Playing for 90
Fansided

Chivas-Cruz Azul tops Matchday 6 line-up

By Thomas Buckley

Javier López and the Chivas are in desperate need of a win or risk seeing their playoff dreams smashed. They host Cruz Azul on Saturday. (Photo by Juan Mejia/Jam Media/Getty Images)
Javier López and the Chivas are in desperate need of a win or risk seeing their playoff dreams smashed. They host Cruz Azul on Saturday. (Photo by Juan Mejia/Jam Media/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 3
Next
Chivas v Cruz Azul
Cruz Azul will try to be physical with the young Chivas who have struggled to find their identity thus far in the Clausura 2020. (Photo by Carlos Ramirez/Getty Images) /

The Clausura 2020 has provided plenty of surprises through five weeks and the Chivas’ stumbling start is among the biggest.

After new general manager Ricardo Peláez spent freely during the winter transfer window, Chivas fans started planning their victory parade across Guadalajara. We’re only five weeks into the Clausura, but if coach Luis Fernando Tena doesn’t find a way to turn things around quickly, there will be no celebration at the La Minerva fountain come May 31.

Despite shelling out big bucks to bolster their offense, the Chivas have scored only 6 goals while posting a 1-3-1 record. It didn’t help that new striker J.J. Macías missed time due to injury as did holdover Alexis Vega, but winger Uriel Antuna has not provided much help either.

At the back, Guadalajara has shown a penchant for fading down the stretch and neither left back Cristián Calderón nor midfielder Jesús Angulo have won starting jobs yet.

After last week’s 3-0 smack down at the hands of the Tigres (all three goals scored in the second half), there was talk that coach Tena might be on his way out. GM Peláez appeared to blame him when he told reporters: “We have a good roster; we just don’t have a team right now.”

Chivas owner Amaury Vergara evidently called Peláez on the carpet and has since offered Tena the dreaded vote of confidence. The team announced that “El Flaco” would see out the season regardless of the results. That promise could be put to the test if the young Chivas squad fails to respond. Their first chance to back up their coach comes Saturday when Cruz Azul pays a visit.

The Cementeros also faced a crisis of confidence heading into the Clausura after failing to reach the playoffs last season and extending their league title drought to 22 years. Coach Robert Siboldi knows it is playoffs or bust this season and his chair got awfully hot after the Cementeros lost their first two games.

Since then, Cruz Azul has overcome a series of injuries while finding an offensive spark. The Cementeros have scored three goals in each if their past three games and will step onto the pitch at Estadio Akron confident that they can return home with all 3 points.

Home/Liga MX