Guadalajara let an opportunity to clinch three points slip through their fingers on Sunday night when they faced off against Tijuana’s Xolos. During this match we saw 6 goals in total, a Tijuana with wonderful through passes that failed to make the most of all of their chances, and a Guadalajara squad who seemed to finally have fluidity and flow to their game.
The match began with both teams playing an equal amount of decent football. Guadalajara looked a lot better than usual and was able to go head to head with the Xolos until the 23rd minute. In the 23rd, there was some confusion between Chivas goalkeeper Antonio Rodriguez and defender Jair Pereira. Tijuana midfielder Juan Arango was able to recover the ball and push forward into the center of the Guadalajara eighteen yard box just before laying it off to Alfredo Moreno who was just outside the Guadalajara six yard box. Moreno finished the play by gently tapping the ball to the right hand side of Rodriguez and into the goal. The Guadalajara response came just 12 minutes later when Carlos Fierro took the ball down the left side of the pitch and to the touch line. Fierro then crossed the ball to Giovanni Hernandez who was on the right side of Xolos’ six yard box. Hernandez did not wait for the ball to land and instead of attempting a header towards goal, he headed the ball to the center of the six where Omar Bravo was waiting to simply nudge it in with his head. Chivas then took the lead in the 43rd when a free kick from about 25 yards out by Fernando Arce found Jair Pereira near the center of Xolos’ six that keeper Cirilo Saucedo failed to come out to. Pereira attempted to header the ball at goal but failed to make the correct contact with the ball. The ball happened to land at the feet of Omar Bravo once again and he blasted the ball low and into the goal.
After having a 2 – 1 lead at half time at the Omnilife Stadium, Guadalajara found themselves fighting to get an equalizer for the better part of the second half after Tijuana took the lead with goals in the 54th minute from a play almost identical to the first and with the same Tijuana players, and in the 64th minute from a corner kick that found its way from the right side of the field to Dario Benedetto just outside the six. Benedetto headered the ball to the left side of the goal and past Rodriguez. Ultimately the match ended in a 3-3 draw after Joao Pereira managed to put a header past Cirilo Saucedo in the 92nd from a wonderful cross by Nestor Vidrio from about 30 yards out.
For the first time in a long time there is hope at Guadalajara. Chivas was able to score 3 goals; something they had not been able to do since September 7th when they defeated University of Guadalajara at home. The first point was taken today since De La Torre took over and with a decent performance against Tijuana, Chivas fans will be optimistic for the Mexican Super Clasico against America on November 1st. Only time will tell if Omar Bravo will be able to maintain form or even if De La Torre’s tactics will be as efficient as everyone hopes but the situation seems to be getting better for the “Goats”.
Phot Credit: José María Garrido | MEDIOTIEMPO (Corresponsal)
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