Four different Chivas find net in thrilling triumph
The Chivas scored twice early and twice late to fashion an exciting 4-3 win over América to advance to the finals of the Copa GNP in a special preseason Super Clásico.
Star striker J.J. Macías found the net just 20 seconds into the match and the Aguilas quickly found themselves on the back foot. Guadalajara sought to press their advantage but América regained its composure.
Then Alexis Vega put Guadalajara up 2-0 just past the half-hour mark, finishing off a nifty give-and-go from Macías with a left-footed blast just inside the near post. América had not even gotten a shot on net, struggling to find any kind of possession in the final third.
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That’s when Gio dos Santos found space down the left flank, dribbling past Jesús Sánchez before lofting a perfect cross to Fernando Viñas cruising in on the backside. The Uruguayan youngster had time and space to measure his header and he looped it over Chivas netminder José Rodríguez into the netting just inside the far post.
The timely goal allowed the Aguilas to breathe more easily as the clubs headed into the locker room.
América could not generate scoring opportunities in the early going of the second half so coach Miguel Herrera replaced his double pivot (Richard Sánchez and Fernando González) with a central defender (Emanuel Aguilera). He placed Aguilera in the unfamiliar role of the stopper and added winger Andrés Ibarguen to get more bodies forward.
The move paid off with a sizzling equalizer by Sebastián Córdova who had ceded his spot on the wing to Ibarguen to move to a more central position. In minute 69, Ibarguen got free wide left, stopped and zipped a pass to Córdova who was trailing the play. The 23-year-old budding star collected the pass, gave it a touch to create space then let fly from 27 yards. The sphere rocketed past Rodríguez before the goalie could react and the game was knotted at 2-2.
By now, both clubs had made numerous changes (Copa GNP rules allowed for unlimited substitutions) and a penalty kick shootout was looming. As the clock ticked toward 81 minutes, Chivas left-back Miguel Ponce wiggled free into the box and fired a close-range, angled shot that keeper Guillermo Ochoa blocked.
The rebound caught four América defenders watching the play and Guadalajara substitute Angel Saldívar trapped the ball and slotted him on one quick motion. Guadalajara didn’t celebrate long as another Chivas sub – Uriel Antuna – did a little shake-and-shimmy inside the box before laying off a pass to Isaac Brizuela. “El Conejo” juked past an América defender while moving right-to-left along the top of the box then curled a left-footer past Ochoa and inside the left post. Just like that, it was 4-2 Chivas and a trip to the Finals was in the book.
Not so fast. Ibarguen used a change of pace to find a clear look at goal from straight on before skipping a low shot past a sprawling Rodríguez and it was 4-3 with 3 minutes remaining (plus 5 minutes of added time, as it turned out).
América failed to produce another chance – the Chivas actually were closer to scoring than were the Aguilas – and Guadalajara could finally celebrate.
América and coach Miguel Herrera must now try to regroup before their Liga MX season opener on July 27 at Pachuca. “El Piojo” can’t be pleased with the way his team bowed out of the Copa as the Aguilas conceded 4 goals in each of their last two games.
The Chivas will rest up for the Cup Final on Sunday night against Cruz Azul.