The Nemesio Diez stadium has been characterized as a very difficult place to play, however, Guadalajara stood up bravely and although they failed to bring home the 3 points, they showed a considerable improvement in their general performance, both with and without the ball, so here is an analysis of the highlights of the 1-1 draw between Chivas and Toluca.
How did the match develop?
Chivas had been hit hard by the defeat against Mazatlan, but managed to shake off the bitter pill and showed a very different side against Toluca. It was obvious that the match would be complicated because the Diablos are a team that prioritizes ball possession and has a very solid offensive structure.
For this match, the Rebaño opted for a line of 3 center backs, 2 wingers, 3 midfielders and 2 attackers. With their mobility, Ricardo Marín and Ronaldo Cisneros provided the team with deep movements between the opponent's central and lateral lines, making their runs to that zone a headache for the local defense.
The most dangerous play for Chivas in the first half began with a filtered ball from 'Nene' Beltrán to 'Chicote' Calderón, who managed to send a dangerous shot into the box, but the cross was a bit long for Cisneros.
For their part, the team from the State of Mexico managed to trouble the Red and White goal on a number of occasions, but Raúl Rangel, who made his debut in Liga MX with the Rebaño, made his presence felt with a couple of great saves.
Chivas showed great improvement in defending in their own half, as the same structure allowed them to block passing lanes and thus fouled Toluca's attacks. With the ball, the team was able to remain more compact inside, which gave the midfielders the opportunity to progress with short associations, something that had been lacking in previous matches.
The Red and White note...
- Raúl Rangel made his debut in the First Division with a tremendous performance, as he made 3 spectacular saves and made a great contribution in the distribution of the ball in each outing.
Statistics for ‘Tala’ in his debut:
- 5 saves
- 40 touches of the ball
- 5 successful long balls
