Match Recap: Atlas 1, FC Juárez 0

Edson Rivera headed home a corner kick in the 50th minute to give Atlas a much needed home victory over Liga MX debutants FC Juárez in a match that was delayed nearly an hour by heavy rains.

Straight from the opening whistle it was apparent that this match would have a different energy than the typical Jornada 1 clash. Both Atlas and FC Juárez came out of the gates with an energy passion that is often missing from matches in the opening week of the season. The result of this energy and passion was a fast-paced match with very little sustained possession and lots of fouls. Three of these fouls resulted in yellow cards; two of which were awarded to the hosts.

11 minutes into the match Atlas had the first real goalscoring opportunity as a shot directly from a corner-kick nearly caught FC Juárez goalkeeper Iván Vázquez napping at the near post. Luckily for FC Juárez, Vázquez was able to get his first to the ball and prevent an early goal from the hosts.

Just moments later Diego Barbosa snuck past the FC Juárez defense and fired a shot on goal. Once again, Vázquez was forced to make a save. This time diving full stretch to his right in order to prevent the hosts from taking the lead.

FC Juárez finally had a chance of their own in the 16th minute when Atlas academy graduate Flavio Santos turned and fired a shot from inside the area just wide to the left of goal. The scoring opportunity came off of a long throw in near the Atlas area.

The best scoring opportunity of the first half came in the 27th minute. Jesús Isijara fired a dangerous cross towards the far post and Ían Torres’ header floated across the face of goal and just inches wide.

In the 31st minute, the FC Juárez keeper was forced to make yet another save. This time, Vázquez raced off his line and prevented Javier Correa from opening the scoring off of a beautifully weighted through ball.

Five minutes into the second half, Los Rojinegros were able to make their superiority count on the scoreboard. Eduardo Rivera found himself all alone in the area after losing his marker Beto Acosta and calmly put the ball past the outstretched arms of the visiting goalkeeper.

In the 60th minute the hosts nearly doubled their lead as Jesús Isijara tackled Elio Castro just outside the area and fired a shot on goal. Once again Vázquez was up to the test deflecting the ball away from his goal. Atlas quickly fired the rebound over the crossbar.

From 62nd minute until about the 84th minute it was FC Juárez who looked the most likely to score. Los Bravos brought on Gaby Hachen and summer signing Ángelo Sagal and played like a completely different team. The visitors finally were able to maintain possession of the ball and began to create dangerous scoring opportunities.

A 63rd minute corner kick nearly saw the visitors level the score. Ángelo Sagal broke away from his marker and found himself unmarked at the far post. The ball fell kindly to the Chilean international, but at the last instant Sagal slipped and clumsily knocked the ball over the crossbar.

Five minutes later, and once again from a corner, Los Bravos were inches away from leveling the score. Elson Dias Jr.’s headed shot at the far post was miraculously saved off the line by Jorge Segura to ensure the score remained 1-0 in favor of Atlas.

In the 77th minute Gaby Hachen found himself one on one with the Atlas keeper, but was unable to score. The Argentine attacker’s low driven shot was saved by Camilo Vargas to preserve the victory for los Rojinegros.