From the start of the game, both teams showed they were aware of what a Clásico Tapatío represents along with the playoff implications if victorious but as time passed by it was ‘El Rebaño Sagrado’ which displayed a better performance. The first chance arrived in minute 6 when ‘Chapito’ Sánchez got his dangerous cross deflected to a corner kick by the GK. In the 13th minute, 'Cone' unleashed a violent shot from outside the box above target.
A few minutes later, in minute 19 Miguel Ponce received a gorgeous ball inside the box, a header which Vargas somehow saved. Minute 24, ‘Cone’ Brizuela with a long-range shot that did not find the back of the net. In the 30th minute, Atlas finally had their first chance when Abella tried his luck with a long-distance volley that flew over the crossbar.
At last, ‘El Invitado Especial’ arrived in minute 35 when Uriel Antuna with a fantastic individual effort, dribbled past a defender and released a great left-footed shot past Vargas. Five minutes later, Antuna assisted with a sexy assist to José Juan Macías who with a relentless shot increased ‘El Rebaño’ lead.
During the second half, Chivas decreased the pace but got a lot of ball possession to wear Atlas out. In the 56th minute, Alexis Vega tried to increase the lead with a long-range shot way off target.
In minute 69, the referee awarded a very dubious penalty kick for Atlas; however, Raúl Gudiño showed what he is made of and denied Malcorra. Ten minutes later, Correa tried to pull back one with a solid right-footed shot that barely missed Gudiño’s goal.
In minute 84, Chivas seemed to have put the game to rest with a great display of teamwork that began behind midfield and finished on the right side with an incisive ‘Cone’ who teamed up with Dieter Villalpando to net it past Vargas. Nonetheless, in the 86th minute, Jeraldino pulled one back for Atlas after a great initial stop by Gudiño which unfortunately was left dead in front of goal, finished with a soft touch from a very close range. In stoppage time, the referee awarded another PK for Atlas and Malcorra sent the ball to the back of the net.
In the end, Gudiño’s save in the first penalty was crucial and gave Chivas their fifth W in a row over their nemesis. Next week, Chivas will clash with Cruz Azul at Estadio Akron during Matchweek 15 of Guard1anes 2020.
Guadalajara 3-2 Atlas
(Uriel Antuna 35’, José Juan Macías 40’ & Isaac Brizuela 84’)
(Ignacio Jeraldino 88' & Ignacio Malcorra 90'+4')
Referee: Fernando Guerrero Ramírez
Estadio Akron
Lineups:
Guadalajara: 1 Raúl Gudiño, 17 Jesús Sánchez (Gilberto Sepúlveda 75’), 21 Hiram Mier (YC 87’), 14 Antonio Briseño (YC 94), 16 Miguel Ponce, 23 José Juan Vázquez, 19 Jesús Angulo (20 Fernando Beltrán 75’), 11 Isaac Brizuela, 15 Uriel Antuna (10 Eduardo López 81’), 7 Alexis Vega (YC 54’) (6 Dieter Villalpando 68’) and 9 José Juan Macías (13 Ángel Zaldívar 81’).
Coach. Víctor Manuel Vucetich.
Atlas: 12 Camilo Vargas, 2 Martín Nervo, 5 Anderson Santamaría (YC 54’), Javier Abella (15 Diego Barbosa 60’), 27 Jesús Angulo, 21 Lorenzo Reyes (20 Jairo Torres 68’), 26 Jesús Isijara, 7 Ignacio Malcorra, 8 Renato Ibarra (19 Edyairth Ortega 68’), 10 Luciano Acosta (9 Ignacio Jeraldino 45’) and 11 Javier Correa (199 Ozziel Herrera 81’).
Coach. Diego Cocca.
