Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas USA Play To 1-1 Draw

Jun 8, 2014; Carson, CA, USA; A view of the field at Stub Hub center from the tunnel after the game between Chivas USA and the Los Angeles Galaxy. The game ended in a 1-1 tie. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Bruce Arena’s Los Angeles Galaxy and Wilmer Cabrera’s Chivas USA played to a 1-1 draw at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. The draw may as well felt like a loss for the Galaxy because the lack of DPs, combined with more poor defending in the first half, contributed to the result. As for Chivas, it’s not a win, but it’s close enough. Hear what Arena and Cabrera had to say after this…

Now that you have heard the bosses, let’s take a look at the six things we learned, followed by player ratings, for the match between the Los Angeles Galaxy and Chivas USA.

1. Erick Torres continues his hotstreak

Erick “Cubo” Torres is on his way to representing the Goats at the MLS All Star Game, and he could be on his way out to a different league as he piles on the goals. Watch how Juninho missed his mark and Leonardo gets an unwanted assist. Oh Omar, where art thou? Take a look.

2. Gyasi Zardes responds

No free oil change on this goal, as it took place in the second half. But Gyasi Zardes is making brave strides to make this his year. Stefan Ishizaki and Marcelo Sarvas teamed up to create this successful sequence. Check it out.

3. A new lineup for Chivas helps things

Cabrera decided to shake things up for Chivas against Los Angeles. Donny Toia moved from left back to right back while Eric Avila moved to the left midfield. Thus, Leandro Barrera took on a more attacking role, which saw significant amounts of success.

“We wanted to give Eric Avila a little bit more freedom to attack; he’s an attacking player more than a defender,” Cabrera told MLSSoccer.com’s Blair Angulo. “He’s been doing an excellent job as a right back, but we’re sacrificing him more there than we’re taking advantage of his skills.”

“In the last couple games, we just had Cubo up there and we weren’t really helping him out as much as we would like to,” Avila said. “We changed and took the tension away from Cubo and had some runs up top. We caught [the Galaxy] off guard going into the attack.”

4. Lack of finishing touch costly for Galaxy

Bruce Arena’s Los Angeles Galaxy shot themselves in the foot by not having the finishing touch, and that comes from not having a certain Robbie Keane in the lineup. In fact, there are a number of players on the Los Angeles Galaxy II that would have done better.

Chandler Hoffman did get a go late in the contest, but other players like Jack McBean and Bradford Jamieson IV would have turned the fortunes around. In the match against the Dayton Dutch Lions following the Galaxy first team’s 1-1 draw with Chivas, McBean, Jamieson and Los Dos rolled past the Dutch Lions, 5-1.

5. Los Angeles dominate match stats…to no avail

While the Los Angeles Galaxy dominated the match statistics, it was to no avail, as some solid goalkeeping from Dan Kennedy salvaged a point split for Chivas. A little bit more precise finishing, and the scoreline would actually reflect these match stats.

Team Statistics

6. The World Cup break will give both teams a breather

The FIFA World Cup break will give the Galaxy and Chivas USA some time to think about their shortcomings this season, but they do have U.S. Open Cup affairs during the FIFA World Cup break and perhaps the Open Cup will be the spark both sides need when the MLS season continues late in the month.
Los Angeles Galaxy Player Ratings

Jaime Penedo 5, A.J. DeLaGarza 7, Dan Gargan 6, Leonardo 4, Robbie Rogers 6, Juninho 6, Landon Donovan 5, Marcelo Sarvas 8, Stefan Ishizaki 8, Gyasi Zardes 9, Samuel Rosa 6, Rob Friend 4, Chandler Hoffman 3, Baggio Husidic NR

Chivas USA Player Ratings

Dan Kennedy 10, Bobby Burling 6, Carlos Bocanegra 6, Donny Toia 7, Tony Lochhhead 6, Agustin Pelletieri 7, Eric Avila 8, Martin Rivero 8, Mauro rosales 6, Erick Torres 9, Leandro Barrera 7, Kristopher Tyrpak 4, Marco Delgado 3, Carlos Alvarez NR