In part two, we have Robert Scorca as one of the individuals that is present when the Honduran national team arrives to their home away from home- South Florida.
Scorca, or "Dr. Catracho" as we affectionately call him, is a fervent fan of the Bicolor over any other team in the world and he truly expresses his love for the team and joy for the game in every single South Florida event. Click to continue reading...

Who will Chivas protect this year? (Getty Images)

Yesterday we started our look at the expansion draft and who teams will and won't protect for this month's upcoming draft. The Philadelphia Union get ten players to pick from and this year will be as tough as any to predict who will stay and who will be left exposed.

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Chivas USA 2 Houston Dynamo 3

Eduardo Lillingston has pulled Chivas USA within one from the penalty spot after Jorge Flores was brought down in the box from behind by Andrew Hainault in the 87th minute.

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Game story.

Playoff tickets are on sale starting at $15. Call 1-877-CHIVAS-1.

Chivas USA - Zach Thornton, Carey Talley, Yamith Cuesta, Claudio Suarez (Mariano Trujillo 46), Ante Jazic, Jesus Padilla (Jesse Marsch 46), Michael Lahoud (Eduardo Lillingston 55), Paulo Nagamura, Sacha Kljestan, Justin Braun, Maykel Galindo,

Substitutes Not Used: Chukwudi Chijindu, Jon Conway, Jorge Flores, Shavar Thomas

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And they didn't kick a ball today.

The post-season berth comes courtesy of intrastadium rivals Chivas USA who beat an out of gas D.C. United Saturday 2-0 on the road. United finished with 10 men after Ben Olsen was sent off for clocking Chivas USA defender Yamith Cuesta on the back of the head with a retaliatory "free kick.

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Daniel Feuerstein, Richard Farley of World Soccer Reader and Mad About Futbol, Ignacio Rodriguez of Traffic Sports and host Kartik Krishnaiyer break down the US U-20 team in its forst two World Cup matches. Among the issues discussed are:

- The emergence of Tony Taylor
- Brek Shea's dispointing first two games
- Red Bull New York's long term vision for player development
- Dilly Duka and Red Bull
- Gale and Miami FC
- Traffic Sports USYNT player development program
- Kye Davies vs Jorge Flores
- Rongen's 4-3-3

And much more.

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With the apparent head injury to team captain Kyle Davies, multi-dimensional United States Under-20 player Jorge Flores may be spending his immediate future at left back for head coach Thomas Rongen's squad. Click to continue reading...

Chivas USA 0 New York Red Bulls 0

This is a scrappy, disjointed affair with more errant passes and impotent runs than quality scoring opportunities.

Each side had just one half decent chance at goal.

Chivas USA's came in the 11th minute, Brazilian Maicon Santos almost making the Red Bulls pay for a poor clearance, which fell to Paulo Nagamura.

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I previewed Wednesday's Chivas USA-CD Guadalajara game Wednesday at the Rose Bowl. Read the column here.

BTW, two Chivas USA players - Gerson Mayen and Jorge Flores - won't play because they, along with UCLA goalkeeper Brian Perk and midfielder Michael Stevens, are in Egypt preparing for the FIFA Under-20 World Cup that starts Thursday.

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Time to revisit my projections of who will be protected and who will be left available. What's changed in the past month? For last month's review, click here.
A few days ago I posted about when players graduate from Generation Adidas status, which is highly relevant to this topic. Check out that post for further info. Click to continue reading...

MLS rosters are finally frozen. Here's a look at how much each team has changed since March.
Also worth checking is something that can shake up a roster without a personnel decision: the injury list.
CHICAGO
Hasn't changed much since the beginning of the season except for the departure of unhappy defender Bakary Soumare to Europe. Click to continue reading...

GOALKEEPERS Sean Johnson (Central Florida), Josh Lambo (FC Dallas), Brian Perk (UCLA)
DEFENDERS Gale Agbossoumonde (Miami FC Blues), Kyle Davies (FC Dallas), Aaron Maund (Notre Dame), Ike Opara (Wake Forest), Anthony Wallace (FC Dallas), Sheanon Williams (No Club)
MIDFIELDERS Danny Cruz (Houston Dynamo), Mikkel Diskerud (Stabaek), Dilly Duka (No Club), Jorge Flores (Chivas USA), Jared Jeffrey (Club Brugge), Brian Ownby (Virginia), Dillon Powers (Notre Dame), Michael Stephens (UCLA)
FORWARDS Sam Garza (Denver), Peri Marosevic (FC Dallas), Brek Shea (FC Dallas), Tony Taylor (Jacksonville)

Click to continue reading...

Here's the full squad:

goalkeepers - Sean Johnson (Central Florida; Lilburn , Ga. ), Josh Lambo (FC Dallas; Middleton, Wis. ), Brian Perk (UCLA; Rancho Santa Margarita)

defenders - Gale Agbossoumonde ( Miami FC; Syracuse, N.Y. ), Kyle Davies (FC Dallas; Danville, Calif.

Click to continue reading...

Unlike the senior team, Coach Rongen is announcing his roster almost a month before the first match of the U-20 World Cup. Yup, kick off for the Americans in this youth World Cup is September 25th.
GOALKEEPERS - Sean Johnson (Central Florida), Josh Lambo, Brian Perk (UCLA)
DEFENDERS - Gale Agbossoumonde, Kyle Davies, Jorge Flores, Ike Opara (Wake Forest), Anthony Wallace, Sheanon Williams
MIDFIELDERS - Daniel Cruz, Mikkel Diskerud, Dilly Duka (Rutgers), Jared Jeffrey, Aaron Maund (Notre Dame), Brian Ownby (Virginia), Dillon Powers (Notre Dame), Michael Stephens (UCLA)
FORWARDS - Sam Garza (Denver), Peri Marosevic, Brek Shea, Tony Taylor (Jacksonville)
I've highlighted the college players in the above list. Click to continue reading...

U.S. Under-20 Men's National Team head coach Thomas Rongen has finalized the 21-player roster that play at the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup from Sept. 24-Oct. 16 in Egypt. Several are comprised of MLS players.

GOALKEEPERS (3): Sean Johnson (Central Florida; Lilburn, Ga.), Josh Lambo (FC Dallas; Middleton, Wis.

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U.S. Under-20 Men's National Team head coach Thomas Rongen has finalized the 21-player roster that play at the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup from Sept. 24-Oct. 16 in Egypt. Several are comprised of MLS players.

GOALKEEPERS (3): Sean Johnson (Central Florida; Lilburn, Ga.), Josh Lambo (FC Dallas; Middleton, Wis.

Click to continue reading...

Five players from FC Dallas will, along with 16 others, represent the U.S. Under-20 international team at the World Cup in Egypt next month: USMNT U-20 World Cup Roster By Position GOALKEEPERS (3): Sean Johnson (Central Florida; Lilburn, Ga.), Josh Lambo (FC Dallas; Middleton, Wis.), Brian Perk (UCLA; Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. Click to continue reading...

US U-20 National Team coach Thomas Rongen announced his squad ahead of the upcoming U-20 World Cup in Egypt. Here is the squad.

GOALKEEPERS (3): Sean Johnson (Central Florida; Lilburn , Ga. ), Josh Lambo (FC Dallas; Middleton , Wis. ), Brian Perk (UCLA; Rancho Santa Margarita , Calif.

Click to continue reading...

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                                                                                Photo by ISIphotos.com

Midfielders Mikkel Diskerud and Dilly Duka and forwards Brek Shea and Tony Taylor headline the 21-man roster selected to represent the United States at the Under-20 World Cup in Egypt next month.

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                                                                                Photo by ISIphotos.com

Midfielders Mikkel Diskerud and Dilly Duka and forwards Brek Shea and Tony Taylor headline the 21-man roster selected to represent the United States at the Under-20 World Cup in Egypt next month.

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The trivia question was prompted by an item in the Chivas USA game notes for the July SuperClasico I scoured Monday as I researched today's column.

Chivas USA claims nine players on its roster who were either born or grew up in Southern California:
Jonathan Bornstein (who was born in Torrance and grew up in Los Alamitos)
Chukwudi Chijindu (Fontana)
Jorge Flores (Anaheim)
Dan Kennedy (Yorba Linda)
Sacha Kljestan (Huntington Beach)
Gerson Mayen (Los Angeles)
Ante Razov (Los Angeles)
Sasha Victorine (Corona)
Cesar Zamora (Sylmar)

Three of these players - Bornstein, Razov, Victorine - played college soccer at UCLA, while Dan Kennedy played at UC Santa Barbara.

Click to continue reading...

Part two of the expansion draft preview. The Eastern conference was covered yesterday, and can be found here.
CHIVAS USA
Protected Available Exempt Jonathan Bornstein Chukwudi Chijindu
Justin Braun Yamith Cuesta
Bobby Burling Jim Curtin
Maykel Galindo Jorge Flores
Sacha Kljestan Kevin Harmse
Michael Lahoud Ante Jazic
Jesse Marsch
Dan Kennedy
Paulo Nagamura
Eduardo Lillingston
Shavar Thomas
Gerson Mayen
Zach Thornton
Jesus Padilla
Mariano Trujillo Lance Parker
Ante Razov
Maicon Santos
Marcelo Saragosa
Bojan Stepanovic
Claudio Suarez
Carey Talley
Lawson Vaughn
Sasha Victorine
Cesar Zamora
If this list of players seems larger than normal to you, then you're right. Click to continue reading...

That's the word today after the club evaluated the right quad injury Zach Thornton picked up during their starting goalkeeper's 16 minutes of action in the MLS All-Star game last week. Just another reason to dislike the fake game.

And not a good sign for a club that was off almost three weeks and is attempting to stop a four-game losing streak Saturday against the Colorado Rapids.

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Playing a little catch-up with some non-David Beckham related news:

*Three Chivas USA players and two from UCLA were selected for a 10-day camp in Argentina that begins today that is the final tune-up for the United States Men's Under-20 National Team that plays in the FIFA World Cup for that age category in late September in Egypt.

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Charleston Battery 3 Chivas USA 1

Notable:
*Jesse Marsch scored in the 28th minute for Chivas USA to tie the game at one apiece, but it wasn't enough to see the club win a U.S. Open Cup game for the first time in four years.

*Chivas USA goalkeeper Lance Parker made his second start of year after playing last Saturday in SuperLiga against San Luis.

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Before tonight's reprise by Chivas USA in Superliga 2009 against San Luis, here are some of the post game player interviews of Claudio Suarez, Mariano Trujillo (in English), Eduardo Lillingston, and Jorge Flores as well as Tigres UANL scorers (Armando Pulido and Jesus Duenas) en espanol. Click to continue reading...

Americans Abroad / USMNT
Thanks Bob, But It's Time To Resign - Match Fit USA
Have Your Say: Bob Bradley - MLS Daily
From The Inside Out: Jonathan Spector - The MNT Blog
Confederations Cup Dreams Are Dead For The USA - MLS Talk
Americans Hammered By Brazil In Africa - Yanks Abroad
Is Bob Bradley The Answer For US Soccer - Hotdog & Friends
Poor Play Dooms USA In 3-0 Loss To Brazil - Soccer By Ives
Blundering Team USA Can't Compete - Press-Enterprise
US vs Brazil: Player Ratings - Goal (NY Times)
Where To For Freddy Adu? Click to continue reading...

Compared to Chivas USA, with an identity tied to Mexico, what has the LA Galaxy done with their academy graduates and youth stars?
Israel Sesay: The former US U-17 star and LA Galaxy developmental player since 2007 has only played in three MLS games in his career. With a lack of playing time, he was loaned out to the PDL's Hollywood United Hitmen and immediately scored two goals in his debut on Saturday May 26, 2009. Click to continue reading...

With some assistance from the ever-helpful front office of Chivas USA, here is the first ever video interview for the latest addition to Chivas USA, midfielder Cesar Zamora. In addition, fellow Chivas USA academy graduates, Jorge Flores and Gerson Mayen, speak about the US U-20 experience, having a fellow club teammate at national team camp, and their latest fellow academy graduate. Click to continue reading...

Post-game press conference with Preki (on the win, the midfield, and the play of Flores, Suarez, and Lahoud) as well as player interviews from Kasey Keller, Nate Jaqua, Gerson Mayen, Jorge Flores, Maykel Galindo, Freddie Ljungberg, and Michael Lahoud to come.
-Patrick Beatty Click to continue reading...

Remember if you have any questions for the players or coaches, post here before halftime and I will do what I can.
Venue:
Home Depot Center, Carson, CA
Weather:
Clear
Referees:
Head Ref: Ricardo Salazar
Asst Ref: Eric Boria
Asst Ref: Peter Balciunas
4th Official: Abbey Okulaja
Projected Lineups:
Chivas USA
GK Zach Thornton
RB Mariano Trujillo
CB Shavar Thomas
CB Carey Talley
LB Jim Curtin
RM Atiba Harris
CM Paolo Nagamura
CM Sasha Victorine
LM Bojan Stepanovic
RS Maykel Galindo
LS Eduardo Lillingston
Subs
Seattle Sounders
GK Kasey Keller
LB Tyson Wahl
CB Jhon Kennedy Hurtado
CB Patrick Ianni
RB James Riley
LM Steve Zakuani
CDM Peter Vagenas
CAM Freddie Ljungberg - Captain
RM Brad Evans
LS Nate Jaqua
RS Freddy Montero
Subs
PRE-GAME:
-Confirmed Jorge Flores will be starting at LB
-Actually, got the first interview ever for Zamora.

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Chivas USA have announced the signing of Cesar Zamora, an 18-year-old midfielder from Sylmar, Calif., and a product of the Chivas USA Youth System, to a Developmental Contract. Zamora, an outside midfielder who played with the Chivas USA U-18 Team during the past two seasons in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, becomes the third former Chivas USA youth player on the club's first-team roster, alongside local products Gerson Mayén (Los Angeles, Calif.

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                                                                           Photo by ISIphotos.com

The U.S. men's national team is preparing for a busy summer, but the U.S. youth national teams are also busy in the coming weeks.

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                                                                           Photo by ISIphotos.com

The U.S. men's national team is preparing for a busy summer, but the U.S. youth national teams are also busy in the coming weeks.

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The USA Under 20's will be training in Sarasota, Florida from May 23rd to May 28th.
Roster By Position (Club; Hometown):
GOALKEEPERS (2): Josh Lambo (FC Dallas; Middleton, Wis.), Brian Perk (UCLA; Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.)
DEFENDERS (6): Kyle Davies (FC Dallas; Danville, Calif. Click to continue reading...