Chivas hold off Monterrey’s comeback to get another win
· Yahoo Sports
Chivas needed some late minute heroics to grab a key victory over Monterrey by a 3-2 score. Chivas took a 3-0 lead but Monterrey battled back to a 3-2 score and were about to tie in the final minute had they scored on a Penalty Kick. Chivas maintains their first place spot in the standings with the victory and will do so during the FIFA break. When they return to Liga MX action, they will host another improving side in UNAM Pumas. Monterrey will return to action by hosting Atletico San Luis.
The 1st half started with Chivas returning to coming out with both Angel Sepulveda and Armando Gonzalez up top. Monterrey had Jesus Corona starting but thirty minutes before the match, it was announced Christian Reyes was taking his place int he starting 11. After getting a run into the area just thirty seconds in, Roberto de la Rosa got off a right footed shot that was saved by Chivas’ goalkeeper, Raul Rangel. A good combination of passes ended with Omar Govea getting the ball in the area but his right footed shot went well wide. After Monterrey lost the ball, a thru pass into the area would find Armando Gonzalez, who got off a right footed shot past Monterrey’s goalkeeper, Luis Cardenas, to score and give Chivas the 1-0 lead. De la Rosa would get off a great right footed shot in the area and the ball would hit the post. A quick restart by Monterrey off a free kick would surprise Chivas and allow Uros Durdevic to get off a right footed shot that would go past Rangel but also go wide. A left footed shot from outside the area from Bryan Alonso Gonzalez forced a save from Cardenas and although the ball was left there, Monterrey’s defense was able to clear the ball before somebody could get a close range chance. The halftime whistle blew as Chivas took their lead to the break.
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The 2nd half started with both teams coming out withe the same 11 they started the game with. Thirty seconds into the half, Chivas would win the ball just outside the area where Jose Castillo would surprise everybody by getting off a right footed shot past Cardenas to score and give Chivas the 2-0 lead. A longball into the area found a wide open Sepulveda, who incredibly got to the ball and send his right footed shot wide in a terrible miss. Fans in the stadium started booing their side as Chivas was just passing the ball against a team that was stunned by Castillo’s goal. From outside the area, Bryan Alonso Gonzalez got off a great left footed shot that went past Cardenas and into the net to score a great goal that increased the lead to 3-0. Monterrey subbed out Fidel Ambriz for Oliver Torres. Chivas subbed out Roberto Alvarado and Angel Sepulveda for Brian Gutierrez and Ricardo Marin. Off a corner, the ball was deflected and just out of reach from Castillo, who would have had an open net chance had he gotten to it. Durdevic got off a right footed shot in the area that forced a save from Rangel. Chivas subbed out an injured Richard Ledezma and Armando Gonzalez for Miguel Gomez and Santiago Sandoval. A cross into the area was headed dangerously close to two attackers but Rangel was able to get to the ball. Monterrey subbed out Luca Orellano and Roberto de la Rosa for Joaquin Moxica and Omar Galvez. Chivas subbed out Omar Govea for Efrain Alvarez. A cross into the area would find Uros Durdevic, who got off a right footed volley past Rangel to score and place the score at 3-1. Chivas would answer with a cross into the area that was volleyed just wide by Sandowal. Off a corner kick, Durdovic got off a close range header that Rangel saved. Sandoval got off a shot in the area that went wide. A cross into the area would be volleyed from close range by Ricardo Chavez and the ball went past Rangel and into the net to score and place the match at 3-2. A cross into the area in the final minute would turned into a shot that was handled by Alonso Gonzalez and a Penalty Kick was given to Monterrey. Durdevic stepped up to take the PK but Rangel made a wonderful save to stop the PK and save Chivas’ win. It turned out to be the final play of the match as Chivas held on for dear life.
With hero Raul Rangel saving them, Chivas got another victory that has them up top of Liga MX standings. It was going to be another solid victory but Chivas slept on a struggling Monterrey and needed last minute heroics from their goalkeeper to stopped a tie that would have felt like a loss. Chivas is the team that is playing the best in Mexico but will need to improve on defense in situations like this. After the FIFA break, where they will have a couple of players with the Mexican National team, they will host another team that is on the up and up in Pumas. Monterrey looked to continue their struggles and although it still is a bad result, that final comeback at least leaves some hope that Monterrey can improve especially when they get back injured Sergio Canales. They will have a great opportunity to prove it when they hosts struggling Atletico San Luis after the break.