Carl Robinson had been hoping for a more settled line-up after the rotations of July, but his hand was forced with an ankle injury to Gershon Koffie and a tight hamstring for the talismanic Pedro Morales. Russell Teibert came in for Koffie and wore the captain's armband, with Nicolas Mezquida slotting in to the number 10 role.
Robinson made one other change with the out of form Erik Hurtado finally dropping to the bench and Omar Salgado coming in out wide and adding a little bit of height to the attack.
It was a slow start to the game with Mezquida firing over from the edge of the box and Erick Torres having a couple of half chances in the early going.
Salgado's aerial presence nearly reaped its rewards in the 28th minute when the striker rose unchallenged to power a Sebastian Fernandez corner goalbound but Dan Kennedy did well to turn the ball around for another corner.
But that was about it in a half that the Whitecaps dominated possession but in which neither side really threatened to ripple the netting.
Darren Mattocks had taken a knock in the first half and didn't come out after the interval, with Hurtado coming on in his place.
Both sides had some half chances as the game continued to fail to ignite, but Chivas were starting to show more in attack and keeping Caps' keeper David Ousted busy collecting crosses and weak shots.
Chivas had a great chance to take the lead in the 74th minute when sub Mauro Rosales forced Ousted to make a leg save and Torres blasted the loose ball over from ten yards out.
Vancouver went right up the pitch and had a couple of chances with subs of their own.
Kekuta Manneh shot over from 20 yards out, and they soon followed that up with a long range Pedro Morales effort that went wide right.
But there was nothing more and you got the feeling that both sides could have been playing long into the next morning and still not got the breakthrough.
It was another deeply disappointing trip to the now named StubHub Center for the Caps. They've got another one coming up next Saturday against LA and it's hard to see how that one's going to be any better.
They will be missing Matias Laba through suspension and who knows who else through injury. The team desperately need a striker and/or a winger who can either score, create or ideally both. It's the missing link for the Caps and without it, the chain could just fall apart.
FINAL SCORE: Chivas USA 0 - 0 Vancouver Whitecaps
ATT: 4215
CHIVAS: Dan Kennedy; Akira Kaji, Tony Lochhead, Andrew Jean-Baptiste, Donny Toia; Nathan Sturgis, Marco Delgado (Mauro Rosales 46), Agustin Pelletieri, Eric Avila (Leandro Barrera 59); Felix Borja, Erick Torres (Ryan Finley 81) [subs Not Used: Trevor Spangenberg, Bobby Burling, Eriq Zavaleta, Oswaldo Minda]
VANCOUVER: David Ousted; Steven Beitashour, Andy O'Brien, Johnny Leveron, Jordan Harvey; Matias Laba, Russell Teibert, Sebastian Fernandez, Nicolas Mezquida (Pedro Morales 68), Omar Salgado (Kekuta Manneh 61); Darren Mattocks (Erik Hurtado 46) [subs Not Used: Paolo Tornaghi, Carlyle Mitchell, Mehdi Ballouchy, Nigel Reo-Coker]
REACTION:
VANCOUVER WHITECAPS
CARL ROBINSON
Thoughts on the match:
"Defensively, excellent. Third clean sheet in a row, so defensively we were right on point. Attacking wise, okay, it’s average, not what we’re used to. I think the final third let us down slightly, in relation to our movement, our final balls and the execution of being in the right position."
On the midfield’s performance:
"I thought in the midfield we were excellent. I thought Russell Teibert was arguably the best player of the pack, switched the play from side to side. He got around people, he won second balls and he put in a very mature performance for a young kid, he was excellent. I thought Matias Laba was excellent as well, picked up a yellow card, which was dubious. About four players at midfield, about two players weren’t the problem and I’m not saying our front was the problem, all I’m saying is we have to be better in those areas."
On the back line’s role in team’s current streak:
"Concentration. I think sometimes you look a record up in this game, this season, we got sloppy on certain things and let ourselves down at crucial times in games. We put our big focus on concentration. We know it was a tricky game against Chivas, very well organized and well coached, and we haven’t beaten them. Prior to the game, I made the guys aware that it was going to be a very difficult game because they are very physical and they get about you and they try to upset your rhythm. We matched that, but we just didn’t have enough power."
STEVEN BEITASHOUR
Thoughts on the match:
"I think we did a good job trying to keep possession, trying to counter when they sent guys forward and most importantly, keeping that clean sheet. I think that’s the main thing. I think that was our second or third one in a row. Any time you get a clean sheet it’s a good night."
On the team’s performance during its unbeaten streak:
"I think we’re doing a good job, sticking together, playing organized. I think that’s the main thing and trying to counter when we can. I think tonight we were a little poor in the final third, but it’s a positive because we got a clean sheet and a point on the road."
On the team’s current streak:
"We got a good team, I think the main thing is that we’re not losing. It’s helping keep a good mentality in our locker room. We’re a little frustrated with the offensive performance today, but defensively we’re doing a great job and sticking together, working hard. We knew today was going to be a fight and we showed up out there tonight."
OMAR SALGADO
Thoughts on the match:
"We played well defensively. I think we lacked something in the final third, which I think translated onto both teams. In the end, both teams got a point out of it and now we move forward with that."
On the team’s mentality after securing their third straight shutout:
"Defensively, I think we’ve done very well. Andy O’Brien has really held the backline really well and John [Leveron] has played very well. I think we’ve done very well defensively, we just need to get some goals."
On the team’s push for the playoffs:
"I think we’re confident. We really want to make a push for the playoffs and I think we can push very strongly in the last 11 games that are left. We’re coming back confident here against Galaxy and hopefully we can get a win."
CHIVAS USA
WILMER CABRERA
Thoughts on the match:
"I think that today we had a much better game overall. We were more solid defensively, and we finished with a clean sheet against a very good team that is doing very well in the Western Conference. Coming into the game, we knew it was going to be tough. After four consecutive losses we needed this game to be sure that we are still in good shape, that we are better organized and that we continue applying our philosophy of working hard as a group. We defended well and then tried to attack and create possibilities. Today we had a nice debut from Felix Borja who showed that he can help us a lot. He helped a lot up front, created problems, worked hard and fought for every ball in the air. That was important for us. Hopefully we can continue improving our game and get the guys in a better shape for the whole 90 minutes so we can get that win we are looking for."
On forward Felix Borja’s addition to the team:
"Borja is a guy who battles right there with the central defenders. He helps Erick ‘Cubo’ Torres, because ‘Cubo’ has been doing it all by himself. Felix is a different type of player, he’s more athletic, stronger and experienced. He’s very good in the air. He’s going to let ‘Cubo’ be a little bit more open, and maybe between the two of them they can expose the opposing defense. Today, especially in the second half, we saw that, and hopefully for the next game, we can continue working on it and give the team the chance of having more possibilities up front.”
On the clean sheet:
"During the week we tried to prepare the team mentally to be organized and to not give up too much in the middle, knowing that Vancouver is a very talented team. We also had some guys bringing in fresh legs and a better offensive mentality. Overall the plan was executed the way we wanted. Obviously we missed the goal, the most important aspect, but we [the coaching staff] and the players believe that it was a good and solid performance, and that we are moving forward from what we have done in the past four games."
On the substitutions and offensive mindset:
"Our mentality was to win the game. The only thing that we needed to be sure is that we kept the clean sheet. In the second half at home you need to take the risk and send the players who are more offensive-minded. We did that, and we created options, we were more dangerous. Maybe we couldn’t do it, but overall it was a solid performance from beginning to end."
DAN KENNEDY
Thoughts on the scoreless result:
"I think we will all leave feeling like we should have gotten a little bit more out of tonight. But it was nice to just get some type of result. We obviously had a tough four-game stretch so now it’s about just continuing to get the guys that are hurt healthy. That’s a good performance by the back line tonight, so we can build on this."
On not being tested much during the match:
"That’s part of being a goalkeeper, some games you are going to be called upon a lot, some you’re not. It’s just about supporting the team and making sure they hear me and work to keep it organized."
On the team clinching the season series over ‘Caps:
"If you look straight up we have played them three times and taken five points off of them, so it’s good. You want to win those head-to-head matchups, especially when they are in your conference. It’s what we need to do if we want to compete in this conference. I think it’s the harder of the two conferences and it’s important that you match up well and take the points."
On striker Felix Borja’s debut:
"He’s a beast and he can hold the ball and he should take a little of the weight off [Erick Torres’] shoulders. I’m excited for him to get his feet on the ground in this league. I think he is going to be a real handful."
FELIX BORJA
Thoughts on making his MLS debut:
"I’m happy. Obviously debuting when you join a new team and to be able to play the 90 minutes is always important. We could not get the three points but in the second half the team was much better."
On his adaptation since his arrival:
"Whenever you arrive to a new team the first week is about getting to know your new teammates. In this case, it was the first time I get to play with [Torres], even though we know each other from Mexico when he was playing for Chivas in Mexico and I was with Puebla or Pachuca. And we did understand each other very well on the pitch. As the days and weeks and matches pass, obviously we are going get to know each other even better and we are going to have big games."
On how his teammates have welcomed him:
"It has been very good, as if I had already been here before. I’m the type to make friends easily. The group is excellent, they have welcomed me in a great way and in turn I think they are going to find a friend and a great teammate."
On playing the full 90 minutes:
"For me the act of having confidence and playing is important as a forward. In my case, to have the coach’s confidence to be able to play 90 minutes was important. I think it was what the coach wanted, for us to fight for everything up top. The fact that the team had lost four consecutive matches, you can lose confidence. Thankfully today, we could not win, but we did not lose the match either. That gives us the guide that the team can improve and I’m sure that we are going to have a big game in the next match."