Chivas v América: Best of the Liga MX Super Clásicos

You can throw out the records when these two teams meet

The first Super Clásico played in Estadio Azteca took place on Jan. 15, 1967. América was on its best-ever streak against the Chivas – six consecutive without a loss (1-5-0) – although Guadalajara dominated the historical record at the time, boasting a 32-19-17 advantage.

Brazilian Vavá made Chivas goalie “Nacho” Calderón look silly to open the scoring and Jorge “Coco” Gómez doubled the lead with a brilliant free kick. Francisco Jara scored late for the Chivas to make the final score more respectable.

Fourteen years ago, the rivals met in the playoffs two seasons in a row, splitting the spoils. In the Apertura 2006 semifinals, the 8th-seeded Chivas shocked No. 3 América thanks to former Aguilas keeper Oswaldo Sánchez. In the first leg at Estadio Jalisco, “San Oswaldo” stopped a Salvador Cabañas penalty in minute 51 to keep the scoreboard at zeros, then Ramón Morales made sure from the penalty spot just 3 minutes later to put the Chivas up 1-0.

Omar Bravo made it 2-0 7 minutes thereafter and Guadalajara made the 2-0 advantage stand up at Estadio Azteca, securing a 0-0 result that advanced the Chivas to the Finals (where they defeated Toluca).

The next season, América got its revenge knocking the No. 2 seeded Chivas out at the same semifinal stage. The Aguilas – the No. 3 seed – won both games by the same 1-0 scoreline.

Cabañas found the net in minute 61 of the first leg, while Ismael Rodríguez scored in minute 56 of the return match at the Jalisco. Unfortunately for the Aguilas and their coach Luis Fernando Tena, they could not finish the deal, losing 3-2 to Pachuca in the Final.

Another fascinating Super Clásico came in the 1995-96 season, when former Aguilas coach Leo Beenhakker bested his successor Marcelo Bielsa in Estadio Azteca. The 3-2 Chivas victory was their first at Estadio Azteca since the infamous brawl in the 1983 Final.

Harold Lozano took advantage of a series of defensive errors to put América up 1-0 and Francois Oman Biyik converted a solo effort to make it 2-0. Just before halftime, Chivas defender Guillermo Hernández made América pay for poor marking on a free kick, heading home to cut the deficit to 2-1.

In the second half, Ramón Ramírez found Gustavo Nápoles all alone in front of the net and “El Gusano” slotted home to equalize. A few minutes later, a bad América turnover sent Ramírez racing toward the Aguilas goal and a nifty stop-and-go move got him in on net. Keeper Adrián Chávez blocked the shot, but Nacho Vázquez was there to flick home the rebound.

Unfortunately, we won’t be seeing another Clásico Nacional for a while longer. Hopefully, these reminiscences serve to momentarily satisfy the hunger we all feel for some soccer nourishment.