Chivas USA Draw With Vancouver Whitecaps In Scoreless Saturday Snoozer At StubHub

Aug 16, 2014; Carson, CA, USA; Vancouver Whitecaps defender Steven Beitashour (33) kicks the ball away as Chivas USA midfielder Eric Avila (15) runs in during the first half at StubHub Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

Wilmer Cabrera’s Chivas USA held Carl Robinson’s Vancouver Whitecaps to a scoreless draw at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. on Saturday night The draw keeps the Whitecaps in fifth place in the MLS Western Conference, while Chivas remain in last place in the West. Here are six things we learned, followed by player ratings, for the match between Chivas USA and the Vancouver Whitecaps.

1. Vancouver presses early in first half

The onus was on Vancouver to press the ball from the get-go. Early on in the first half, Jordan Harvey’s through ball for Darren Mattocks was called back for offsides three minutres in. Nicolas Mezquida had an attempt from outside the box sail too high in the seventh minute. In the 10th minute, Sebastian Fernandez had a difficult shot just miss to the left. In the 13th minute, Erick Torres had a chance on goal collected by David Ousted.

2. Vancouver can’t buy a goal

Chances were few and far between in the midway portion of the first half. In the 17th minute, Torres had another attempt denied by Ousted. His third attempt, in the 19th minute, missed wide left. Mezquida’s next opportunity in the 20th minute was blocked and in the 21st minute, Fernandez had his next chance on goal saved by Dan Kennedy. In the 28th minute, Omar Salgado had a header saved by Kennedy, Fernandez had his next chance miss wide left and Mezquida had a shot from outside the box blocked seconds later in the 29th minute of play.

3. Matias Laba out for match against LA Galaxy

In the 32nd minute, Chivas USA’s Felix Borja had a shot from outside the box blocked. Torres’s next chance off a header sailed high and wide right in the 33rd minute. Matias Laba was cautioned in the 37th minute for a sliding challenge on Marco Delgado. The yellow card means he will be suspended for the match against the Los Angeles Galaxy next weekend at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif.

4. Teams trade misses to open second half

At the halftime break, Mauro Rosales came in for Delgado, while Erik Hurtado filled in for a struggling Darren Mattocks. A through ball from Russell Teibert in the 48th minute for Andy O’Brien was called back for offsides. In the 49th minute, Agustin Pelletieri was cautioned for a foul on Fernandez. In the 51st minute, Steven Beitashour’s though ball for Hurtado was called back for offsides. In the 54th minute, Torres’s rough night at the office continued with a shot on the right side of the box that was blocked.

Tony Lochhead looked to be the unlikeliest of scorers, but his attempt in the 55th minute was high and wide right. Salgado had a chance on goal miss to the left from a difficult angle in the 58th minute. Leandro Barrera would relieve Eric Avila in the 59th minute in a bid to press for the breakthrough.

5. Vancouver can’t buy a goal in second half

More fresh bodies came into the game to try and get the opener late in the second half. At the 61st minute, Kekuta Manneh came in for a tiring Salgado. In the 66th minute, Beitashour had a through ball for Hurtado called back for offsides. Two minutes later, Pedro Morales came in for Mezquida.

In the 70th minute, Morales had an attempt from outside of the box blocked, while a through ball for Hurtado from Beitashour was called offsides second later. In the 73rd minute, Nathan Sturgis missed to the left and in the 74th, Torres missed to the right. In the 75th minute, a chance for Manneh went over the bar. It was the best chance on goal for the Caps up to that point.

6. Chivas…the best-performing California team of the weekend?

This match has all the makings of another boring draw. In the 76th minute, Morales missed again, this time to the right. Rosales was cautioned in the 79th minute for a foul on Laba. The ensuing free kick from Morales was collected by Kennedy. Ryan Finley was the last throw of the dice for Cabrera, coming in for Torres in the 81st minute. Rosales was denied by Ousted in the 84th minute of play, making a sweeping stop. In the 86th minute, Finley had a shot from outside the box also miss to the right.

The irony behind this result for Chivas USA was that it officially rendered them as the best-performing California team of the weekend. The Los Angeles Galaxy, as reported by the Plex, were smashed by the Columbus Crew on the road by a 4-1 scoreline and the San Jose Earthquakes had their house trampled underhoof by FC Dallas 5-0.

Chivas USA Player Ratings

Dan Kennedy 7, Akira Kaji 5, Andrew Jean-Baptiste 5, Donny Toia 5, Tony Lochhead 5, Agustin Pelletieri 4.5, Eric Avila 4, Marco Delgago 4, Nathan Sturgis 5, Erick Torres 6, Felix Borja 5, Mauro Rosales 4.5, Leandro Barrera 3.5, Ryan Finley NR

Vancouver Whitecaps Player Ratings

David Ousted 7, Andy O’Brien 5, Johnny Leveron 5, Jordan Harvey 5, Steven Beitashour 5, Matias Laba 4.5, Nicolas Mezquida 6, Omar Salgado 6, Russell Teibert 5, Sebastien Fernandez 6, Darren Mattocks 4, Erik Hurtado 5, Kekuta Manneh 4, Pedro Morales 3