With great intelligence and authority, Guadalajara booked its ticket to the Round of 16 of the CONCACAF Champions League with a 2-1 win over Forge FC at the Akron Stadium, with a 5-2 aggregate score.
Chivas took an early lead and from that point on managed the pace of the match. Unfortunately, the Red-and-White team ended the match with a man down due to Raúl Martínez's injury in the last stretch of the match.
The Rebaño Sagrado now awaits its opponent in the next round of the continental competition, which will be the winner of the match between América and Real Estelí, in which the Nicaraguan team has a 2-1 advantage.
The goals
- At 8', Guadalajara opened the scoring with Erick Gutiérrez's left foot, who took advantage of a rebound after a corner kick by 'Pollo' Briseño and, between the markers of two players, shot into the back of the Canadian goal.
- At 61', José Castillo's goal-scoring debut as a Red and White player arrived: the full-back launched himself into the attack and received a wall inside the box, he scored and was saved, but the rebound was in his favor and he headed the ball home to the deafening scream of the Akron Stadium.
- At 92', a rebound inside the area favored Kevaughn Tavernier, who scored with a powerful shot for the visitors.
Dangerous chances
- At 7', Chivas had their first chance with an excellent ball circulation that left 'Chapo' Sánchez facing the goal, to take a cross shot that the goalkeeper barely deflected.
- It was at 19' that Eduardo Torres appeared, once again in a red-and-white combination that gave him the advantage on his way to goal, but his mid-range shot went wide. In the next play, Ronaldo Cisneros tried his luck, but his shot ended up in the goalkeeper's hands.
- In the 42nd minute, the ChivaHermanos' goal was snuffed out when Cade Cowell broke down the right, cut back towards the center and pulled the trigger, but the ball hit the side netting on the outside of the goal.
- Just after the match had resumed, a foul outside the area allowed Ricardo Marín to shoot a shot that threatened the upper left corner of the Canadian goal, but was saved by the goalkeeper's hand.
- At 57', Yael Padilla received the ball at the entrance to the area, settled and shot just over the goal.
- At 82', Yael again appeared one-on-one against the goalkeeper, with the necessary direction to score Chivas' third goal.
Guadalajara 2-1 Forge FC
(Erick Gutiérrez at 8' and José Castillo at 61')
(Kevaughn Tavernier at 92')
Referee: Mario Escobar
Akron Stadium
Lineups:
- Guadalajara: 30 Óscar Whalley; 17 Jesús Sánchez (C), 21 José Castillo, 4 Antonio Briseño, 43 Leonardo Sepúlveda (33 Raúl Martínez at 66'); 15 Erick Gutiérrez (31 Yael Padilla at 45'), 28 Rubén González, 29 Eduardo Torres; 47 Gael García (11 Isaac Brizuela at 45'), 16 Cade Cowell (32 Jesús Brígido at 70') and 18 Ronaldo Cisneros (19 Ricardo Marín at 45').
Coach Fernando Gago.
- Forge FC: 29 Christopher Kalongo; 2 Malcom Duncan (4 Dominic Samuel at 75'), 23 Garven-Michee Metusala, 81 Malik Owolabi-Belewu; 10 Kyle Bekker (C), 13 Alexander Achinioti-Jonsson, 21 Alessandro Hojabrpour, 22 Noah Jensen (64 Khadim Kane at 84'), 14 Terran Campbell (9 Jordan Hamilton at 62'); 19 Tristan Borges (7 David Choiniere at 62') and 39 Beni Badibanga.
D.T. Bobby Smyrniotis.
