Victorine injury blow for Chivas USA

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Midfielder Sasha Victorine, who limped out of Chivas USA’s 2-1 loss to the Colorado Rapids on Sunday, will be sidelined for two to four weeks with a left knee sprain and is likely to miss at least the first game of the Major League Soccer playoffs.

The former UCLA star, acquired from the Kansas City Wizards in midseason to bolster Chivas USA’s midfield, was injured in the 25th minute and had to come out of the game. A susbsequent MRI exam revealed the extent of the damage.

Chivas USA will open the playoffs on the road against either Colorado or Real Salt Lake on the first weekend in November -- or possibly on Halloween night -- and will play the second leg at home in Carson on Nov. 8.

Meanwhile, forward Ante Razov, the all-time second-leading goal scorer in MLS, described Sunday’s defeat as ‘disappointing’ in that it ended a spell that had seen the club beaten only once in its last eight games and winner of its previous four in a row.

‘It was very disappointing,’ Razov said. ‘It was a poor performance from top to bottom. I think we were more concerned about our momentum than the way we wanted to play.

‘We’re going to have to pick ourselves up’ before Saturday’s regular-season finale against the MLS champion Houston Dynamo at the Home Depot Center. ‘We don’t want to use a switch, turning things on and off. I don’t think we’re good [enough] to do that.’

On the other hand ...

‘Maybe it’s not the worst thing,’ Razov added. ‘We’ve been winning some games. Maybe it’s good to get a reality check before the playoffs.’

-- Grahame L. Jones