hivas USA (7-9-5) fell, 4-0, Sunday night to the LA Galaxy (11-11-3) in the final leg of the 2012 SuperClásico series before a crowd of 17,601 at The Home Depot Center. LA was led by two second-half goals by Juninho and goals from Robbie Keane and Omar Gonzalez to lay claim to the SuperClásico Trophy.
CHIVAS USA HEAD COACH – ROBIN FRASER:
Thoughts on game: “First off obviously that’s embarrassing for the magnitude of this game to have the result fall the way that it did. It’s certainly not good enough. I think we started the game too tentatively and it just put us on the back foot from the very beginning.”
Moving forward: “It’s not like you can run and hide from these results, they are what they are, we have to move forward and, you have to really take accountability and be accountable for some of the things that went wrong. Through the four goals they were all turnovers, with little to no pressure and that’s not good enough for sure. In terms of our decisions with the ball they were not good enough; I think that there is plenty of blame to go around everywhere.”
On Shalrie Joseph’s performance: “I’m sure on a day that we play better we get more out of Shalrie and out of everyone. So many questions about ‘how did Shalrie do?’ Shalrie was part of a team that did not play very well tonight and it certainly does not dictate how he played. I think the group did not play well and as the group does not play well then no one really shines.”
Changes in the 70th minute: “Certainly throughout the course of the game you’re looking for bright spots and bright moments. I thought we had good moments at different times throughout the game, certainly not enough as a team. As the game gets to the 70th minute you’re looking where you can insert fresh legs that might be able to give us a lift, we felt at times it was coming and we want to continue with the group to see if they are going to breakthrough. Eventually you make a decision, fatigue plays a part and you want to insert fresh legs to see if you can create more that way.”
LA GALAXY HEAD COACH BRUCE ARENA
On the play of his back four: “Good to have them back. It only took until us 26 games, that’s life. They played well.”
On Landon Donovan’s performance: “Landon really was focused on playing well tonight and when he wants, he is as good as any player in this league. And I felt he and Robbie, once again, were in great form.”
On the team’s performance: “Tonight, I thought we moved well, passed the ball well, did some good running off the ball just had a just real good effort.”
On Landon Donovan passing Jaime Moreno for fourth all-time in MLS assists: “Jaime was one of the great players in the history of this league and a great person. I’d say the same of Landon.”
