Chivas mount comeback to grab tie against Atletico San Luis

Chivas ended a three match losing streak by coming back to get a 2-2 tie against Atletico San Luis. San Luis had gotten a maybe undeserved 2-0 lead at halftime, but Chivas came back to get a very fair tie that might even have fallen short as a result for Chivas. Chivas will now return home where they will face an improving Santos, while San Luis will travel north for a match against Xolos in Tijuana.

The first half started with Chivas coming out without the suspended Alexis Vega, but with Jose Juan Macias making his first start as lone forward while Jesus Ricardo Angulo was playing behind him. Atletico San Luis came out with their lineup led by Rubens Sambueza. It started being a very even match, with neither team making much of their possession. Roberto Alvarado fell in the area and although they claimed he was brought down, the referee didn’t give a penalty kick. San Luis took advantage and in their first opportunity, they made it count. Sambueza got a long pass that found Jhon Murillo, who got into the area and made a pass that would get by Chivas’ goalkeeper Raul Gudiño, falling into the path of German Berterame. Berterame volleyed the ball twice and got the ball into the empty net for the 1-0. It was a great play by Berterame to get the goal that opened up the score. After a great pass by Fernando Beltran, Macias got the ball in the area but instead of shooting, he tried to get past a defender. Unfortunately for Macias, it gave enough time for San Luis goalkeeper Marcelo Barovero to get to the ball and drop him as he cleared the ball. Later Macias got the ball in the area and his let footed shot went well wide. Beltran then had a shot that was saved by Barovero. Chivas had taken control of possession as they tried to get the tie. But it was against the run of play that San Luis got another goal. Off a corner kick, Ramon Juarez was wide open and got a header that went past Gudiño for the 2-0 lead. It looked undeserved, but San Luis had taken a two goal lead. They took the lead to halftime, and Chivas was unlucky to be trailing after having so much possession in the first 45 minutes.

The second half started with Chivas subbing out Miguel Angel Ponce for Cristian Calderon. Two minutes in, San Luis lost the ball and Fernando Beltran took advantage by taking a good long range shot that went past Barovero to make it 2-1. It looked that Chivas struck at the right moment to score. San Luis answered however with Berterame lobbing a shot that went wide. San Luis had a great chance when Berterame got into the area on a one-on-one, but his shot went wide. Chivas then subbed out Jose Juan Macias for Paolo Yrizar. A shot from Isaac Brizuela forced Barovero to make a save. San Luis wasted a great chance when Facundo Waller got into the area but instead of shooting, he decided to pass the ball and it was cleared. Then from outside the area, Jesus Ricardo Angulo was allowed all the time in the world and he got off a great left footed shot that went past Barovero for the 2-2 equalizer. San Luis had wasted a great chance and they paid dearly because of it. San Luis had a great chance when a possible two-on-two, but Sambueza made a mistake by going after the ball instead of allowing Berterame a through pass for himself. While Sambueza scored, he was correctly ruled to have been offside. San Luis then subbed out Facundo Waller for Abel Hernandez. After a corner kick, a good header by Berterame was saved by Gudiño. Chivas subbed out Fernando Beltran, Isaac Brizuela, and Sebastian Perez for Alan Torres, Carlos Cisneros, and Cesar Huerta. A good cross into the area was missed by Luis Olivas in what could have been a good chance. San Luis subbed out Rubens Sambueza and Jhon Murillo for Rivaldo Lozano and Luis Calzadilla. After a foul call, there seemed to be a scuffle on both benches between Waller and Sambueza against Chivas’ player Antonio Briseño. It would continue as the match ended with a tie, although both teams were able to get their players away from each other.

This was a very important for Chivas and their coach Michel Leaño. A three game losing streak and a rash of firings all over Mexico meant that a loss might have threatened his job. Still Chivas was the better side, and the tie was more than fair which is a good sign for a Chivas team who had been unlucky during their losing streak. Still they will have a tough match at home against a Santos side that seems to have woken up, as they have gotten two wins that have lifted them out of last place. Atletico San Luis didn’t have a great match but they also had chances to get a win. Still, fans will not be happy for the team leaving a win at home and losing out on a two goal advantage. After their away win against Monterrey, it seems a step backward and they will have a tough visit to Tijuana which might bring more trouble for the team.