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Trophy, Pride at Stake for L.A. Rivals Galaxy, Chivas USA

Sept. 12, 2007

The last time Chivas USA and the Los Angeles Galaxy met on the field, two players were ejected in the scuffle after Chivas midfielder Jesse Marsch landed a roundhouse kick to the midsection of Major League Soccer's main attraction, David Beckham.

But when the teams meet tonight (ESPN2, 11 p.m. ET) in the stadium they share, remember that it's nothing personal.

"To a player, I think we respect the players on Chivas," says the Galaxy's Chris Klein, who got his first exposure to the rivalry in that August 23 meeting, which Chivas won 3-0. "I think you can respect that and dislike the team at the same time."

The teams have split the season series 1-1-1 heading into their final meeting tonight, leaving the rivalry's Honda SuperClasico trophy up for grabs. Chivas leads 5-4 in total goals and could claim the third-year club's first serious hardware with a win or tie.

After a slow start, Chivas (12-6-4) has surged to second place in the West with four wins and a tie in their past five games. Chivas coach Preki attributes the turnaround to nothing more than hard work.

Goalkeeper Brad Guzan, who has conceded goals to no one other than league scoring leader Luciano Emilio (D.C. United) in that stretch, thinks the seeds were sown in the previous game, a loss in Kansas City .

"The mentality and the never-die attitude we had I think was a good turning point for us," Guzan says. "Not just because we fought hard, but it showed a lot of maturity on the part of our team."

The Galaxy (4-11-5) are reeling from injuries - including Beckham's right knee sprain - that piled up over eight games in August as the team reached the SuperLiga final. A weekend win against Colorado was the team's first in MLS play since July 4.

Landon Donovan, who missed the Colorado game while on national team duty, thinks good things can happen with a confident team in an unpredictable rivalry.

"(Chivas is) a very good team and they're playing really well," Donovan says. "It's going to take a real good performance to beat them. But no matter where we are in our season and where they are in their season, this is a game we always know we can win, and we're going to approach it that way."

Like all rivals, the teams have a symbiotic relationship underneath the seething. This week, Chivas named Shawn Hunter, a veteran executive from Galaxy owner AEG, its president and CEO.

And like a good rivalry anywhere from Liverpool to Buenos Aires , both teams' fans contribute to the atmosphere.

"I tell fans all the time that when you watch a Chivas game, it's a lot different than watching any other team in the league play just because of the passion," Guzan says. "During the clasico, you see that throughout the entire stadium. You see that through our fans, the Galaxy fans, our team, their team, and everything is that much more intensified."

But some lines aren't likely to be crossed. While Galaxy management navigates league rules to find a way to keep Beckham and Donovan in Los Angeles with their show-biz spouses, Donovan doesn't think he'll opt for the easy solution of switching to Chivas red-and-white.

"I would highly doubt that," Donovan says. "I'm a Galaxy guy."

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