Apertura Week 17: Chivas 2, Pachuca 2

Enrique Esqueda’s second goal of the match, in the 90th minute, lifted Pachuca into a 2-2 tie with Chivas de Guadalajara Saturday at Estadio Omnilife.

Esqueda’s 54th-minute penalty kick tied the score at 1-1. He put away a rebound in the penalty area for the 2-2 equalizer.

Marco Fabian put Chivas on the board in the 21st minute, and Erick Torres scored in the 66th to leave the home team up 2-1.

Both teams played the final 40 minutes with ten men, after an altercation produced red cards to Chivas goalkeeper Luis Michel and Tuzos midfielder Javier Munoz. Michel threw the ball at Munoz’s face, and the Pachuca player retaliated with a high boot.

The single point was all Chivas (8-6-3) needed to clinch first place in the Apertura standings with 30 points. Pachuca take the sixth seed in the Liguilla with 26 points (7-5-5).

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Chivas Drop America 3-1 to Take First Place in Apertura

Chivas emerged with the bragging rights and first place in the table after the latest edition of Mexico's Superclasico, as the two teams combined for four goals in the first 20 minutes of the contest.

The away side was able to opening the scoring early on with arguably the finest goal of the game. Marco Fabian broke down the left flank and whipped a cross in for Antonio Gallardo to connect on a diving header five minutes in. Christian Benitez would quickly equalize with a header of his own, managing to rise above the Chivas defense to turn home a free kick from Daniel Montenegro. However, it proved to be a false dawn for the home side.

Fabian – a week removed from his controversial goal celebration and playing after an emotional week in which he opened up about his own brother's death – turned home the second, but he had America goalkeeper Armando Navarrete to thank. Guillermo Ochoa's replacement could not get a handle on a routine cross, which dropped to Fabian, who volleyed home at the far post. Just a minute later, promising forward Erick Torres headed home what would stand as an insurance goal, netting from a Jesus Sanchez cross as Navarrete once again flapped at a ball in the air.

The quickfire double quickly quieted the Estadio Azteca, save for the boisterous and numerous contingent of away fans, and allowed Chivas to comfortably see out the game. While America did threaten occasionally – Luis Ernesto Michel made perhaps the save of the round on Benitez in the dying minutes of the first half – Chivas largely frustrated Las Aguilas with a strong defensive performance that largely frustrated America.

On Monday, America forward Angel Reyna, who struggled for large portions of the match, was suspended indefinitely by the club after criticizing team captain Aquivaldo Mosquera and the rest of the defense. With the defeat, America sits 16th out of 18, its hopes of reaching the playoffs all but extinguished.

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Mexican Primera, 2011 Apertura Week 14: Super Clasico, Clasico Regiomontano Both Huge For Liguilla

Jornada 14 of the Mexican Primera’s 2011 Apertura is perhaps the biggest of the tournament, with two of the country’s biggest fixtures of any season taking place. Chivas Guadalajara and Club America contest the Super Clasico at Estadio Azteca on Sunday, while Monterrey and UANL Tigres contest the Clasico Regiomontano on Saturday night. They’re not the only great fixtures on the schedule, though, as a number of matches have serious Liguilla implications.

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Chivas Guadalajara Finish Off Estudiantes Tecos 5-2

Chivas ran rampant over local rival Tecos, as Marco Fabian netted a hat-trick and Erick Torres added two in a thrashing that put Chivas just one point behind leading Santos Laguna.

The home team looked dominant from the opening whistle, and it took only seven minutes for Torres to find the first goal of the game. He was left with a simple tap-in at the far post after Miguel Ponce rolled a ball across the goal that Tecos couldn't get a touch on.

Despite continuing to dominate, Chivas would need to wait until the final part of the first half to tack onto the scoreline, with Fabian grabbing two in the space of five minutes. His first came in the 33rd minute when he broke from the middle and squeezed a near post finish past Jose Martinez. However, the goal proved controversial, not because of the circumstances in which it was scored, but because Fabian celebrated by performing a mock execution-style killing of a teammate, which ruffled feathers in violence-racked Mexico.

Fabian's second resulted from sloppy defending that allowed the 22-year-old to round Martinez and score, making it 3-0 for Chivas going into the half

Eduardo Lillingston pulled one back for the visitors in the 54th minute with some patient touches and a placed finish across the body of Ernesto Michel. However, it was only a brief respite as Fabian redirected a long-range shot from Antonio Gallardo for his hat-trick.

Torres grabbed his second of the game a minute later with a fine diving header off a feed from Jesus Sanchez. U.S. striker Herculez Gomez pulled back a consolation for Tecos with a one-time finish following a second yellow card to Chivas' Kristian Alvarez, but there was to be no more scoring in front of a jubilant crowd at the Estadio Omnilife.

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Chivas winless streak continues with 0-0 draw against Toluca

Chivas' winless streak reached five games in a 0-0 draw during a visit to Toluca. Even with the newly-appointed Fernando Quirarte at the helm, Chivas was unable to stamp its authority on the game. Both sides had decent looks in both halves, and in the end a draw was likely the fairest result given both teams' inability to finish. However, Chivas will worry for the health of Omar Arellano, who pulled up injured after a sprint and had to be substituted.

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Guadalajara 0-1 Queretaro | Goal.com

Chivas' slide continued with an embarrassing 1-0 loss to Queretaro at the Estadio Omnilife. Though the team still holds on to fifth place, it has not won in four matches, while Queretaro made it three wins from four and rose into the playoff places.

The visitors took an early lead after Hibert Ruiz was able to squeeze the ball past Luis Ernesto Michel from a tight angle after Chivas failed to deal with a corner kick in the sixth minute. Following the goal, Chivas pushed hard for an equalizer and should've had it in the 28th minute after Efrain Cortes, who had an otherwise excellent game, fouled Omar Arellano in the area.

However, Marco Fabian put the resulting penalty kick well into the stands, a moment reflective of Chivas' struggles throughout September. Even with the insertion of former Queretaro man Julio Nava and U17 World Cup winner Carlos Fierro, Chivas was unable to seriously threaten the visitors.

A seemingly shocking scene compounded Chivas' disappointing night. In the 54th minute, Jorge Enriquez went up for an aerial duel in the middle, only to receive a heavy blow to the head, sending him to the ground in convulsions. However, he was able to be treated and moved to a local hospital. As of writing, he was set to be released without an injury.

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CRUZ AZUL 1, CHIVAS 1

Cruz Azul and Chivas de Guadalajara moved into a tie with Jaguares at the top of the Apertura table with Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Estadio Azul.

The result leaves both teams at 5-3-2, with 18 points.

Omar Arellano gave Chivas a 1-0 lead in the 32nd minute, off Marco Fabian’s pass from the Goats’ side of midfield. But a 52nd-minute red card to midfielder Miguel Ponce left Guadalajara a man down, and Edixon Perea took advantage to level the score for La Maquina with a header in the 62nd minute. Cruz Azul might well have taken all three points, but halftime substitute Javier Orozco had two goals called back.

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Despite nine-man roster, Chivas pull off stunner over Morelia

A defensive struggle was playing out until Guadalajara went 1-0 ahead after 50 minutes through an own goal, as Yasser Corona flicked a low centre from Miguel Angel Ponce into an unprotected net. After this first tally of the match, things got interesting.

Three minutes later Morelia's Damian Manso rifled a shot into the bottom left corner from 15 yards to even the match. Things got worse for Guadalajara as they went down to 10 men in the 56th minute as Jonny Magallon was ordered off. Then amazingly, they lost Patricio Araujo to another red card after 70 minutes.

However, although Guadalajara was down to nine, Jesus Sanchez wriggled clear on the right flank and crossed for substitute Antonio Gallardo to trickle home a near-post effort, pulling off a tough won victory.

Morelia stand at the bottom of the table with three points after four games, with Guadalajara top on goals scored from Unam Pumas, with both teams tied on 10 points.

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Quadalajara Chivas take out Barcelona 4-1

MIAMI (AP)
Marco Fabian scored two brilliant goals within two minutes midway through the second half to help Mexican club Guadalajara beat Barcelona 4-1 on Wednesday in a preseason friendly.
In front of a record South Florida football crowd of 70,080 at Sun Life Stadium, Chivas came from a goal down at halftime to overwhelm the European champions.

''I am not surprised by Chivas' performance,'' Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola said. ''Mexican football is very dynamic and entertaining.''

The game looked to be going according to script when David Villa put Barcelona ahead in the third minute. Gerard Pique sent a long pass to an open Villa, who dribbled into the area and blasted a shot under the crossbar and past Guadalajara goalkeeper Luis Michel.

However the game was turned around by two memorable goals by Fabian. He equalized in the 60th minute with a blast from 30 yards out and he outdid even that effort two minutes later when he did a leaping scissor kick to rifle in an Omar Arellano cross.

''I liked to practice that shot,'' Fabian said of his second goal. ''Thank God, it went in and hopefully it will be the first of many to come.

''This is a dream come true, to score not one but two goals against a great team like Barcelona. Life continues but this is something I will cherish.''

Chivas went ahead 3-1 in the 72nd minute when Jesus Sanchez sped past the Barcelona defense and centered to an open Giovani Casillas, who beat Jose Manuel Pinto with a shot from just inside the 6-yard box.

Jose Luis Verduzco scored Chivas' fourth goal in the 90th minute.

''Our team was able to capitalize on its opportunities,'' Chivas coach Jose Luis Real said. ''Even in the first half, we had our chances. I was very proud how we kept our composure when the shots didn't go in.''

Credit: Fox Soccer and Miami AP

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Chivas Guadalajara Vs. Real Madrid: Goats Fall To Los Merengues 3-0

By: Tony Bruce at soccernation.com.

While Chivas De Guadalajara’s fans let off fireworks in the bleachers, it was Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo in particular, that let off the fireworks on the field, as the Spanish giants demolished Chivas 3-0, Wednesday night at Qualcomm stadium.

Coming into the locker room 0-0 at the half, Real Madrid must have gotten an earful from head coach Jose Mourinho. Although the Spaniards had controlled the tempo of the game in the first half they could not put the ball in the back of the net.

The second half saw Real Madrid completely dominate the Mexican outfit but it was not until the 73rd minute that they would finally break down the Goats defense. Karim Benzema was causing havoc on the right wing but there was no end product as time after time the attacks broke down in the final third of the field.

Benzema sent in a hard low cross across the goal that Cristiano Ronaldo slotted into the back of the net between two defenders. The 38,000 plus San Diego soccer crowd was thrilled. A minute later Ronaldo almost had two as another Benzema cross found the big Portuguese forward open at the back post, but his effort went off the wood work and was cleared.

Two minutes later the Madrid talisman got his second goal of the game and it was Pepe who was in the thick of the action. The Spanish international blew past Omar Arellano, who was trying to stop the bleeding on the right flank, but instead he hauled him down in the box and referee, Ricardo Salazar, had no hesitation pointing to the spot. Ronaldo stepped up and coolly slotted the ball home.

Real Madrid continued to press and with six minutes to play they got their third of the night and Ronaldo’s hat-trick. This time it was Mesut Ozil who provided the pass, beating his defender, cutting back a precise pass that Ronaldo put away with style.

Real Madrid now travels to Lincoln Financial Field, this Saturday night to face the Philadelphia Union.

Read more at soccernation.com or check out additional articles from Tony Bruce

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