Tag Archives: Chivas USA

World Football Challenge Opens Wednesday

Posted on by

World Football ChallengeThe World Football Challenge is a series of 14 games — 5 involving M.L.S. clubs — that begin Wednesday when Manchester United opens the tournament against the New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA. The games continue until Aug. 6 when Barcelona plays Club América of Mexico at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, TX. Here’s some background on the evolution of the series, now put on by SUM. I’ve also added the TV schedule as it’s known at the moment to my calendar. Follow the event on Twitter or Facebook

WEDNESDAY, July 13
7:00 pm – NEW ENGLAND-MANCHESTER UNITED – ESPN2/ESPN3.com

SATURDAY, July 16
9:00 pm – LOS ANGELES-REAL MADRID – ESPN2/ESPN3.com

MONDAY, July 18
9:00 pm – VANCOUVER-MANCHESTER CITY -ESPN3.com

WEDNESDAY, July 20
10:00 pm – REAL MADRID-CHIVAS -ESPN3.com

Jack Jewsbury Leads The Portland Timbers

Posted on by

Jack Jewsbury, Portland Timbers vs Chivas

Jack Jewsbury, Portland Timbers vs Chivas, Photo: Gary Sheldon | ProstAmerika.com

Have you caught a Portland Timber’s game yet? If not, Farmer’s Gastropub now has the MLS DirecTV package. A call to the restaurant can ensure that you’ll catch the game and a good meal. Here’s some reports from Week 3:

Soccer by Ive’s provided his wrap-up

NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION 1, PORTLAND TIMBERS 1 (HIGHLIGHTS)

Man of the Match – Shalrie Joseph. Had a good battle with James Marcelin all day, but the Revs standout helped New England get a point in a game where Portland very well could have taken a road victory.

Honorable Mention – Jack Jewsbury. His clutch finish helped Portland register its first point as an MLS team.

A Night to Forget – Kevin Alston. The Revs right back has been struggling and had a bad night that included him being out of position on Portland’s goal.

Rookie Watch – Stephen McCarthy scored his first goal and A.J. Soares played his best match of the season for New England. Meanwhile, Darlington Nagbe made his debut for the Portland Timbers.

Random Thoughts – Zack Schilawski’s struggles make you wonder how much longer he’ll be starting for the Revs, and if his problem have more to do with the Revs system or his own issues. James Marcelin was very impressive in midfield for Portland. He and Jack Jewsbury could be forming one of the more underrated central midfield tandems in the league

Here’s what OregonLive.com, the home town paper has to say – Jack Jewsbury steps up to lead Portland Timbers

“He’s probably our most important player right now,” midfielder Jeremy Hall said. “He sees things that tells you he’s been around the league. The stuff that he says is right on and it’s like almost having another coach out there.”

Jewsbury scored Portland’s lone goal in its 1-1 draw at New England Saturday, giving the Timbers their first point in Major League Soccer play. He also scored the Timbers’ first goal in their 2-0 win against Chivas USA in a U.S. Open Cup play-in game March 29. Each goal has contributed to momentum the team is riding as it approaches the home-opener against Chicago April 14 at Jeld-Wen Field.

“I’ve always seen myself as a leader,” Jewsbury said. “When I was in Kansas City, I learned from older guys like Jimmy Conrad that and now I’m trying to bring that to Portland.”

There’s also a nice wrap up of the US Open Cup win over Chivas, where Jack got the first goal scored by Portland in their history, the game-winner in their first game against an MLS rival and led by example – 2011 US Open Cup qualifying: Portland Timbers get first MLS win, topple 10-man Chivas USA In addition to the highlight video below, there’s a post-game interview with Jack you might enjoy, click on the link to go to the story.

Lance Parker Signs With FC Edmonton in NASL

Posted on by

Former Missouri State Bear goalkeeper Lance Parker is trading in his flip flops and shorts for the cooler environs of Edmonton, Canada. Parker has signed with FC Edmonton, one of eight teams in the North American Soccer League (NASL) that has been provisionally-add

Parker moves to Edmonton from NASL team Miami FC, soon to be renamed the Strikers.

The 25-year old goalie started his career at Missouri State University, where he was twice named All Missouri Valley Conference second team and posted a goal-against average of below one. While with the Missouri State Bears he also played with the Colorado Rapids U-23 team. Parker was signed to Chivas USA in 2008.The American goalkeeper played in the 2008 North American Superliga for Chivas. He was with Miami for two years.

Lance Parker To Face Matt Pickens During Saturday’s Chivas vs Rapids Game

Posted on by

College Soccer: Missouri State Bears vs Bradley BravesAccording to an email sent by Coach John Leamy at Missouri State, it looks like Zach Thornton’s injury during the MLS All-Star game will in fact lead to recent Missouri State graduate Lance Parker getting his first start in a league match for his Chivas USA squad. Coincidentally, he’ll be facing Colorado which will also feature an MSU Bear between the pipes!

I just wanted to share the news that Missouri State University Soccer will have two starting goalkeepers facing off against each other this Saturday night when Chivas USA travels to Colorado and takes on the Rapids. Lance Parker will be starting for Chivas, as regular starter Zack Thorton was injured in last week’s MLS All Star game. Matt Pickens will once again be tending the nets for Colorado. The game is scheduled to kick off at 8:30PM Central Standard Time. Please check out the team’s websites at cdchivasusa.com and coloradorapids.com .

On a somewhat related note, the 23rd Annual Missouri State University Auction Benefiting Athletics will take place on Friday, August 14th for the first time in the new JQH Arena! Doors open at 5:00pm with the live auction taking place at 7:30pm. Additional information can be found at missouristatebears.com. Looking forward to seeing you there!

According the MLS preview, this is a crucial matchup in the Western Conference at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park as the Colorado Rapids and Chivas USA, tied for fourth place in the division. Both teams come into tied for what would be the final spot in the MLS Cup Playoffs. Thornton is listed as questionable with a quad strain while Dan Kennedy is out due to knee surgery. The game is on Direct Kick so find someone with satellite!

This Week In Soccer in Southwest Missouri

Posted on by

I’m drafting this after midnight while mulling the details of my client call in St Louis Monday morning. Probably a sign of things to come this season as my Small Business consulting efforts continue to bear fruit. Do you struggle to manage the technology needs of your firm, and wonder about all these internet technologies that you hear about? I help firms take control and manage technology to achieve their sales and marketing goals. That’s one reason for this website, as a showcase for websites that work, search engine optimization and marketing and community development. If you’d like to learn more, call me at 569-8062 or send me an email. I’d love to learn more about your needs.

High School girls soccer begins today! I’ll be driving back from St Louis in time to take in the inaugural game for two new girls programs this season. The Carthage Tigers are hosting the Logan-Rogersville Wildcats at 5pm and I plan to be there to document it. It’s a Central Ozarks Conference match and I’m looking forward to participating as the game continues to grow here in Southwest Missouri.

Other games being played today include the Pleasant Hope Pirates are hosting District foes Springfield Catholic while the Camdenton Lakers have the Richland Bears coming to town.

Two additional programs will play their inaugural games on Tuesday, weather permitting. The Branson Pirates will play host to the Log-Rog Wildcats and the Carl Junction Bulldogs will host their large school neighbor, the Joplin Eagles. A week of firsts while the majority of the Springfield teams wait until next week to play due to Spring Break. Ozark travels to Harrison, Willard to Pleasant Hope and Waynesville hosts Helias on Tuesday.

West Plains will kick off in Harrison (AR) on Wednesday and Thursday sees a flurry of activity. My schedule Thursday opens with the Hillcrest Hornets hosting the Marshfield Blue Jays. Log-Rog plays their 3rd game in 4 days with their first home game, against Pleasant Hope. Carl Junction hosts Carthage, the Nixa Eagles open their season with a visit to West Plains while Springfield Catholic hosts the Lebanon Yellowjackets. I may be able to catch the Catholic Varsity at 6pm as well.

Rolla opens their season Friday with the Central Federal Tourney, site of Mike Howard’s 500th win last March. Parkview heads for Carthage while Kickapoo and Ozark host a round robin with a pair of KC teams. Blue Springs South and Park Hill South play Kickapoo and Ozark on Friday, while Saturday the visitors will visit Ozark and Kickapoo. I think the round robin games should be great openers for the teams involved and worth a trip out for anyone interested in the girls game. I’ll be in St Louis this weekend so I’ll be trying to get an early peek at potential playoff opponents. Alternately I’ll be able to catch some competitive Club games at the Metro United College Showcase.

Oh, and we can’t forget – the US Men’s team continues their road to South Africa with an away game in El Salvador on Saturday. The rosters have been announced, training began today and the game will be broadcast live at 8 pm on Saturday on ESPN2.

The KC Wizards will also be playing on Saturday night, in this case at the Colorado Rapids. The Rapids lost to Chivas, with Matt Pickens (MSU 2002) getting the start. Did anyone make it to the home opener Saturday? Any plans for attending future games? I’d love to share your game reports with the readers of this website.

St Louis United Waits To Join Major League Soccer

Posted on by

St Louis Soccer UnitedYou missed a good game on Thursday if you were wrapped up in the NCAA early round games. The Seattle Sounders clobbered the NY Red Bull 3-0 which is a nice introduction to the league. They’ve got a 21 y.o. Columbian kid by the name of Freddy Montero you’ll be seeing a lot of this season.

Meanwhile, MLS Commission Don Garber was in Portland on Friday inviting them to join the league in 2010. It’s hard to hold it against them, they have a heck of a fan base. Pitch Invasion features a story on the Timbers Army that’s worth a read. Of course, the lack of a stadium was supposed to disqualify them. We’ll see how that plays out…

I’ll be drowning my sorry in St Louis this weekend, and plan on enjoying the Chivas USA vs Colorado Rapids match at 9:30 pm CDT. Both teams have goalies on the roster that are Missouri State Bear alum’s, maybe we’ll get to see one or both of them. The MSU website has a nice roundup on the two of them.

And of course, the Wizards game at 7:30 pm is also available, on Direct Kick for those with access. I also added the MLS National TV Schedule to my Soccer Calendar, so for those with ESPN-only, we can keep up there.

Represent SGFsoccer in Major League Soccer

Posted on by

With the opening of the Major League Soccer season coming this weekend, it’s time for me to get caught up with the comings and goings on the MLS rosters. In particular, what’s up with the goalkeepers that Missouri State has sent to the major leagues. But before I dive into those details, a quick update on a new prospect.

Justin Alford (Poplar Bluff/Springfield SC) has been invited to tryout with Chivas USA for five days next week. It’s Spring Break for Justin and he’s ready to measure himself at the next level. I was fortunate to catch up with him Sunday after the Bear’s late afternoon practice.

I neglected to ask him but I’m guessing he has former Poplar Bluff classmate Tyler Hansbrough’s UNC team at the top of his March Madness brackets. How about you?

Lance Parker – Lance is now officially a member of the Senior Roster at Chivas USA, albeit with 0 years of experience. You may recall the Reserve League was eliminated which meant 100 players across 15 clubs were not re-signed. Lance played in the preseason game against the Fire, winning a 1v1 battle with Blanco I understand, and has also found a new place in LA that’s a mile from the beach. All excellent signs for the #3 keeper behind Zach Thornton and Dan Kennedy.

Matt Pickens – Matt returns to the MLS to play for the Colorado Rapids. We last saw him at the Chicago Fire before his short stint with Queens Park Rangers in England. The Rapids website notes that he’ll battle for the 1st team position with Preston Burpo who was 3-0-1 in September 2008.

Matt’s joined on the roster by another St Louis native, John DiRaimondo, who begins his second year on the senior roster after two years on the Reserve roster. DiRaimondo played at SLU/SLUH.

Happy Birthday Lance Parker

Posted on by

That’s Lance on the left along with veteran midfielder Jesse Marsch and Jamaican defender Shavar Thomas on the set of KTLA in LA, as part of the “Shirt Off Their Back” promotion Chivas ran earlier this season. Way to represent Lance!

There are also plenty of action shots to be found on Google but I thought this one might get me more traffic :) If you click on the photo, you’ll get a larger version.

This Week In Soccer

Posted on by

Glendale HSWhat, already? That’s right, we are a week away from the start of practice for the Boys High School season and most college programs. The buzz I’m seeing on Facebook is the excitement of packing and preparing to head off to the dorms for the college freshman. For the upper class men, its the reality of the fitness tests. For me, it’s getting the schedules, and rosters, and trying to make some sense of it all once again this season.

We’ve got some great games to enjoy this week to prepare ourselves for the new season. The start of the Olympic games features soccer in advance of the formal opening of the games. There is also a Friendly between Red Bull NY and Barcelona. Here’s the lineup:

Wednesday – 6:30 am – US WNT vs Norway (MSNBC/UHD)
Wednesday – 6:00 pm – Barcelona vs Red Bull NY (ESPN2)
Thursday – 4:00 am – US MNT vs. Japan (MSNBC)
There will also be games between Honduras vs Italy as well as Argentina vs Ivory Coast
Saturday – 04:00 am – US WNT vs Japan (USA)
as well as Nigeria vs Germany (W – MSNBC), Brazil vs N Korea (W – MSNBC)
Sunday – 6:45 am – U.S. MNT vs. Netherlands (USA)
as well as Italy vs S Korea (MSNBC) and Argentina vs Australia (Telemundo)

Other opportunities this week include the USYSA National Championship Highlights Show that will be shown on Fox Soccer Channel at noon on Saturday. See the highlights of the games that were played in Little Rock two weeks ago.

In addition, the PDL Championship will be shown Saturday evening, at a time to be determined. The Thunder Bay Chill, regular visitors to Springfield as members of the Heartland Conference, will face the Laredo Heat. If I hear of a viewing party, I’ll let you know!

And if you’re looking for a final road trip, the KC Wizards will host Chivas USA on Saturday at 7:00 pm. Both teams lost this weekend and are stuck in the bottom half of the table in their respective Conference with 22 points each. Not a ringing endorsement of course but with only 12 games remaining there are only a few opportunities remaining to see our regional team and for them to begin moving up the table.

Chivas USA Signs Zach Thornton

Posted on by

Dang. Chivas plays tonight on HDnet at 7:30 pm and I’m planning on catching the game at Coester’s in the hopes of seeing Lance Parker in goal. The Wizards game kicks off at 6:30 pm, in DC.

I thought it might be his turn after Dan Kennedy’s outing last week against the New England Revolution in the Superliga group stage. As Jesse noted, it was ‘the worst goal I’ve ever given up in a big game’.

Instead we’ll probably see the guy who teamed with Ante Razov and Jesse Marsch in Chicago for many years. I’m a fan of all of them, making it that much tougher. Soccer By Ives notes

Chivas USA now has a veteran to challenge and potentially start in place of inexperienced goalkeeper Dan Kennedy, who has one career MLS start to his record, as compared to Thornton’s 217 career starts. With Guzan’s transfer to Aston Villa being completed today, Chivas USA was desperate to add a veteran shot-stopper.

Well, the games in Chicago so a homecoming of sorts. Chicago needs to solidify their position in the top half of the table while Chivas needs to get back on track to where they were a month ago playing for first. Oh, and Chivas comes to KC next Saturday!