Saragosa earns moment of joy in difficult year United's players took extra pleasure in seeing the Brazilian's match-winn

There was hardly anything easy about D.C. United’s third round Open Cup victory over the Richmond Kickers on Tuesday night. The hosts defended valiantly for most of the affair’s 120 minutes as extra time was needed to separate the two regional foes. After the match, head coach Ben Olsen called the affair a ‘gut check’ and seemed more relieved than exulted as he boarded a bus bound for Washington. Though the difficulty of the Black-and-Red’s triumph wasn’t ideal, the player who ensured D.C.’s advancement was a fitting hero for such a night. Midfielder Marcelo Saragosa found himself on the receiving end of Branko Boskovic’s corner in the 107th minute and showed expert cool in beating Richmond goalie Ronnie Pascale from just a few yards out. After the goal he jumped straight into fellow countryman Maicon Santos’ open arms, providing a rare moment of joy in what has been an incredibly trying season for the Brazilian. Marcelo Saragosa Marcelo Saragosa “[It has been] a tough year because my dad just passed away,” an emotional Saragosa said after the match. “The last two months I was in Brazil. I’m just happy to score and get a chance to help us [advance] to the next level.” Things seemed to be going just right for Saragosa in the days prior to United’s mid-April road victory over New England. After returning to Brazil earlier in the year to tend to his ailing father, the 30-year-old felt comfortable enough to get back to work. He did so with a vengeance and was penciled in as a starter against the Revs, only to receive the devastating news of his father’s passing that Friday night. As Saragosa hastily made his way back to Brazil, the Black-and-Red mourned his loss. In the aftermath of that come from behind win at Gillette Stadium, D.C.’s players – to a man – talked about their teammate’s grief. On Tuesday night, they gladly shared in his joy. “It’s amazing,” said goalkeeper Joe Willis. “He’s been through a lot, had a pretty tough year. He is an amazing guy, a positive guy, and it’s infectious. He brings that into the locker room and he puts a smile on everyone’s face.” “We are all happy for him,” added midfielder Stephen King. “Marcelo is one of those guys that comes in every day and works hard. Maybe he is under-appreciated around the league, [but] we know his value and we love having him as one of our teammates.”

Highlights: Richmond Kickers 1 - D.C. United 2

USOC: Saragosa, United survive a scare in Richmond

RICHMOND, Va. – On a night chock full of US Open Cup upsets, D.C. United managed to do just enough to prevent falling victim to the Richmond Kickers. Hamdi Salihi put United on course with a goal midway through the first half, but the tie wasn’t settled at City Stadium until Marcelo Saragosa’s winner in the 107th minute. Behind a top performance from ‘keeper Ronnie Pascale, the underdog Kickers did well to hold off the United attack, and then relied on the counterattack to create chances at the other end. “We made a meal out of that game and we made it more difficult than it needed to be,” United manager Ben Olsen told reporters after the game. “It’s never easy to break down a team that wants to defend with the entire team and then counterattack with two quick guys.” While Richmond succeeded in creating chances on goal, it took a penalty on the stroke of halftime to find an equalizer. After Chris Agorsor was tripped up in the box by Saragosa, Stanley Nyazamba converted to the penalty that left 45 minutes for either team to find the winner. But as United began to turn the screw on the Kickers, Pascale began to shine for the hosts. Saves on Josh Wolff, Nick DeLeon, Andy Najar and Branko Boskovic stood out as the Black-and-Red became increasingly frustrated and could not find a decisive goal as the second half wore on. “He’s always been good,” Olsen said of Pascale after the game. “Year after year, in particular against us, he has been a big time performer here. He is a legend here, and I’m happy that he had a good night tonight.” The stage was ripe for a winner in extra time, and shortly after the start of the second interval, Saragosa slammed home his first goal for United to put them through to the next round against the Philadelphia Union. The Kickers failed to clear Boskovic’s corner, and the ball fell to the Brazilian Saragosa, who made no mistake from eight yards out. “I’m happy to score and get a chance to step onto the next level,” Saragosa said after the match. “It was hard for us because we scored and then [Richmond] was fighting hard to get another [goal], but everybody helped each other and I think it’s a great win.”

Marcelo Saragosa

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Marcelo Saragosa

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Dc United Against La Galaxy...

D.C. United midfielder Marcelo Saragosa during the second half half of an MLS soccer game

D.C. United's Marcelo Saragosa during the first half of an MLS soccer game in San Jose,Ca,Against Chris Wondolowski

Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder David Beckham crosses the ball past D.C. United midfielder Marcelo Saragosa during the second half half of an MLS soccer game Sunday, March 18, 2012, in Carson, Calif.

Vancouver Whitecaps' Matt Watson, bottom, plays the ball away from D.C. United's Marcelo Saragosa during the first half of an MLS soccer game in Vancouver, British Columbia on Saturday March 24, 2012. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Darryl Dyck.

DC United's Marcelo Saragosa (top) jumps over Vancouver Whitecaps' Eric Hassli during the first half of their MLS soccer match in Vancouver, British Columbia March 24, 2012.

VANCOUVER, CANADA - MARCH 24: Sebastien Le Toux #7 of the Vancouver Whitecaps is challenged by Marcelo Saragosa #11 of D.C. United during the first half of MLS Soccer on March 24, 2012 at B.C. Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

DC United'S Marcelo Saragosa (top) heads the ball on top of Vancouver Whitecaps' Sebastien Le Toux during the first half of their MLS soccer game in Vancouver, British Columbia March 24, 2012.

Cancer de Seno...Marcelo Saragosa

Animosity between Chivas USA, Galaxy for real

Players promise Sunday's SuperClásico will be intense



CARSON, Calif. — There’s always a lot of hype surrounding the SuperClásico. People like to talk about how much Chivas USA and the Los Angeles Galaxy don’t like each other, about how brutal the game will be, and about how intense the rivalry is.

The thing is, those people are right. The Goats and the Galaxy don’t like each other. The games are brutal. The rivalry is real.

READ: Goats, Galaxy rekindle rivalry in SuperClásico

“These games are always a battle,” LA defender Omar Gonzalez said at a press conference on Friday afternoon. “We play in the same stadium, we practice on the same campus – we always want to beat each other.”

The Galaxy enter Sunday’s match with the best record in MLS and an assured place in the 2010 postseason. Chivas USA, meanwhile, sit in last place in the Western Conference and hold onto slim hopes of a fifth consecutive playoff appearance.

But none of that will matter for an hour and a half this weekend.

“These games are special in the sense that standings – where you are in the table – don’t really matter,” said Chivas USA left back Ante Jazic. “It’s just 90 minutes of battling and scrapping. We want to win this SuperClásico.”

The Goats haven’t been able to defeat the Galaxy since September of 2007, a statistic Chivas USA are eager to change and one that the Galaxy intend to uphold.

“This is my second year and I [I haven’t] lost to Chivas yet,” said Gonzalez. “I’d like to keep it that way.”

READ: Top 3 SuperClásicos

Chivas USA are especially keen to avenge their 2009 playoff expulsion at the hands of Los Angeles. The Red-and-White were pushed out thanks to a 3-2 aggregate score against the Galaxy.

“Being eliminated from the playoffs last year by the Galaxy was painful,” said Jazic. “The Galaxy definitely feel like they own the stadium and that Chivas are the tenants. For us, we’re still trying to earn that respect.”

Whatever the outcome of Sunday’s game, the match is likely to be a lively one. The SuperClásico never fails to disappoint when it comes to a tenacious game of soccer and an electric atmosphere.

“The atmosphere has a European flavor to it,” said Jazic. “Not just on the field, but in The Home Depot stands. Just the tension in the air is electric and everyone feels it. That’s special because it doesn’t happen often in MLS.”

Nagamura, Saragosa samba in Chivas' midfield...

Long-time Brazilian friends find chemistry, impenetrable vs. D.C.


CARSON, Calif. – They have known each other for 13 years and played together at three separate clubs in two different continents. They also speak the same language and call the same country home.

They are Paulo Nagamura and Marcelo Saragosa, and last Saturday evening, they were an impenetrable force in the center of the pitch for Chivas USA. The two Brazilians found instant chemistry in their first pairing of the 2010 season to help the Goats to a 1-0 victory over visiting D.C. United.

WATCH: MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

“It was good,” Nagamura said on Sunday. “Marcelo did a good job tonight, and that’s maybe one of the reasons why we scored an early goal.”

Nagamura has been a mainstay in Chivas USA’s central midfield since returning to the team this past July. The 27-year-old has been matched up with a number of different players so far this year, including Saragosa, Blair Gavin, Ben Zemanski and Michael Lahoud.

“I’ve played with three or four different guys in the middle,” Nagamura said. “But at the end of the day, it’s all about how we apply ourselves as a team.”

The starting nod was Saragosa’s seventh in a 2010 season that has seen him struggle to break into the Red-and-White’s starting XI.

“For me, it was great to get back into the first team and help earn the three points,” Saragosa said. “For the team, it’s a much-needed victory if we’re going to maintain any hope of making the playoffs. I have to keep working hard, keep my head on the field and stay ready for the chances that I get.”

Nagamura and Saragosa first met back in Brazil, where they both played in the youth system of São Paulo FC. They were then reunited in 2005 when they both played for the LA Galaxy.

“We were 14 or 15 [years old] when we first met,” said Nagamura. “I’m pretty familiar with Marcelo. We’ve known each other for a long time. We have a good relationship.”

Both players admit that their friendship off the field plays a huge role in their strong chemistry on it.

“We’ve worked together on the field a number of times and we like doing it,” said Saragosa. “Paulo is a great player and a great person, and we feel very comfortable playing together.”

It’s unclear whether Saragosa will continue to be the preferred midfield partner for Nagamura as the team travels to Seattle on Wednesday for its US Open Cup semifinal. But if the two continue to play as well as they did on Sunday evening, it’s a real possibility that Goats fans will be hearing Portuguese in central midfield for weeks to come.

“It was Portuguese in the middle of the field [on Sunday],” said Nagamura with a smile. “It’s good; people can’t understand what we’re saying. They think they do – but they don’t.”
http://www.cdchivasusa.com/news/2010/08/nagamura-saragosa-samba-chivas-midfield

Chivas Vs Dc....

Marcelo Saragosa Game against DC

Marcelo Saragosa Treinando as Criancinhas...Clinic with chivas Usa 2010