# 2008 Chivas USA season

The 2008 Chivas USA season was the club's fourth season of existence, and their fourth in Major League Soccer, the top flight of American soccer. The club competed in the MLS's Western Conference, where they finished in first place, in their Conference, qualifying for the Playoffs for the second time.

## Transfers
### In

| Date | Number | Position | Player | Previous club | Fee/notes |
| December 20, 2007 | 24 | FW | Atiba Harris | Real Salt Lake | Trade |
| January 18, 2008 | 7 | FW | Alecko Eskandarian | Real Salt Lake | Trade |
| January 18, 2008 | 22 | MF | Keith Savage | | SuperDraft Round four |
| January 22, 2008 | 3 | DF | Jim Curtin | Chicago Fire | Trade |
| January 24, 2008 | 37 | MF | Kraig Chiles | San Diego State Aztecs | Supplemental Round one |
| January 24, 2008 | | FW | Javier Ayala-Hill | University of California | Supplemental Round two |
| January 24, 2008 | | MF | El-Hadj Cissé | NC State Wolfpack | Supplemental Round three |
| January 24, 2008 | | DF | André Sherard | North Carolina Tar Heels | Supplemental Round four |
| February 4, 2008 | 8 | MF | Raphaël Wicky | Sion | Free Transfer |
| March 26, 2008 | 31 | MF | Daniel Paladini | San Fernando Valley Quakes | |
| March 27, 2008 | 34 | MF | Gerson Mayen | Chivas USA U-18 | Promoted |
| March 2008 | 17 | FW | Justin Braun | Olympique Montreux | |
| April 9, 2008 | 1 | GK | Dan Kennedy | Deportes Iquique | |
| May 9, 2008 | 12 | DF | Carey Talley | Real Salt Lake | Trade |
| July 16, 2008 | 20 | FW | Roberto Nurse | Querétaro | |
| August 2, 2008 | 28 | GK | Zach Thornton | New York Red Bulls | Trade |
| September 15, 2008 | 18 | MF | Sasha Victorine | Kansas City Wizards | Trade |
| September 2008 | 29 | MF | Dejair | ABC | |
| | 21 | GK | Lance Parker | Colorado Rapids U-23 | |
| | 39 | MF | Eric Ebert | Houston Dynamo | |

### Out

| Date | Number | Position | Player | New club | Fee/notes |
| November 21, 2007 | 21 | DF | Jason Hernandez | San Jose Earthquakes | 2007 Expansion Draft |
| November 26, 2007 | 22 | GK | Preston Burpo | San Jose Earthquakes | Trade |
| March 28, 2008 | 12 | FW | John Cunliffe | San Jose Earthquakes | |
| August 1, 2008 | 18 | GK | Brad Guzan | Aston Villa | |
| | 41 | GK | Justin Myers | Puerto Rico Islanders | |
| | 3 | DF | Carlos Llamosa | | Waived |
| | 5 | DF | Desmond Brooks | | |
| | 27 | DF | Eder Robles | | |
| | 77 | DF | Orlando Perez | | Waived |
| | 8 | MF | Ramón Núñez | Olimpia | |
| | 17 | MF | Rodrigo López | Ventura County Fusion | Waived |
| | 28 | MF | Erasmo Solórzano | Bakersfield Brigade | Waived |
| | 30 | MF | Carlos Borja | Tapatio | |
| | 31 | MF | Rene Corona | Bakersfield Brigade | Waived |
| | 33 | MF | Mohammed Sethi | | |
| | 10 | FW | Laurent Merlin | St Patrick's Athletic | |
| | 14 | FW | David Arvizu | | Waived |

## Roster

| No. | Name | Position | Date of birth (Age) | Signed from | Signed in | Apps. | Goals |
| Goalkeepers ||||||||||
| 1 | Dan Kennedy | GK | (1982-07-22)July 22, 1982 (aged 26) | Municipal Iquique | 2008 | 10 | 0 |
| 21 | Lance Parker | GK | (1985-08-19)August 19, 1985 (aged 23) | Colorado Rapids U-23 | 2008 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | Zach Thornton | GK | (1973-10-10)October 10, 1973 (aged 35) | New York Red Bulls | 2008 | 10 | 0 |
| Defenders ||||||||||
| 2 | Claudio Suárez | DF | (1968-12-17)December 17, 1968 (aged 39) | Tigres UANL | 2006 | | |
| 3 | Jim Curtin | DF | (1979-06-23)June 23, 1979 (aged 29) | Chicago Fire | 2008 | 21 | 1 |
| 4 | Shavar Thomas | DF | (1981-01-29)January 29, 1981 (aged 27) | LA Galaxy | 2007 | 48 | 0 |
| 12 | Carey Talley | DF | (1976-08-26)August 26, 1976 (aged 32) | Real Salt Lake | 2008 | 23 | 1 |
| 13 | Jonathan Bornstein | DF | (1984-11-07)November 7, 1984 (aged 24) | UCLA Bruin | 2006 | | |
| 14 | Bobby Burling | DF | (1984-11-07)November 7, 1984 (aged 24) | LA Galaxy | 2007 | 22 | 0 |
| 23 | Alex Zotincă | DF | (1977-01-22)January 22, 1977 (aged 31) | Kansas City Wizards | 2007 | 30 | 0 |
| 25 | Lawson Vaughn | DF | (1984-04-11)April 11, 1984 (aged 24) | Tulsa Golden | 2006 | | |
| Midfielders ||||||||||
| 5 | Paulo Nagamura | MF | (1983-03-02)March 2, 1983 (aged 25) | Toronto | 2007 | 53 | 4 |
| 6 | Francisco Mendoza | MF | (1985-04-29)April 29, 1985 (aged 23) | Guadalajara | 2005 | | |
| 8 | Raphaël Wicky | MF | (1977-04-26)April 26, 1977 (aged 31) | Sion | 2008 | 6 | 0 |
| 15 | Jesse Marsch | MF | (1973-11-08)November 8, 1973 (aged 35) | Chicago Fire | 2006 | | |
| 16 | Sacha Kljestan | MF | (1985-09-09)September 9, 1985 (aged 23) | Seton Hall Pirates | 2006 | | |
| 18 | Sasha Victorine | MF | (1978-02-03)February 3, 1978 (aged 30) | Kansas City Wizards | 2008 | 4 | 2 |
| 22 | Keith Savage | MF | (1985-08-09)August 9, 1985 (aged 23) | Central Florida Kraze | 2008 | 7 | 0 |
| 29 | Dejair | MF | (1977-12-14)December 14, 1977 (aged 30) | ABC | 2008 | 4 | 1 |
| 31 | Daniel Paladini | MF | (1984-11-11)November 11, 1984 (aged 23) | San Fernando Valley Quakes | 2008 | 9 | 1 |
| 34 | Gerson Mayen | MF | (1989-02-09)February 9, 1989 (aged 19) | Chivas USA Academy | 2008 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | Kraig Chiles | MF | (1984-05-14)May 14, 1984 (aged 24) | San Diego State Aztecs | 2008 | 5 | 0 |
| 39 | Eric Ebert | MF | (1984-08-27)August 27, 1984 (aged 24) | Houston Dynamo | 2008 | 8 | 0 |
| Forwards ||||||||||
| 7 | Alecko Eskandarian | FW | (1982-07-09)July 9, 1982 (aged 26) | Real Salt Lake | 2008 | 14 | 5 |
| 9 | Ante Razov | FW | (1974-03-02)March 2, 1974 (aged 34) | New York Red Bulls | 2006 | | |
| 11 | Maykel Galindo | FW | (1981-01-28)January 28, 1981 (aged 27) | Seattle Sounders | 2007 | 40 | 13 |
| 17 | Justin Braun | FW | (1987-03-31)March 31, 1987 (aged 21) | Olympique Montreux | 2008 | 28 | 5 |
| 19 | Jorge Flores | FW | (1989-09-16)September 16, 1989 (aged 19) | Chivas USA Academy | 2007 | 14 | 3 |
| 20 | Roberto Nurse | FW | (1983-12-16)December 16, 1983 (aged 24) | Querétaro | 2008 | 7 | 1 |
| 24 | Atiba Harris | FW | (1985-01-09)January 9, 1985 (aged 23) | Real Salt Lake | 2008 | 31 | 3 |
| 32 | Anthony Hamilton | FW | (1985-08-26)August 26, 1985 (aged 23) | Orange County Blue Star | 2007 | 10 | 0 |
| Left Chivas USA ||||||||||
| 18 | Brad Guzan | GK | (1984-09-09)September 9, 1984 (aged 23) | Generation Adidas | 2005 | | |
| 22 | Preston Burpo | GK | (1972-09-26)September 26, 1972 (aged 35) | Seattle Sounders | 2006 | | |

## North American SuperLiga

| Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
| New England Revolution | 7 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 |
| Pachuca | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Chivas USA | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Santos Laguna | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | -2 |

## Competitions
### MLS
#### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Houston Dynamo | 30 | 13 | 5 | 12 | 45 | 32 | +13 | 51 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 2 | Chivas USA | 30 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 40 | 41 | −1 | 43 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 3 | Real Salt Lake | 30 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 40 | 39 | +1 | 40 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 4 | Colorado Rapids | 30 | 11 | 14 | 5 | 44 | 45 | −1 | 38 | |
| 5 | FC Dallas | 30 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 45 | 41 | +4 | 36 | |
| 6 | LA Galaxy | 30 | 8 | 13 | 9 | 55 | 62 | −7 | 33 | |
| 7 | San Jose Earthquakes | 30 | 8 | 13 | 9 | 32 | 38 | −6 | 33 | |

#### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
| Pld | Pts | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Last updated: October 16, 2007 Source: ESPNSoccernet.com Pld = Matches played; Pts = Points; W = Matches won; T = Matches tied; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference

#### Results
### U.S. Open Cup
## Statistics
### Appearances and goals

    As of Match played November 7, 2008
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | MLS | MLS | Playoffs | Playoffs | U.S. Open Cup | U.S. Open Cup | Champions League | Champions League |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 1 | GK | USA | Dan Kennedy | 10 | 0 | 8+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | MEX | Claudio Suárez | 15 | 0 | 13+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | USA | Jim Curtin | 21 | 1 | 15+3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | JAM | Shavar Thomas | 23 | 0 | 18+1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 5 | MF | BRA | Paulo Nagamura | 29 | 2 | 24 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 6 | MF | MEX | Francisco Mendoza | 33 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 7 | FW | USA | Alecko Eskandarian | 14 | 5 | 8+3 | 5 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | SUI | Raphaël Wicky | 6 | 0 | 1+4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | USA | Ante Razov | 26 | 5 | 17+5 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 11 | FW | CUB | Maykel Galindo | 10 | 1 | 5+5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | DF | USA | Carey Talley | 23 | 1 | 18+2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 13 | DF | USA | Jonathan Bornstein | 26 | 2 | 19+2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 14 | DF | USA | Bobby Burling | 22 | 0 | 18+2 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 15 | MF | USA | Jesse Marsch | 28 | 4 | 24+1 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | MF | USA | Sacha Kljestan | 27 | 6 | 21+1 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 17 | FW | USA | Justin Braun | 28 | 5 | 12+12 | 4 | 1+1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 18 | MF | USA | Sasha Victorine | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | FW | USA | Jorge Flores | 13 | 3 | 6+5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 20 | FW | MEX | Roberto Nurse | 7 | 1 | 2+3 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 22 | MF | USA | Keith Savage | 7 | 0 | 3+3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | DF | ROU | Alex Zotincă | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | FW | SKN | Atiba Harris | 31 | 3 | 23+5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 25 | DF | USA | Lawson Vaughn | 8 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 28 | GK | USA | Zach Thornton | 10 | 0 | 7+1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | MF | BRA | Dejair | 4 | 1 | 1+2 | 1 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | MF | USA | Daniel Paladini | 9 | 1 | 5+3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | FW | USA | Anthony Hamilton | 6 | 0 | 0+5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | MF | USA | Kraig Chiles | 6 | 0 | 2+3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | MF | USA | Eric Ebert | 8 | 0 | 2+5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Players away from Chivas USA on loan: ||||||||||||||
| Players who left Chivas USA during the season: ||||||||||||||
| 14 | FW | USA | David Arvizu | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 18 | GK | USA | Brad Guzan | 16 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | GK | USA | Preston Burpo | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |

### Goal scorers

| Place | Position | Number | Name | MLS | MLS Cup Playoffs | U.S. Open Cup | Champions League | Total |
| 1 | MF | 16 | Sacha Kljestan | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 2 | FW | 9 | Ante Razov | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 2 | FW | 7 | Alecko Eskandarian | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 2 | FW | 17 | Justin Braun | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 5 | MF | 15 | Jesse Marsch | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 6 | FW | 24 | Atiba Harris | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 6 | FW | 19 | Jorge Flores | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 8 | DF | 13 | Jonathan Bornstein | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 8 | MF | 18 | Sasha Victorine | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 8 | MF | 5 | Paulo Nagamura | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 11 | MF | 29 | Dejair | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | DF | 3 | Jim Curtin | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | FW | 11 | Maykel Galindo | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | DF | 12 | Carey Talley | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | MF | 31 | Daniel Paladini | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | FW | 20 | Roberto Nurse | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| | | | TOTALS | 40 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 43 |

### Disciplinary record

| Number | Position | Name | MLS | MLS | MLS Cup Playoffs | MLS Cup Playoffs | U.S. Open Cup | U.S. Open Cup | Champions League | Champions League | Total | Total |
| 1 | GK | Dan Kennedy | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2 | DF | Claudio Suárez | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 3 | DF | Jim Curtin | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | Shavar Thomas | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| 5 | MF | Paulo Nagamura | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 |
| 6 | MF | Francisco Mendoza | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| 7 | FW | Alecko Eskandarian | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 8 | MF | Raphaël Wicky | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | Ante Razov | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 11 | FW | Maykel Galindo | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 12 | DF | Carey Talley | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 13 | DF | Jonathan Bornstein | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 1 |
| 14 | DF | Bobby Burling | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 15 | MF | Jesse Marsch | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 16 | MF | Sacha Kljestan | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 1 |
| 17 | FW | Justin Braun | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 18 | GK | Brad Guzan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 24 | FW | Atiba Harris | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| 25 | DF | Lawson Vaughn | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 31 | MF | Daniel Paladini | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 39 | MF | Eric Ebert | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| | | TOTALS | 64 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 76 | 7 |