarez as the long defensive change.

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I'm getting up to watch the 6 a.m. U.S.-Brazil Olympic women's football final.

So briefly:
*The U.S. continued its domination of Guatemala Wednesday with a 1-0 win in the first game of the semifinal round of World Cup qualifying.

*Sven Wins For Mexico.

*CONCACAF WCQ Scores.

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ChivaGirls ready to suit up against Houston Dynamo if needed!

Chivas USA take on the Dynamo Wednesday night. Well, half of the Chivas USA will take on the Dynamo while the other half remain on the injury list. Lets do the math.

28 Full squad
-11 Injured
-1 International Duty
_____
16

Sixteen players are healthy and available for the matchup.

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The injury list for Chivas USA grows longer as Jesse Marsch was ruled out 6-8 weeks with a fractured jaw.

Others such as Claudio Suarez and Jonathan Bornstein may be ready by next week's match against San Jose, but Marsch won't be one of them. In fact, the 6-8 week range puts him as possibly returning by late September, best-case scenario. Click to continue reading...

Unless something drastic changes, there is quite a bit of talent and experience that will be absent for Chivas USA against the Galaxy on Thursday.

Now, that doesn't mean that the club will field a reserve team or anything but there are concerns over certain aspects of Chivas USA's potential lineup. Click to continue reading...

When Claudio Suarez explained that his father was a big baseball fan and really admired Fernando Valenzuela, the Dodger public relations people arranged an introduction.

I ran into Claudio afterwards and asked to see his souvenir. He showed it to me and explained that Fernando signed it to his father, Vicente which meant a lot to him. Click to continue reading...

First off, the U.S. Women defeated Japan 1-0 overnight at the Olympics.

USC's Amy Rodriguez got her surprise first start of the Olympics over Natasha Kai. Here's Coach Pia Sundhage on why she made the move:

"The reason for A-Rod instead of Kai was her speed. That was crucial when we looked at the way Japan plays.

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Tomorrow night we get a rematch of last years first round playoff game between the Wizards and Chivas USA. Like last year, Chivas will be without a few of their first team players. Both Ante Razov and Claudio Suarez are questionable for the game with injuries. Sacha Kljestan will also miss the game for the Goats, as he's in China for the Olympics. Click to continue reading...

Chivas USA take on the Wizards this weekend.

Chivas USA have been struggling to fill the line up, dealing with injuries and suspensions.

There are two people that are considered out for the game, probably the lowest in the season. Raphael Wicky and Alex Zotinca will not be available for the game.

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Welcome to the beautiful Titan Stadium for tonight's SuperLiga (and I use the word beautiful loosely). I tried to get pictures of both teams before the match but only New England gathered for a team shot. Perhaps Chivas players were too focused on the game...

Here are the starting lineups:

Chivas: Dan Kennedy; Carey Talley, Claudio Suarez, Bobby Burling, Francisco Mendoza; Sacha Kljestan, Daniel Paladini, Jesse Marsch, Jonathan Bornstein; Ante Razov, Roberto Nurse. Click to continue reading...

Five changes to the Chivas USA starting lineup from the team that faced Santos Laguna Wednesday (or as one press box observer said, the A team is back).

Dan Kennedy is in goal, while Claudio Suarez and Bobby Burling return in central defense, Cary Talley is at right back and Pancho Mendoza at left back (although he and left half Jonathan Bornstein have been switching off in recent games and presumably could again).

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Green and white versus red and white! Let's go to it. The stadium isn't full by far, but the crowd is lively.
Chivas USA: Dan Kennedy, Jim Curtin, Carey Tallye, Shavar Thomas, Jonathan Bornstein, Francisco Mendoza, Sacha Kljestan, Paulo Nagamura, Kraig Chiles, Roberto Nurse, Atiba Harris
Santos: Oswaldo Sanchez, Jorge Estrada, Rafael Figueroa, Osmar Mares, Fernando Ortiz, Edgar Castillo, Johnnie Garcia, Fernando Arce, Francisco Torres, Vicente Vuoso, Christian Benitez
Kickoff! Click to continue reading...

All sorts of changes tonight for Chivas USA including Dan Kennedy in goal, Claudio Suarez on the bench, Mexican Roberto Nurse making his debut up front and young Kraig Chiles getting a rare start (likely as a withdrawn forward).

The Chivas USA lineup: Kennedy, Jim Curtin, Carey Talley, Shavar Thomas, Jonathan Bornstein, Francisco Mendoza, Sacha Kljestan, Paulo Nagamura, Chiles, Nurse and Atiba Harris.

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Roberto Nurse is signed, sealed and delivered. All the necessary paperwork is complete and Nurse will be available for selection for Chivas USA tonight against Santos, a source told me.

Nurse has been training with the team for several weeks now and impressed the coaching staff, who somehow were able to find a way to keep him on the roster. Click to continue reading...

Bruno Marioni scored his first official goal for Pachuca in Sunday's 2-1 win over Chivas USA.

We think.

At first, the goal looked like it went off of Claudio Suarez. But Marioni celebrated it as his own and it went into the books as his goal. It wasn't until afterward, when I was listening to the little snippet of Sacha Kljestan that I recorded, that I heard him say it was an own goal. Click to continue reading...

Suarez' miss from the penalty spot.

Photo by Scott Varley

Game story.

Box score.

Here's Claudio Suarez on missing the first half penalty kick:

"I feel bad for having missed it because it influenced the result. If I'd put it in it would have changed the game.

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An event-filled opening 45 minutes saw Chivas USA blow a lead, squander a penalty kick and come in at the half trailing 2-1.

Chivas could and probably should have been up 2-0 in the first 10 minutes, with Sacha Klejstan hitting the bar from 16 yards, wasting a fine Jonathan Bornstein run, who split the Pachuca defense after intercepting a lazy clearance.

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Andrea is absent from tonight's match so I'll try and hold the fort down in her absence.

Pachuca won SuperLiga right here in this building a year ago, topping the LA Galaxy in PKs. But, los Tuzos also lost a game right here to the same Galaxy squad, dropping a 2-1 result in the tournament opener. Click to continue reading...

Chivas USA plays its first ever competitive international game tonight against SuperLiga and CONCACAF Champions Cup title holders Pachuca.

So it's a hell of a time for goalkeeper Lance Parker (Missouri State) to make his professional debut. Parker is favored over presumed starter Dan Kennedy with Brad Guzan headed to England's Aston Villa.

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Veteran Chivas USA and Mexican international defender Claudio Suarez considers himself a "simple soccer player" who initially was dead set against writing his autobiography.

But the classy Suarez, respected for his modest demeanor off the field and his commanding defensive presence on it, succumbed and the result is "Claudio Suarez: Portrait of a Warrior.

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As the SuperLiga returns, one club in particular has a lot at stake. Billy Witz looks at all the reasons why this competition means more to Chivas USA. So much so, in fact, that Claudio Suarez was held out against the Galaxy so he could be fresh for this tournament.

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Five changes for the Galaxy this evening after last week's loss to New England and no wins in the last three games.

Most fans will undoubtedly be pleased to know that even with an ankle injury to central defender Sean Franklin that was announced Wednesday the hapless Abel Xavier is nowhere to be seen.

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How about them Wizards?
Anyway, the injury of Sean Franklin means the Galaxy have had to scramble to replace him. He's been their most consistent defender, rookie or no.
So who replaces him? Greg Vanney or Troy Roberts? The short answer is that both players are in the starting lineup.
Galaxy: Cronie, Kleiny, Troy, Vanney, Ante, Ely, Becks, Pete, Willie, Eddie, LD
Chivas USA: Guzano, Talley, Shavar, Jonny, 'Tiba, Sach, Jesse, Nags, Panchito, 'Te. Click to continue reading...

Thursday's game against the LA Galaxy is just one of a string of big games Chivas USA will have in the coming days. On Sunday, Chivas USA will play Pachuca in the SuperLiga opener for both teams. Then, Santos will visit on Wednesday followed by a match against New England on July 20.

That's four games in 11 days. Click to continue reading...

The MLS All-Star Game XI (and actually another seven to round out the roster) will be picked at 8 a.m. Thursday from Toronto, site of the 4 p.m. July 24 game against East London's West Ham United of the English Premier League.

Coaches and general managers, fans, players, and media each had 25 percent of the vote to select the starting line-up.

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Since I spent most of the time in the locker room interviewing Claudio Suarez and Panchito Mendoza - the team's two Mexicans - about next Sunday's SuperLiga opener against Pachuca for Tuesday's column, my opportunities to get quotes about tonight's game were limited.

Still, there weren't many talking points anyway.

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Chivas USA (5-6-3) can jump from sixth to tied for first in the Western Conference with the Galaxy if they manage to beat the worst team in MLS, the San Jose Earthquakes (3-8-3), who have one goal in the last four games while going 0-2-2.

Coach Preki makes three changes to the team that drew 1-1 last week with the Red Bulls.

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Hoy hace 15 años, se jugaba la gran final de la copa América en Ecuador 1993. México contra Argentina
México era un invitado y seria su primera participación, pocos, muy pocos pensarían en que el tricolor nacional llegaría hasta las instancias de la gran final.

La prensa mexicana antes de esta competición llamaba a los jugadores de la selección los ratones verdes, pero gracias a esta gran participación nunca mas seria utilizado. Click to continue reading...