Major League Soccer

Galaxy/Chivas USA Rivalry Stirs Players' Passions

It wasn't precise, playful soccer, but there was plenty of passion and pushing and shoving on display in the scoreless LA derby clash.

Apr 12, 2009 1:13:25 PM

MLS: Carey Talley, Chivas USA, July 2008 (ISI)

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MLS: Carey Talley, Chivas USA, July 2008 (ISI)

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LA Galaxy

The only true city rivalry (derby) in Major League Soccer, the clash between the Los Angeles Galaxy and Chivas USA is always a heated one, even if the typically sold-out crowd didn't materialize, as less than 24,000 were on hand Saturday night.

However, emotions in a rollercoaster match spilled over at times in a physical battle that had the referee not only reaching frequently for a card, but also had fans screaming for one several times when he didn't.

"Those games are highly contested," said Chivas USA's Carrey Talley. "You actually do start to question yourself, if you should even go in on a tackle, because whether it was soft or hard, it seemed that a yellow card was being given pretty quickly in the first half."

Chivas USA was a man down due to accumulated yellows for Paulo Nagamura in the first half. The Galaxy's Landon Donovan thought it wasn't enough.

"They could have had three guys sent off in the first half," the striker opined.

The man advantage turned around quickly in the second half when Alan Gordon was shown two yellow cards in quick succession. The first was for dissent, and the second for a pushing foul (unsporting conduct) on Talley.

"He slung an elbow into my chest, and I sat down," Talley explained. "I figured somebody had to see it, and the fourth official I think is the one that told [the referee]. You can shove somebody, I guess, but when you do something like that you're going to get called for it no matter what. I didn't feel like I embellished it at all, but I did fall down on my ass there. I just sat there. I didn't roll around or anything, I just waited to see if anybody saw it and they did."

The Galaxy's Sean Franklin, playing in the midfield for the first time in an MLS game, thought he and his teammates hadn't been careful enough.

"We have a man up, then we do something stupid and get two red cards," said Franklin. "We have to be careful in every tackle."

It was Gregg Berhalter who earned the Galaxy's second red of the evening, tugging down a breaking Alecko Eskandarian.

"As soon as I saw him put his head down, I read the pass and deflected it," Eskandarian said. "I thought I was in alone, but he grabbed my shirt. I think he wanted my jersey for after the game, but wanted to take it off right then and there."

Eskandarian's tenure at Chivas USA has been troubled by injuries and frequent stretches on the sideline, but he contributed to his side on Saturday night.

"It felt good, it felt like I got to come in and make an impact, help the guys a little bit," said the compact forward. "We would have liked to have gotten a goal and the win, but based on the circumstances we'll take the point."

Though the list of MLS players who have been sent off in their debuts is a collection of ignominious and yet anonymous names (Ciaran O'Brien is one), Galaxy coach Bruce Arena defended Berhalter.

"Gregg Berhalter's going to contribute to our team," the former U.S. national team coach insisted. "Certainly, the red card isn't good and we're going to miss him."

Tony Sanneh stepped in late in the match to help steady the Galaxy defense in Berhalter's absence.

"Down a man, the important thing is to secure a result," said Sanneh, who last lined up with Behalter on the backline for the U.S. in the 2002 World Cup.

"We've known each other for a long time," explained Sanneh. "We're old pros. We'll help the team any way we can."

The other Galaxy player making his debut that evening fared better, as Jamaican goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts made key saves to deny Chivas USA a goal.

"I enjoyed it," said Ricketts of the see-saw game. "You find that when you play derby games, things go like that. Tempers are flaring high. We just lost our head a bit, but thank God, we had enough for a draw."

Ricketts didn't start the season with the Galaxy because of an injury sustained during a preseason tournament, but like Eskandarian, he was eager to continue to contribute.

"Bruce (Arena) has put a lot of faith in me and I just want to repay him in every game," Ricketts said. "I go out and play from the heart."

Andrea Canales, Goal.com

Go to Goal.com's MLS section for all the latest on the U.S. game.

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