Chivas shock Tigres, get back to winning ways

Chivas got their first victory over Tigres at Estadio Universitario in 10 years after they defeated Tigres by a score of 3-1. Chivas got a surprise lead and benefited from a red card but would later give up the man advantage. Still Chivas never trailed and was able to handle a Tigres team that offensively pressured them all game. Chivas got three goals and temporarily ended their scoring woes, while Tigres failed to end their injury time struggles as they were scored on after the 90th minute for the fourth straight game. Chivas will now go back home to receive a surprising Queretaro, while Tigres will need to bounce back by facing first place Leon.

The first half started on time after there was a threat of postponement because of a potential thunderstorm. Tigres had the first opportunity of the game after a corner kick when Guido Pizarro was alone in the area, but he headed the ball wide. Chivas’ first chance came when Jose Juan Macias’ shot off a free kick just went wide. Later they had another chance when Uriel Antuna’s cross found Macias, but his header went wide. Tigres answered back with a shot by Andre-Pierre Gignac in the area, but it went well wide. Then a great run by Antuna through the middle allowed him to go past Tigres defense, get to the ball in the area, and get off a right footed shot past Tigres’ keeper Miguel Ortega for the 1-0 lead. Tigres almost answered back when Rafael Carioca fell in the area, but the referee judged it to be a dive. Carioca had been given a yellow card earlier in the first half, so it was his second and Tigres went down to 10 players 25 minutes into the game and looked to be in deep trouble. Chivas seemed to have a good chance when Miguel Ponce got into the area and then found Alexis Vega just outside it, but his shot went straight to Ortega. Later Macias couldn’t control the ball in the area in what could have been a good chance. After a mistake by Chivas, Tigres had a chance when Gignac rose to head to the ball in the area but couldn’t quite connect with it. Gilberto Sepulveda surprised everybody, even his teammates, when he made a run and then made a great pass that almost left Macias alone with a clear chance but keeper Ortega was able to just clear the ball off his feet. Then in an incredible stupid play, Miguel Angel Ponce made a foul and then protested and got his second yellow card, giving away the advantage that Chivas had. Later on Chivas had a good opportunity with a left footed shot by Macias, but a Tigres defender deflected to a corner kick. The halftime whistle blew, but what looked to be going towards the path to a clear victory was now up in the air after Ponce’s red card.

The second half started with Chivas subbing out Fernando Beltran for Cristian Calderon and Tigres subbing out Leonardo Fernandez and Luis Quiñones for Eduardo Vargas and Julian Quiñones. Tigres had the first chance a minute in when Gignac got into the area and got off a right footed shot, but Chivas’ keeper Jose Antonio Rodriguez made a good save. Later it was Chivas who had a good two on two attack but it finished with a Macias shot that was blocked by a defender. Then after Tigres turned the ball over, Alexis Vega found Macias in the area and he was able to finally get a good low shot past Ortega for the 2-0 lead. Tigres started to answer back as Chivas looked to sit back and counter. After what looked to be an injury, Jesus Molina had to leave the game and Jose Juan Vazquez was subbed in. Chivas looked to be sitting back too much, and they would pay for it when after Sepulveda gave up a corner kick with a clearance, Tigres would then score. Andre Pierre Gignac was able to move well in the area and get off a header that just went out of the reach of Rodriguez to make it 2-1. Gignac almost made an incredible play when he made a half volley form outside the area, but it went straight into the hands of Rodriguez. Tigres later made a couple of plays as they pushed Chivas back. Chivas needed a response and subbed out Isaac Brizuela and Antuna for Ricardo Angulo and Antonio Briseño. Tigres continued to pressure Chivas, and later it was Vargas who got a shot that was saved by Rodriguez. Chivas made another move to get more people in the midfield when Alexis Vega was subbed out for Dieter Villalpando. Chivas almost had an opportunity when a cross into the area was headed by Macias right to Villalpando, who blew the shot in the area in what should have been a great chance but had been wrongly called offside. In a totally surprising move, Tigres Coach Ricardo Ferretti subbed out Julian Quiñones for Francisco Venegas. Quiñones had gotten into the game at halftime which is a strange move that looked like he was being singled out. Quiñones immediately walked off the field without looking at Ferretti and his face looked to be very bothered by the move. In injury time, Macias made a great move in the area to get past Diego Reyes and get off a good low shot that Ortega was able to save for a corner kick. Tigres almost responded with a great shot from outside the area by Gignac that just went wide. Then in the last minute, a long pass for Villalpando and a terrible mistake by keeper Ortega, who went for the ball but failed to reach it allowing Angulo to get past him and get a clear left footed shot into the net for the 3-1. The goal killed the game, and for a fourth straight match Tigres got scored on in injury time. The ref blew the whistle and surprisingly Chivas came up with the win in Monterrey.

It was a night of coincidences for Chivas. Chivas got their first win against Tigres in the Estadio Universitario tonight by the same score (3-1) that it did that day in 2010. Also, the Tigres goal scorer that day was Jesus Molina, who played tonight with Chivas and came out injured. Here was the last win:

Chivas had their best performance of the season, although they suffered at times and looked to have sat back and defended too early. Tigres really pressured Chivas and could have done better with all the offensive possession,. although Chivas had their chances too. Still the win is a big boost for Coach Victor Manuel Vucetich and for the players, especially Antuna who not only scored after being suspended for off the field misbehavior but played a really good game. Tigres meanwhile are one game away from crisis mode, which could happen because of the tough game they have against Leon. They couldn’t break their streak of getting scored in injury time and although they pressured Chivas, outside of Gignac they didn’t seem to get much offense from any other players. Tigres will face a tough clash against Leon on Wednesday, while Chivas will also have a possibly dangerous matchup against an inspired Queretaro who just defeated Toluca 4-1 at home.