11th Matchday: América 1-0 Chivas

Not the result I expected, Chivas lost the Superclásico against rivals América in Mexico City's Azteca Stadium. It is the first time in 2 years (7 matches) that the holy flock loses against our most bitter opponent. Américas goalie and NT material, Francisco Guillermo Ochoa, steered them to victory with 3 saves against Omar Bravo.

Damn! At least it's good that I don't do bets.

Concacaf Champion's Cup Semifinal: DC United 1-1 Chivas

Chivas didn't perform that well in the rain on Thursday, and they let a win slip at the last moments of the game. Let's hope that they wake up on the return leg, because we want to see them play in Japan.

9th Matchday: Pumas 0-0 Chivas

My favourite team couldn't give me a better birthday gift, and tied with Pumas (the team from the National University in Mexico City) 0-0 at their stadium in Ciudad Universitaria. The match according to reports was very intense, and the goalkeepers saved the day for both teams.

Pumas used to be my second favourite team, until a fatidic day in summer 2004 when they beat Chivas at the final for that year's Clausura. The relationship between both teams had bittered considerably since, and their meetings have now being hyped by the media as a new "Clásico".

This time, however, the boards didn't warm up the game, the fans mixed without consequences in the stands and after a very good game players from both teams left the field in good spirits.

8th Matchday: Chivas 2-0 Querétaro

The Guadalajara team finally won a Mexican league match at home, beating relegation candidates Querétaro 2-0. The White Roosters (Gallos Blancos) actually didn't play such a bad match, but Tepa Solís (on loan from Chivas) conceded a penalty by handballing in the box which Omar Bravo duly scored, and Ramoncito Morales sealed the scoresheet with a flawless free kick. Chivas now leads the table. The goals below.

Concacaf Champions Cup second leg: Chivas 3-0 West Connection

The team from Guadalajara did what it was supposed to do since the first match and beat the Trinitarians by three goals without reply, including a brace by bench boy Santana. Bofo Bautista failed to score from the penalty spot, but he still scored in an unrelated play. Below the second goal.


In other news, the Mexican national team (without the Europe-based players) beat Venezuela by 3-1, in the first victory of the Hugo Sánchez era. Below the first two goals.

7th Matchday: Necaxa 2-4 Chivas

The holy flock visited Aguascalientes yesterday and won again away from home (which is rather relative, since being the most popular team in the country means that at most stadiums the crowd is mostly composed of their supporters). Bofo Bautista started again after mending his differences with the coach, and a hattrick from Omar Bravo and a nice goal by Ramoncito Morales sealed the scoresheet. Alberto Venado Medina also played an important part in the game.


Now I hope they play like this next Wednesday.

5th Matchday: Chivas 1-1 Monterrey

This game was postponed due to the CONCACAF Champions Cup match. The game was not great, and Chivas still hasn't won at home.

6th Matchday: Atlante 0-3 Chivas

They played at Azteca Stadium as if they had actually read the complaints in the press about their previous match: they scored 2 goals in the first 8 minutes and a last one at the end of the first half. According to mediotiempo.com, the team played very intelligent team football.

I was waiting for the goals to be posted in YouTube (especially the first, which to my understanding was an overhead kick from a defender), but they haven't been yet.

Update: the second and the third goals linked, the first below.

CONCACAF Champions Cup Quarterfinals first leg: West Connection 2-1 Chivas

Disgusting game from Chivas last Tuesday. We lost 2-1 in Trinidad, the team thought that just by being present they'd win. Let's see how they play in the return leg at Jalisco stadium.



The winner of the CCC will qualify to the World Club Cup in Japan in December, so that's why it's important that they win the tournament.

4th Matchday: Cruz Azul 1-2 Chivas

Chivas won at the Estadio Azul 2-1, in a game where all our goals came from free kick plays. According to mediotiempo.com, the game was not great, but was well played, and our new goalkeeper Luis Michel made some very important saves, stepping up to Oswaldo Sánchez's shoes.

The goals below.

"Bofo" Bautista ('29)


"Maza" Rodríguez ('73)

3rd Matchday: Chivas 0-1 Pachuca.

Chivas lost on an injury time goal from Landín at home.

At least the team knows now that they aren't invincible, so they should keep alert.

Mexican league 2nd Matchday: Santos Laguna 2-3 Chivas

In the first game against his former team, goalkeeper Oswaldo Sánchez couldn't stop Santos from losing at home against Chivas, even though he had some very good saves.

Alberto Medina confirmed his great form by scoring two goals while Omar Bravo also found the back of the net. At the end of the game, Chivas fell back and Santos's "Hachita" Ludueña scored two. Santos is still prime candidate for the relegation zone.

The last Chivas goal below, the other two here and here.

1st Matchday Clausura 2007: Chivas-Toluca

A reload of the Apertura 2006 final, Chivas received Toluca at the Jalisco stadium for the 1st matchday of the new tournament. In between the two games Oswaldo Sánchez, former captain, goalkeeper and idol, was sold to Santos Laguna and Ramoncito Morales was chosen in his place. Chivas was also selected by the IFFHS as the 24th best football team in the world, which doesn't sound too bad either.

According to the news reports Saturday's game was entertaining, with Chivas tying at the last minute with a sublime freekick from our new captain.

More information at mediotiempo.com, the video highlights below.


In other news, Hugo Sánchez had his first team training with the national team as new coach today. Twelve players have been called from those that went to the World Cup in Germany last year, and there are 8 players from Chivas.

I really like the new Adidas uniforms. Nike is not providing them anymore as their contract ran out, and the Mexican Football Federation didn't renew their contract for two reasons: Adidas's offer was better and Nike had serious problems meeting jersey demand from the public during the WC.

Great week for Mexican football (almost)

It is said in Mexico that when Chivas does well, the National Team does well. We hope this is the case now that we won the Mexican Championship. To make matters even better, Pachuca won the Copa Sudamericana, becoming the first Mexican team to win a CONMEBOL tournament, where we play as guests.

Now if only Club América had actually done something at the World Club Cup, instead of getting trashed by FC Barcelona and then humilliated by Al Ahly. They don't even deserve our hate, only our pity (their slogan after they qualified to the WCC was "Hate me in Japanese"... I guess it backfired).

¡Chivas Campeón! (2-1 vs. Toluca)

Finally, after a long wait the Mexican Championship is ours in the year of our 100th birthday. I'm overflowing with joy right now.

The match was quite a ride, as Toluca scored first and they're known for their sturdy defence. All the details at mediotiempo.com.

¡Chivas, Chivas, Chivas!

They almost kicked me out of the internet café where I was watching the game when Bofo Bautista scored the second goal, as a little shout came out of my mouth without me noticing where I was... ;-)

Now, we'll have the publishing break. See you next week.

Update: The goals below. 100,000 people celebrated in Guadalajara, and a couple of thousand in Mexico City. Not bad for a club with 50 million followers.

Mexican league Finals (first leg): Chivas 1-1 Toluca

What we didn't want to happened happened, and Toluca got a tie out of the first leg of the Mexican league finals (and to think I woke up at 5 a.m. CET friday to listen to the second half). The game was tactical as expected (Chivas plays very attacking football, whereas Toluca is pure catenaccio these days). The refereeing was horrible (they didn't signal a penalty), and Toluca got what they went to the Jalisco Stadium for, they got the tie.

The goals courtesy of Youtube here and here.

The penalty that wasn't awarded below:


Now Chivas has to beat Toluca at their stadium on Sunday either in regular time, extra time or penalties, something the team hasn't pulled off for 9 years. Now would be the time.

Mexican league semifinals: Chivas 0(2)-(0)0 América

Chivas again demonstrated that it's just a much better team than América this year by holding them to a goalless draw at the Azteca Stadium. América and Chivas met 4 times during 2006, with Chivas taking the scalp in the Superclásico 3 times, and this goalless draw that gets them through to the finals against Toluca. Information from mediotiempo.

The highlights courtesy of Youtube.

Mexican League Semifinals: Chivas 2-0 América

Chivas played last night a Superclásico in the semifinals, beating América 2-0. After a lot of media coverage, the game started rather imprecisely in the first half, but the goals came in the second: penalty scored by Ramoncito Morales and a header by Omar Bravo. San Oswaldo Sánchez, Chivas goalkeeper, saved a dubious penalty.

The return leg will be on Sunday night (Monday very early morning CET). I'll post a video of the goals when available. In the meantime, you can watch the gallery at mediotiempo.com.

Update:Video with the goals below.

Best ad I've seen in a long, long time...

Sorry, this one's in Spanish.



The kid asks "Who scored?".

Cruz Azul 2 (2)-(4) 2 Chivas

Chivas tied with Cruz Azul at their stadium in Mexico City, but went through to the semifinals of the Apertura 2006 tournament thanks to their previous victory of 2-0 at the Jalisco stadium in the first leg. The video highlights below:




Now Chivas will play América in the semifinals on Thursday night (early Friday CET)... the Superclásico is served. In the other semifinal, Pachuca will play Toluca.

¡Vamos Chivas!