Real vs. Chivas semi live blog cast
Last minute changes
Well both sides appear to be making some last minute changes for Chivas out is Brad Guzan to the USMNT and back in is Sacha Kljestan who is back from the USMNT and Johnathan Bornstein is back in the midfield for Chivas and Joe Kennedy will get his first MLS start in goal. RSL appears to be moving Dema Kovalenko into the D-mid role and giving Matias Cordoba a start to provide an additional offensive punch.
Sorry I didn’t update the Chivas formation, but only so much time since the announcements.
On the bench for RSL are the following players: Seitz, Nimo, Joy, Movsisyan, Cutler, Nunez, and Mantilla. For Chivas they have: Parker, Suarez, Thomas, Wicky, Braun, Flores and Vaughn.
The first couple minutes each team get some attacks in, but nothing too impressive. I see Rimando wearing some very strange colors with a blue top and yellow shorts, I really think he should go back to the green and white kit, which is very popular with fans. RSL is not letting any major attacks result in scoring chances, Chivas at home usually get a lot of opportunities early so the first 10-15 minutes are going to be important.
15th minute
Olave is looking good so far in defense as both teams have the midfield really clogged up, so a lot of turnovers and a couple fouls, but nothing impressive as neither side has a shot yet, wait chivas get a shot as Atiba puts it very high and out of danger.
25th minute
A yellow card to Deuchar for a challenge on Curtin, but RSL is starting to control the possession and create a couple chances in the offensive third of the pitch but still no shots for RSL. According to the stats the shot by Atiba has been ruled to not really be a shot, so 20 minutes in neither team has a shot. Chivas get a good counter but Dema breaks it up and the ball is back at midfield and RSL wins it back. RSL is really taking it slow and easy, since the midfield is so clogged up, they may have to play a couple long balls over the top for Kenny and Robbie to get the Chivas back line to play more honestly and not push up so high. A nice ball played in by Wingert to the head of Deuchar and a save by Kennedy to win the corner kick. No threat from the corner, but RSL keeps the ball in the Chivas half of the pitch.
35th minute
Yellow card to Nagamura for a foul on Beckerman, the free kick drops the ball in the box and RSL can’t convert the chance. Like last week the chances are coming, can RSL convert against a green keeper? Chivas are getting a little bit of possession and they try to play a long ball into the box, but too long and goal kick for Rimando. Chivas get the ball back and are trying to set up an attack, but are struggling to get the ball out of the midfield, and RSL wins the ball back as it goes out of bounds off a Chivas player. A foul in midfield will give RSL a free kick, so far the fouls are 8 by Chivas and 3 by RSL, but that is to be expected. Chivas counter, Atibia brings the ball up, but it is broke up by Wingert, then given away and Atiba runs onto it but it is played out by RSL and Chivas get a corner kick and it sails over everyone and it ends up being a goal kick for RSL. The action is picking up and Robbie shots and scores on a great run. 1-0 RSL in the 34th minute, a super play Morales keeps the ball alive and makes a great pass to Beckerman who makes an even better pass to an onrushing Findley, who beats Talley and Kennedy for the goal. Only 6 times has the team that scored first lost, 10 ties and 57 wins, so our first road points may just come tonight.
45th minute
Chivas get a good chance but Rimando is there to clean up the ball, but Chivas counter again and another corner kick for the goats. It is played into the box and over the goal by Olave, another chance for Chivas and it is played on the ground to an unmarked Talley, who shanks it high over the goal. Interesting tidbit from the announce team, Carey Talley is keeping his house in Salt Lake and plans on living here after he is done playing. Chivas is playing with a bit more urgency now that they are down a goal, but the middle of the pitch is still clogged up. RSL is still getting the better of the possession, but it is not as one sided as it was earlier in the match. Chivas get the ball deep in the RSL third, but Borchers is there and clears it back out to midfield, which is still very clogged with both defenders and forwards playing very active roles in the middle of the pitch. A foul by Morales gives Chivas a shot from about a yard outside of the box, the most dangerous chance for Chivas, but it is played into the wall and RSL takes the ball back and play a very long ball over the top to Findley, but this time Kennedy rushes out to stop the play.
I have really like the efforts of Beltran and Findley in the first half, RSL is playing well and they appear very well prepared for Chivas, this looks a lot like the team we saw in the second half of the San Jose match. A Chivas attack results in a ball cleared by Borchers and Razov dives trying to get a PK, but a good no call as we move into the stoppage time of the first half. That is it the first half is over and RSL leads Chivas 1-0 at the Home Depot Center. RSL has controlled the majority of possession and played well in the first half, lets see how the two teams adjust at the half.
1st half stats
Shots: RSL-2 Chivas-1
SOG: RSL-2 Chivas-0
Fouls: RSL-6 Chivas-9
Offsides: RSL-1 Chivas-2
Corners: RSL-1 Chivas-3
But the real stat that matters is the score and RSL has a 1-0 lead on the scoreboard.
Around the MLS
So wow did I have a couple matches wrong, first Columbus showed up and beat down KC 3-0. DC United exploded again and beat New York 4-1 in a horrible rainstorm. TFC picked up another win at home 3-1 over the Rapids, in a match where the TFC keeper got an assist on a Ricketts goal.
55th minute
OK a couple of changes for Chivas as Harris and Bornstein are out, and Justin Braun and Raphael Wicky are in. Chivas is trying to get their offense to be a bit more effective and it looks like they are pushing RSL a bit more but RSL still seem to be controlling a bit more possession, but you can tell RSL is a bit more defensive in their attack, making sure they don’t give up easy counters. Braun crosses a ball on a Chivas counter, but Olave clear its out but not far enough Chivas get their first shot on goal but it goes directly to Rimando. Chivas is slowing it down a bit and trying to maintain some possession of the ball, the ball goes into the box and Chivas has a great chance (close to offside) but Braun puts the ball over the top of the goal, but Chivas is much more effective with their attacks in the second half.
Talley plays a good ball in but Olave is there, Chivas end up with a free kick and a great shot by Razov, but Rimando shows his stuff and makes the save as RSL dodges a bullet. RSL is having trouble keeping possession and it may be time to bring in some fresh legs, but without Williams it would either be Cutler or Nunez coming into the midfield, perhaps bring Cutler in and move Dema back up and Cordoba go to the bench after a good first half, but is struggling in the second half.
65th minute
You can tell the second half has been mostly Chivas the number of shots is now 5-2 in their favor, and they have made Rimando make his first saves of the night. RSL get a free kick from the midfield line but nothing comes of it, except a Chivas counter but again Olave is there to break it up. Findley goes up the side, in the box, but loses the ball after being muscled off it by the Chivas defense. Interesting change Movsisyan in for Cordoba, not at all the conservative move I expected, let’s see how this affects RSL’s structure. Well a quick attack by RSL, Morales attacks but no support as Kennedy cleans up the ball, and a quick counter by Chivas as Braun gets a long ball and goes one on one vs. Rimando, but the shot is right at Rimando and he makes the save. You can see a bit of desperation from Chivas, but RSL is going to have to remain calm and get some possession of the ball.
75th minute
Findley is really working hard tonight and is making a statement that he wants the starting role even when Espindola is healthy, when we get everyone back to 100 percent, we are going to have a lot of offensive options. I really want to see RSL get more chances to take shots, if not it will be very hard RSL to keep a lead, as Chivas is really pouring it on in the attack. Wow every time a RSL player has the ball there are two or three Chivas players rushing to regain the ball or slow the attack. Dema is down on the sideline it looks like it might just be a cramp, so RSL is short handed for a couple minute, OK he is back up an into the match, so RSL is back at full strength. Wow, ball played into Razov, but he is offside, RSL is really back on their heels and need something to spark a little offensive life back into them. Another long ball played into Braun, and very close to a foul in the box, but it is cleared out again, but RSL is playing with fire and it could really get ugly as the clock gets closer to 90:00.
85th minute
Well RSL is getting handled in the last twenty minutes, and I am not sure what RSL can do in order to get some more possession, but I am very fearful if they try to sit back and just defend for the last 15 minutes of this match. A long ball into the box and Kenny Deuchar goes one on one with Curtin, but nothing comes of it, but the play is brought back, but RSL has got to either get a second goal or get some possession of the ball, because this is getting scary. Chivas gets in the box and Wicky has the ball but everyone collapses on him and the ball gets cleared wide by Yura. RSL gives up the ball deep in the Chivas end, and once again Chivas is on the attack, but RSL wins the ball back as Findley one more time is there at the right time. I wonder how long until Chivas brings in Flores who has 3 goals in their last four matches? What will be the next move by Kreis, well it is Nunez in for Deuchar who has a yellow card and this will bring a little more pace and hopefully provide RSL a chance to control the possession a little bit more as we enter the final ten minutes of this match. So far I am impressed with Yura playing in the midfield; he is working very hard and helping out a lot on the defensive effort, nice to have him back. One more time Rimando cleans up a lose ball in the box after a Chivas free kick, Nick has earned his keep so far tonight.
Final Five Minutes
Well with five minutes left in regulation RSL is grasping to a 1-0 lead over Chivas, if they hold on they will get their first ever win over Chivas at the HDC, and will move up to a tie for 3rd in the Western Conference. We know that teams have taken advantage of RSL in the final minutes of matches; Movsisyan is down and appears to be cramping up, or stalling, but they are bringing out the stretcher, but he is up and seems to be favoring his right knee. RSL is making another change and bring in Cutler for the injured Movsisyan. A long ball by Chivas is played back to Rimando by Olave as Chivas is pulling out all the stops in attack, and wow the 4th official is saying 4 minutes of stoppage time, this is not a good thing for RSL. All 11 players for RSL are on their own half of the pitch, as RSL plays every ball they can as long as they can, but now they are putting together a bit of an attack, Cutler takes the ball towards the corner and is fouled hard as the clock moves past 90:00 and close to the first RSL road win of 2008 and it would be sweet against hated rival Chivas. RSL is actually countering well with their fresh legs and this is keeping Chivas from mounting too much of an attack and keeping the ball more in the midfield. Chivas has a free kick from midfield, but the first ball is played out of danger, and Chivas drive the ball back towards the RSL goal but it goes over the end line for a goal kick as the clock gets closer and closer to full time. RSL play a long ball into the Chivas end of the pitch, but after holding it for a few seconds they give it back, but Dema is fouled and RSL has a free kick from deep in their own third of the pitch, which Rimando plays long, it goes to Kennedy but too little, too late. RSL picks up a huge win over Chivas on the road 1-0.
Final Stats
Shots: RSL-4 Chivas-8
SOG: RSL-3 Chivas-4
Saves: RSL-4 Chivas-2
Fouls: RSL-14 Chivas-23
Goals: RSL-1 Chivas-0
This entry was posted on June 14, 2008 at 10:40 pm and is filed under The soapbox. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site.