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SBI MLS Team of the Week: Chivas USA

Kennedy (Getty Images)

Few visiting teams go into Rio Tinto Stadium and walk out victorious. Especially not when that visiting team is off to a struggling start. Especially not when Real Salt Lake is on a roll after a pair of convincing season-opening victories.

But that's exactly what transpired over the weekend, as Chivas USA stunned RSL with a 1-0 result to capture SBI MLS Team of the Week honors. 

Behind a pair of tremendous saves from Dan Kennedy, an all-out defensive effort spearheaded by veterans Heath Pearce and James Riley and an opportunistic goal from rookie forward Casey Townsend, Chivas, despite yielding a number of chances and losing the possession battle, delivered the most surprising result of the young MLS season to capture their first points of the 2012 campaign.

Aside from Chivas, a few other teams stood out as well. The Seattle Sounders impressed by dealing the Houston Dynamo their first loss; the New England Revolution rode a first-minute goal, stingy defending and strong goalkeeping from Matt Reis to upend the Portland Timbers; and the New York Red Bulls put together a thorough beating of the previously unbeaten Colorado Rapids, albeit a Rapids team that was missing Jeff Larentowicz and Pablo Mastroeni.

What did you think of Chivas' performance? Which MLS team do you think had the best Week 3?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Those aren’t mutually exclusive suggestions. I also think the Goats will upset a few more teams this season, but that doesn’t change the fact they’re better suited for San Diego. Send them south and they’ll have their own market, rather than unsuccessfully biting on the Galaxy’s.

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  2. Yes, D. Kennedy is an absolute beast between the posts, easily one of the top ‘keepers in the league. Anyone that disagrees is simply blinded by their hatred of Chivas.

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  3. My favorite part of the game was James Riley continuously faking he was injured. Around the 80th minute he sat again, and Ned Grabavoy tried to help him up. Riley then jumped up and ran 15-20 yards to yell at Grabavoy and get in his face. Classic.

    The league or FIFA really need to do something about the injury faking. If the player has to leave the field, make him stay off for a predetermined amount of time (3-5 minutes). This would make players think twice about going down to waste time, and would clean up the game.

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  4. I think the Goats are going to surprise people a few more times this season.

    Oh wait, sorry… obligatory “relocate/re-brand Chivas/Chivas make the league look bad” comment.

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