Chivas El Paso Patriots News Release -- www.chivaselpaso.com
Saturday, July 9, 2011
EL PASO, Texas -- Out of the Premier Development League playoffs for the last couple of seasons, the Chivas El Paso Patriots (10-3-2, 32 points) put themselves in the driver’s seat in the Mid South Division with a convincing 2-1 win over the RGV Grandes FC (3-9-2, 11 points) on Saturday night. The Patriots now just need one more point in their final game of the season to seal their place in the playoffs.
As they did in a 1-1 draw with RGV in their last home game, the Chivas Patriots did their scoring in the first half. After his hat trick last weekend earned him PDL Player of the Week honors, Michael Griego continued his torrid goal-scoring pace, scoring El Paso’s first goal in just the eighth minute.
Running unmarked down the left wing, midfielder Adrian Moreno lofted a pin-point cross to the far post. True to form, Griego was there for one touch – a massive header that RGV keeper Juan Gamboa could not completely deflect. Gamboa got his right hand on it, but the shot was too hard to keep out.
Griego’s wily runs led to the Patriots’ second goal in the 19th minute as well. With defenders paying attention to the lanky veteran, a ball played up the middle bounced to an unmarked Enrique Cervantes. Alone on the breakaway, Cervantes let fly from the edge of the area with a rocket that ripped off the crossbar and in for the goal.
Griego almost made it 3-0 in the 30th, hammering a 25-yard bomb that beat Gamboa to far post. This time, though, the crossbar was not so kind as the ball bounced straight down and was cleared by the Grandes.
RGV got one back in the 79th minute as a low cross from right wing was pushed in past El Paso goalie Jorge Muñíz by forward Ramón Rodriguez.
The depleted Grandes lineup pushed for the equalizer as the Chivas Patriots defense lost a bit of form after Rodriguez’s goal. But Muñíz was up to the task and El Paso held on to earn the full three points.
Though the second place Laredo Heat has three games in hand on El Paso, Chivas Patriots is forcing the Heat to keep up if Laredo wants another Mid South title and the top seed going into the PDL playoffs. Laredo must win all its games leading up to both teams’ final regular season game against each other, in El Paso Saturday, July 23rd. Should the Heat win out, they would hold the Mid South lead with 34 points to El Paso’s 32, but the final game would be winner-take-all.
Also still in the race, the New Orleans Jesters (7-4-2, 23 points), currently in third place, nipping at the Heat’s heels. New Orleans must win all of its three remaining games to tie El Paso with 32 points. A Jesters’ loss or tie assures the Chivas Patriots of a playoff berth.
For tickets and information, contact the Chivas El Paso Patriots front office at 915/771.6620.