Chivas USA 1 - 1 Earthquakes
Final
  for this game

'Quakes hope to continue home form against struggling Chivas

May 11, 2012 - 10:04 PM Santa Clara, CA (Sports Network) - Chivas USA will return to the road on Sunday to face the San Jose Earthquakes, and with the club riding a three-game losing streak, the road is probably the best place for the Goats.

Based on results so far this season, Buck Shaw Stadium will be a more welcome venue than The Home Depot Center, where Chivas has lost all five games it has played there.

Robin Fraser's team has won three of its four away contests so far, but Fraser had a simple message for his team following its 2-1 defeat against the Chicago Fire last time out.

"Persevere," said Fraser. "We don't really have an option. That's what you do. We have an abundance of players that are capable players and as a group, we have to persevere."

The latest defeat came in the final moments when Marco Pappa scored to continue the losing streak, and it left goalkeeper Dan Kennedy disappointed that his team was unable to secure a win in front of its home fans.

"I'm a loss for words, it's heartbreaking, it's heartbreaking," Kennedy told reporters after the defeat. "I guess maybe we were pushing for the goal in the last five minutes there and maybe we should have just sat our numbers in midfield back a little bit further and made sure we got the draw, but we want to win at home."

Winning at home has been no trouble for the Earthquakes this season with Frank Yallop's side bringing a perfect 4-0-0 mark into the match on home soil.

San Jose has outscored the opposition 12-5 at home this year, and has netted a league-leading 21 goals so far this season.

Earthquakes defender Justin Morrow believes that impressive total is due as much to the front players understanding each other as much as anything else.

"I think we're growing as a team each game," Morrow said. "Our front six understands each other very well. Marvin [Chavez] and Shea [Salinas] coming in, they've been able to pick up on guys' personalities really quickly. And the other guys have been here, and they know each other pretty well. I think that's showing on the field."

Both Chavez (strained left hamstring) and Salinas (broken left collarbone) will miss Sunday's game, so it will be up to the other players to step up and fill the void.

The numbers may be going against Chivas lately, but the Goats have dominated their California rivals in meetings between the two teams, going 6-1-2 against San Jose since 2008, including a pair of wins against Yallop's team last season.






Related News