There are derbies in England — soccer matches that pit two teams from the same city. Derbies are between Manchester United and Manchester City, for instance.
Then there’s the Honda SuperClasico, or El Clasico Angelino, the derby between Chivas USA and the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer. The superclasico is derivative of name of the derby between Mexican League teams America and Chivas Guadalajara — El Superclasico.
Chivas USA and the Los Angeles Galaxy share the same soccer facility, the Home Depot Center in Carson, Ca., for home matches, hence the derby. It is also the only derby in MLS and began with Chivas USA’s entry into MLS in 2004. The Hondo SuperClasico was created in 2008 when the auto-maker agreed to sponsor the series.
The Galaxy hold the all-time advantage, 12-3-6, but for the most part the matches have been uneventful. That is, until this year’s postseason.
The two clubs, meeting for the time ever in the 2009 MLS Cup Playoffs, played to a 2-2 draw on Nov. 1, 2009, in the first leg of their Western Conference Semifinal. Sunday’s match would thus determine the seasons for both – one would be moving on in the playoffs, the other would not.
Never before had that been a part of the SuperClasico equation. Never before had one match meant the entire season. Finally, the two sides had everything to play for.
On Sunday, both sides played freely, creating offensive chances and thunderous shots on goal. It seemed as though both goalkeepers would be up to task until the 73rd minute when the Galaxy’s Landon Donovan slammed a confident penalty shot into the netting past Chivas USA’s Zach Thornton.
The Galaxy’s retooled defense — featuring rookies Omar Gonzalez and A.J. DelaGarza and keeper Donovan Ricketts — kept Chivas out of the back of the net over the final 18-plus minutes and the match ended with a 1-0 result for the Galaxy.
Finally, North America had been treated to its first derby. It’s first SuperClasico.
