Galaxy eyes another win over struggling Chivas
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Carson, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Chivas USA is hoping to break out of its extended scoring funk on Sunday when the club welcomes California Clasico rival Los Angeles Galaxy to the StubHub Center.
Chivas is in the midst of a 456-minute scoring drought spanning five games, which is the second-longest in MLS this season and 11th-longest in league history.
And despite the scoring futility of the Goats, assistant coach Paul Caffrey feels his team has the ability to turn things around if other players are able to step up and help leading scorer Erick Torres.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"It worked when we were winning four games in a row," Caffrey said of his team's approach, "and it hasn't worked as well since. Part of that coincides with [Erick Torres] scoring 14 goals and 'Cubo' hasn't scored recently. But you can't just be relying on one player to solve that problem for you. We need other players.
"If we continue to create chances where other players have chances, it takes a little bit of pressure off Cubo and we can walk away with some points."
Walking away with points is something that Chivas has not done very often recently, taking just one point from its six most recent matches.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}That stretch has dropped Chivas to the bottom of the Western Conference and nine points out of the final playoff spot, meaning that a change in fortunes must happen sooner rather than later.
Chivas also made a recent trade that could impact the team's offensive output as the club sent playmaker Mauro Rosales to Vancouver in exchange for veterans Nigel Reo-Coker and Jhon Kennedy Hurtado.
Reo-Coker and Hurtado are good players, but Rosales led Chivas with eight assists this season, and taking away his offensive abilities only figures to put more pressure on Torres.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Galaxy enter the weekend in second place, only two points back of Seattle for the top spot in the Western Conference after a 4-1 win over D.C. United in midweek.
Landon Donovan scored a goal and assisted on two more against United, and since he announced that he will be retiring at the end of the season, the United States international says that he is really enjoying the game once again.
"I am enjoying it. I realize very clearly that there's only so many more chances to do this," Donovan said after the win over United on Wednesday. "The decision to retire and playing this way are intricately linked, and that's giving me freedom to relax and enjoy it and it's taking all the pressure off and that's when I play my best. It's been a lot of fun, I am enjoying it and most of all I like winning."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Donovan should have a good chance to enjoy another win on Sunday as the Galaxy has beaten Chivas in 11 of their last 14 meetings in league play.