Chivas USA vs. San Jose Earthquakes: Live Blog

Jul 2, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Jose Earthquakes midfielder Cordell Cato (7) controls the ball against Chivas USA midfielder Marco Delgado (12) during the first half at Buck Shaw Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

It’s the end of the Chivas USA era as Wilmer Cabrera’s Goats take to the field for one last time before they go their separate ways. Today, they take on the San Jose Earthquakes, who will be back in the competition next season under new manager Dominic Kinnear along with a new stadium to boot. Both teams are eliminated from the postseason and will be fighting for their jobs and for some, their careers.

Kickoff is scheduled for 1;30 p.m. PT/4:30 p.m. ET and will be televised by MLS LIVE. The Live Blog will begin at 11:30 a.m. PT/2:30 p.m. PT. Keep it right here on MLS Multiplex for continuing coverage of the 2014 Major League Soccer season.

Refresh the screen for updates!

T-120: Welcome to the Live Blog of today’s match between Chivas USA and the San Jose Earthquakes. My name is Jo-Ryan Salazar, co-editor of the MLS Multiplex alongside Sean Maslin. We’re live from StubHub Center, which will be home to one team only, the Los Angeles Galaxy, starting next year.

Let’s take a look at the preview, courtesy of MLSSoccer.com.

REFEREE: Sorin Stoica. AR1 (bench): Marco Arruda; AR2 (opposite): Felisha Mariscal; 4th: Baldomero Toledo
MLS Career: 28 games; FC/gm: 28.4; Y/gm: 4.3; R: 13; pens: 18

SUSPENDED: CHV: Marvín Chávez (through Oct. 26)
DISABLED LIST: CHV: Thomas McNamara … SJ: Tommy Muller
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none

HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (21 meetings): Chivas USA 7 wins, 21 goals … Earthquakes 8 wins, 30 goals … Ties 6
AT CHIVAS USA (10 meetings): Chivas USA 3 wins, 12 goals … Earthquakes 3 wins, 12 goals … Ties 4

2014 (MLS)
4/26: SJ 1, CHV 0 (Djalo 66)
7/2: SJ 0, CHV 1 (Torres 53)

• The teams are meeting for the third time this season. Erick Torres scored the game’s only goal in the 57th minute to give Chivas USA the victory July 2 at Buck Shaw Stadium; Yannick Djaló scored the game’s only goal in the 66th minute to lead the Quakes to a victory April 26 in Santa Clara.
• The victory in the last meeting was the first for Chivas USA in the series since July 6, 2011. San Jose had a seven-game undefeated streak (5-0-2) in the all-time series before the result.
• Coaches record: Ian Russell v CHV: first game … Wilmer Cabrer vs. SJ: P2 W1 L1 D0

Chivas USA had their two-game winning streak put to an end, falling 2-0 to Real Salt Lake on Wednesday evening at Rio Tinto Stadium. Chivas USA sit in a tie for eighth place in the Western Conference with 30 points from 33 games.

The San Jose Earthquakes saw their club-record winless streak extended to 14 games, reaching a scoreless draw with Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Saturday evening at Buck Shaw Stadium. The Quakes are in a tie for ninth place in the Western Conference with 30 points from 33 games.

T-90: We will have scores shortly. If you want to sound off on the game, sound off on the Comments below!

T-80: In CONCACAF Champions League action: D.C. United 1, Tauro FC 0…Olimpia 3, Portland Timbers 1…Deportivo Saprissa 2, Sporting Kansas City 0…New York Red Bulls 1, Montreal Impact 1.

In league action…Real Salt Lake 2, Chivas USA 0…Chicago Fire 2, Houston Dynamo 1…Seattle Sounders 2, Los Angeles Galaxy 0…Montreal Impact 1, D.C. United 1…New England Revolution 1, Toronto FC 0…Portland Timbers 2, FC Dallas 0…Vancouver Whitecaps 1, Colorado Rapids 0.

In other action today, the Columbus Crew host the Philadelphia Union while Sporting Kansas City host the New York Red Bulls to close out the home and away season.

T-72: Odds from oddschecker:

Chivas USA 19/10
Draw 23/10
San Jose Earthquakes 8/5

T-68: Starting this week, our team of writers at the MLS Multiplex will give you extended coverage of the 2014 MLS Cup Playoffs. Keep it here on the Plex for all your playoff needs. Here’s your current player scenario heading into today’s set of matches.

3RD PLACE IN EAST (KNOCKOUT ROUND BYE)

Sporting Kansas City will clinch third place in the Eastern Conference IF

• Sporting Kansas City win vs. New York Red Bulls on Sunday

OR

• Sporting Kansas City tie vs. New York Red Bulls on Sunday AND
• Columbus Crew tie or lose vs. Philadelphia Union on Sunday

Columbus Crew will clinch third place in the Eastern Conference IF

• Columbus Crew win vs. Philadelphia Union on Sunday AND
• Sporting Kansas City tie or lose vs. New York Red Bulls on Sunday

OR

• Columbus Crew tie vs. Philadelphia Union on Sunday AND
• Sporting Kansas City lose vs. New York Red Bulls BY FEWER THAN SIX GOALS on Sunday

New York Red Bulls will clinch third place in the Eastern Conference IF

• New York Red Bulls win vs. Sporting Kansas City on Sunday AND
• Columbus Crew lose vs. Philadelphia Union on Sunday

OR

• New York Red Bulls win vs. Sporting Kansas City BY SIX GOALS OR MORE on Sunday AND
• Columbus Crew tie vs. Philadelphia Union on Sunday

And now, your standings.

Eastern Conference

Western Conference

TOP FIVE CLUBS IN EACH CONFERENCE REACH PLAYOFFS

PTS: Points, GP: Games Played, PPG: Points Per Game, W: Wins, L: Losses, T: Ties, GF: Goals For, GA: Goals Against,GD: Goal Difference, HG: Home Goals For, HGD: Home Goals Difference, RG: Road Goals For, RGD: Road Goals Difference,

x – Clinched playoff spot
y – Clinched No. 1 playoff seed in Conference
s – Clinched Supporters Shield, and No. 1 playoff seed in Conference

T-57: We are less than an hour away to kickoff here at the Hub. I would like to ask a question: what do you think will happen to the players and perhaps the staff at Chivas USA? Give us your speculations in the comments thread.

T-50: Here are some tweets from the pregame.

Lineups.

Lineup

Bench

Officials

T-45:

T-42:

T-37: Both teams begin warmups.

T-30: Here are some more tweets.

T-23: Less than half an hour to go before kickoff.

T-11: Final look at the odds as both teams head to the change rooms..

Chivas USA 19/10
Draw 23/10
San Jose Earthquakes 17/11

T-0: Both teams enter the field to the sounds of the MLS Anthem.

National anthem time.

FIRST HALF START: 1:38 P.M. PT/4:38 P.M. ET

1′ – Let’s get this funeral started. The first half begins.

2′ – San Jose have possession early and are pressing. Leandro Barrera tries his luck, it’s wide right. This is Pablo Pintos, the Uruguayan defender. Now here is San Cronin moving the ball aroung. Throw-in, Chivas. Donny Toia will do the honors.

3′ – Goal kick for Jon Busch. One of the many veteran goalkeepers in MLS, it’s been a rough year for Busch, as well as Chivas netminder Dan Kennedy. A lot of players on the Chivas USA 18 with uncertain futures.

4′ – Pintos, and Bobby Burling wins that duel. Now here is Jhon Kennedy Hurtado. His former club, the Seattle Sounders, just won their first-ever Supporters’ Shield yesterday.

5′ – Long run, but offsides, Atiba Harris. So it looks it will be a ball possession battle early.

6′ – Barrera. Off the post for Erick Torres. Oh, that was trouble for San Jose.

7′ – I wonder how quickly Oswaldo Minda will earn his obligatory yellow card.

8′ – Hurtado plays it forward. Here’s the often-maligned Minda.

9′ – Not the best of shots from Chivas USA. Jordan Stewart will play it back to Busch.

10′- Well, that’s just a poor touch from Minda. Will he be on the plane back to Ecuador at the close season?

11′ – Victor Bernardez just took a shot and he is in a bit of trouble. That is a microcosm, perhaps, of this sorry season for San Jose. A sad alliteration.

12′ – Bernardez recovers. Here’s Yannick Djalo.  Possession lost. Here he goes again. Goal kick for Dan Kennedy.

13′ – Shea Salias, the layoff. Now here’s Chris Wondolowski. Throw-in.

14′ – Goal kick, Kennedy after Khari Stepehson made a meal of his touch.

15′ – Toia with the interception. The covery from Stewart. Both teams not winning their duels. Some pillow fight.

16′ – Barrera wins a restart. Back to Hurtado. Atiba Harris in pursuit.

17′ – The drums and percussion from the Union Ultras resonate as its supporters bounce as one.

18′ – The San Jose backline are trying to unravel Chivas but they aren’t doing it. Here’s Barrera. And the clearance from Stewart. He’s been a handful. Corner, Chivas USA.

19′ – I’m going to miss that “Arriba Las Chivas!” sound effect. Cleared. Donny Toia with a bad touch.

20′ – Dan Kennedy walks the tightrope. Oswaldo Minda gives Salinas the “don’t argue.”

21′ – Barrera. And now it’s Eric Avila. Torres. His shot’s blocked.

22′ – Jon Busch will play this forward. Here’s Wondolowski. Collected by Kennedy.

23′ – Torres is double-teamed. Salinas. Corner, Quakes. Shea will take this. Nigel Reo-Coker prevented that from materializing.

24′ – So if you’re just joining us, nothing to see here yet. San Jose and Chivas USA are scoreless.

25′ – Toia. Reo-Coker. Barrera, and Borja nearly broke through.

26′ – My reckoning is that Chivas USA have had more chances. But San Jose’s organization has been an effective counter to that.

27′ – Union Ultras unfurling their banner.

28′ – Long cross from Barrera, and the Goats are awarded a free after Barrera gets challenged.

29′ – The free. Taken short. The curve! Avila misses the top right corner.

30′ – Half-hour mark, still no score. Donny Toia, a former Real Salt Lake product, is not going to reach that. Stewart starts up the next sequence.

31′ – Pintos with the throw. Take two. Atiba Harris handles the double-team. Here’s Stewart.  Yannick Djalo. And Sam Cronin will take that.

32′ – Dan Kennedy will reset. If you would like to comment on this blog, leave a comment in the comments section below. Too far for Salinas. Barrera’s away.  Here’s Torres. Off the post. And it’s a goal!

GOAL! Chivas USA 20 Felix Borja
Would you believe it! Borja bats cleanup again to make it 1-0 Chivas. Unbelievable!

33′ – Well, that was as insipid as you can get. Barrera breaking loose, the feed to Torres, the cleanup from Borja. And San Jose are feeling pretty filthy right about now.

34′ – So what will the Quakes do about this? Chivas are away again. This could go pear-shaped in a hurry for San Jose.

35′ – A bit of a jersey tug on Barrera, but no card.

36′ – The infringement from Reo-Coker nullifies the set piece opportunity. Goal kick, Busch.

37′ – Djalo. And that’s going to be a goal kick. Another free awarded to the hosts.

38′ – Here’s Cronin. Jason Hernandez with the touch. Now it’s Victor Bernardez.

39′  Nigel Reo-Coker with the “don’t argue” on Shea Salinas. Will he be back in England at the close season?

40′ – Bad read from Djalo. Insipid read from Djalo. My goodness. Here’s Pintos.

41′ – Barrera’s away again! He misses. Goal kick.

42′ – Bodies are stumbling right now, but Sorin Stoica is letting the players play this half.

43′ – That’s a rough challenge, but no card yet. Leandro Barrera is hearing it from the 1906 Ultras of San Jose. Free kick.

44′ – This is from 25 out. That’s a terrible free. Too low, no pace, no trajectory whatsoever, easily cleared.

45′ = Barrera again! No one to receive that cross on the right side. One minute.

45′ + 1′ – This minute will go by quickly. Wondolowski is jammed. Corner, Quakes. Lastr set piece of the half. Salinas. Cleared. Halftime.

HALFTIME
Chivas USA 1
San Jose Earthquakes 0

Team Statistics

Chivas USA on left, San Jose Earthquakes on right

So how can San Jose bounce back from another poor first half? Well, finding Chris Wondolowski might not hurt, for starters. As for Chivas USA, consolidating the lead will be important as it will be a great way to end their 10-year history.

SECOND HALF START 2:41 P.M. PT/5:41 P.M. ET

46′ – The second half begins.

Substitution San Jose Earthquakes
IN 7 Cordell Cato
OUT 16 Pablo Pintos

47′ – Looks like San Jose will play the high line and put three in the back. That’s Bernardez, Hernandez and Stewart. Harris gets challenged. Wondolowski is double teamed again. A sound gameplan.

48′ – Cordell Cato releases Wondolowski but he misses wide left.

49′ – Harris. Here’s trouble. Yannick Djalo’s volley has too much lift and little accuracy.

50′ – Khari Stephenson. No one in particular. Here’s Donny Toia. San Jose get it back. Djalo has four on his tail. Minda clears.

51′ – And there’s the card for Minda.

Yellow card 30 Oswaldo Minda
Chivas USA

52′ – Free kick is from 30 yards out. It’s punched aside by Kennedy.

53′ – I think it’s fitting that Majestic are sponsors of Chivas USA; they’re being laid to rest!

54′ – Djalo is hurt. His day may be done here.

55′ – Djalo is being treated on the sidelines. It doesn’t look like Ian Russell is calling out anyone from the bench yet.

56′ – Good act of sportsmanship from Erick Torres. He may be back in action for Guadalajara after this.

57′ – Djalo is up. Looks like he might see this match off.

58′ – Stewart. Here’s Djalo. The header. It misses. Throw-in for Stewart. Now here is Stephenson. Torres’s cross is intercepted. Salidan is double-teamed.

59′ – Djalo, and now it’s Sam Cronin. Throw-in, Donny Toia.

60′ – Salinas is challenged in the box but the tackle is clean. Hour mark, 1-0 Chivas USA.

61′ – Akira Kaji with the throw. First time I called his name today.

62′ – Kaji. The layoff to Barrera. The header from Torres. Collected by Jon Busch. Chivas USA are away again. This is wide-open, no pressure football from the Goats.

63′ – Jason Hernandez will lay this off to Busch. Quakes on attack.

64′ – Chris Wondolowski poaches but he can’t complete the sequence. He does win a corner. Nigel Reo-Coker clears. Danger not averted but there is Dan Kennedy to collect.

65′ – Cordell Cato. The cross. The shot…and that’s collected by Kennedy. He’s thinking shutout, the  Chivas captain.

66′ – Djalo was away again. And Barrera is challenged.

Yellow card 5 Victor Bernardez
San Jose Earthquakes

67′ – Bobby Burling plays this forward. Wondolowski is jammed again but wins a corner.

68′ – No goal. Infringement. That just sums up the day for the Quakes so far.

69′ – 1906 Ultras showing their Stereo Sonic form.

70′ – Substitution Chivas USA
IN 24 Nathan Sturgis
OUT 15 Eric Avila

The corner. Too long and wide.

71′ – Here’s Cronin. Collected by Kennedy. Stephenson wins a restart. Djalo’s next shot is collected by the Chivas netminder.

72′ – Substitution  Chivas USA
IN 21 Kristopher Tyrpak
OUT 11 Leandro Barrera

73′ – This is unusual: the Casbah are getting supporter from casual fans in their corner.

74′ — San Jose have run out of ideas. They just can’t seem to find ways to challenge this Chivas backline.

75′ – Substitution San Jose Earthquakes
IN 19 Michael Fucito
OUT 6 Shea Salinas

76′ – Hurtado took a shot but he wins a restart. This could be an anticlimactic finish if this keeps up.

77′ – Jordan Stewart will play this forward.

78′ – Felix Borja has the game-winner so far, but will he top our player ratings for this contest? Stay tuned tomorrow.

79′ – It’s the Poznan from the 1906 Ultras San Jose!

80′ – Substitution Chivas USA
IN 8 Agustin Pelletieri
OUT 20 Felix Borja

81′ – Here’s Kris Tyrpak. And he loses possession. Khari Stephenson wins a restart.

82′ – Now this match could use some late show heroics. But the Quakes have simply not been that impressive in their attacking third.

83′ – And Dan Kennedy is doing a good acting job. There’s a smoke bomb from the Union Ultras. Why not? it’s the last game in your club’s history; pull out all the stops.

84′ – Free kick for the Quakes from 35 out. Cleared.

85′ – Union Ultras sending a massive message to a certain Jorge Vergara right now.

86′ – It is official: the supporters from Chivas USA have stolen the show today as the stench of the smoke bomb pervades the air.

87′ – A player for Chivas USA is down. It looks like Oswaldo Minda.

88′ – Minda gets up. He should see this one off.

89′ – San Jose might have time for an equalizer but they need to be quick and accurate.

90′ – Let’s see how many minutes we get here. Four minutes.

90′ + 1′ – Akira Kaji with the throw. Jason Hernandez plays it forward.

90′ + 2′ – Djalo wins a throw-in. Kennedy with the collection.

90′ + 3′ – Torres took a shot and he is in a bit of trouble.

90′ + 4′ – Erick Torres gets up and heads back to the bench. Stewart sends that into the direction of Dan Kennedy.

90′ + 5′ – And now we have a San Jose player down, might be Stewart.

90′ + 6′ – Can you believe this? The era of Chivas USA ends with a win! Wow!

FINAL

Chivas USA 1
San Jose Earthquakes 0

Team Statistics

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