Chivas suffer crushing loss at home against Leon

Leon got a solid win against a struggling Chivas in Guadalajara by a score of 3-0. Chivas wasted a good start and faltered overall, especially after a substitution to get a very tough defeat against a side that even scored their final goal when they were down to 10 players. The home crowd booed a side that continues to disappoint and will now have a tough visit away to face Monterrey. Leon meanwhile looks to be clicking under new Coach Ariel Holan, but will be put to the test when they return home to face Santos.

The first half started with Chivas coming out with Fernando Beltran from the start to the acclaim of their fans. After a couple of even minutes, Chivas had the first good opportunity when Alexis Vega got a left footed shot from outside the area that forced Leon goalkeeper Rodolfo Cota to make a great save. Off the ensuing corner kick, Antonio Briseño rose to head the ball and hit the post. The ball fell to Gilberto Sepulveda, but his right footed shot was blocked by Cota. Leon got their first opportunity when after a good run by Omar Fernandez (helped by two Chivas players falling down), the ball reached Angel Mena. Mena got a right footed shot that was saved by Chivas’ goalkeeper Jose Antonio Rodriguez. Off a free kick, Chivas made a second play in which Beltran was given the time and space to get off a good shot from outside the area that forced Cota to make another save. Later Chivas had a three-on-two run but Beltran slowed down the play, only to take a long range shot that went wide. Chivas had been the better side, but they would pay the price of wasting opportunities. After a bad clearance, Leon got the ball into the area and Briseño allowed the ball to go into the path of William Tesillo, who got off a left footed shot past Rodriguez for the 1-0 lead. A bad defensive mistake had given Leon the lead after Chivas had been the better team in the first half. Chivas tried to respond, but although they were the better team they couldn’t get another good opportunity until halftime.

The second half started with Chivas hoping to recover at home and neither team making changes. The game was very even, with Chivas getting an opportunity when Jesus Ricardo Angulo got the ball in the area, but his shot went wide. Chivas subbed out Uriel Antuna and Sergio Flores for Isaac Brizuela and Jesus Godinez. Later, Chivas subbed out Jesus Sanchez and Alejandro Mayorga for Cesar Huerta and Cristian Calderon in a very offensive move from Coach Victor Manuel Vucetich. But that offensive spark that seemed to be in his mind was wasted when Alexis Vega got subbed out minutes later for Carlos Cisneros, a very strange sub which shows that the coach still doesn’t seem to know what to do with the Olympic standout duo of Vega and Antuna. Leon had a good opportunity when a cross into the area was headed by Santiago Ormeño but it went wide. Chivas answered with a shot from Cisneros, but it was easily saved by Cota. Then off a great counter attack, Angel Mena made a great pass to a rushing Elias Hernandez, who got a one-on-one where he would proceed to lob the ball over Rodriguez for the 2-0 score. The strategy of taking out defenders for attackers proved costly to Chivas. Chivas tried to come back, but it looked like the game was over for them. Leon though would look to help Chivas when Stiven Barreiro had a harsh foul on Angel Zaldivar and got red carded by the ref. Chivas then had an opportunity when a cross in the area found Godinez, but his header was deficient and easily cleared by a defender. Later Cisneros got off a shot in the area that was blocked by a defender. Finally, Chivas had the ball in the area but Godinez got a left footed shot well wide. Then in another counter attack off a mistake by Rodriguez, Ormeño got the ball and found Santiago Colombatto, who easily lobbed the ball over Rodriguez to make it 3-0. It was the last play, and closed out an embarrassing loss at home for Chivas.

Chivas got a loss at home in what might be their worst result in a mediocre season. Chivas has yet to win at home, with two losses and a tie while the team continues to play poorly. Coach Vucetich did a very poor job in the substitutions, which ended up costing the team dearly on defense. Even when they went up a player, they never looked like being able to get the tie. They now have a tough trip to Monterrey where although they have had some good results in Estadio BBVA, they will be expected to lose. Club Leon meanwhile were able to hold on after a bad start to be the better team in the second half. After a bad start to their season against Pachuca, they have improved and now look to be one of the better teams under Holan. Yet they will have a tough matchup against Santos on Saturday, but right now it looks like the success they had under past coach Ignacio Ambriz will continue under Holan.