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Chivas hold off Red Bulls to advance to CCL final

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Chivas de Guadalajara is moving on the in Concacaf Champions League after holding onto their slim aggregate lead to leave the New York Red Bulls asking “what if” yet again.

After winning the first leg of the semifinal series against the Red Bulls, Chivas had to stop the Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena, a task that no team had yet accomplished in 2018. Despite the active away support in the stands, Chivas remained content to stifle the Red Bulls rather than attack. It was a strategy that ultimately proved successful, winning 1-0 on aggregate with a 0-0 draw.

The Red Bulls came out in the first half exactly as Jesse Marsch would have wanted. They played with intensity and focus, seemingly never letting Chivas settle into the game. All that was missing for the Red Bulls was the final product, though they had numerous chances.

Their best chance in the half came from a nifty pass and move play between Florian Valot, Tyler Adams, and Daniel Royer. Royer managed to place a cross low in front of the goal mouth, but the out stretched foot of Kemar Lawrence could not reach the cross in time.

Chivas played to their strengths, remaining patient, allowing the Red Bulls to run themselves all around the field, and pick their chances moving forward. They also made sure to slow down the game playing physically at all levels of the field.

Chivas slowly climbed into the game in the second half as they found more room to operate as the Red Bulls began to run out of steam. Their counter attacking moves began to spell danger to the Red Bulls with every errant ball from the 50th minute onward. The Red Bulls grasp on the game and the series hung in the balance.

When it mattered most, the Red Bulls could not find a way to break down a team that is willing to put all of its players behind the ball, conceding possession, and frustrating a stagnant offense.

Man of the Match

Chivas’s entire backline deserves the credit. Edwin Hernandez, Oswaldo Alanis, Carlos Salcido, and Carlos Cisneros put in a herculean effort, turning the Red Bulls away at every chance.

Moment of the Match

Royer’s cross that looked destined for the back of the goal that went begging was the story of the match for the Red Bulls. The frustration of years of futility in a single play.

Match to Forget

Bradley Wright-Phillips did not stand out as the worst player on the Red Bulls, but he failed to live up to his enormous reputation at a critical moment for the club yet again. Back to the drawing board.

Comments

  1. I didn’t like Marsch tactics for game to play long ball all game. It made any build up play ineffective, and limited clean looks on goal! Club America were happy to deal with balls huffed up top, towards the 18 all day, and to be honest this is why for me Marsch can’t be USMNT manager!

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  2. Chivas did not play. They put 10 or 11 men behind the ball. From an entertainment point of view, the Red Bull did all the work while Chivas was content to sit back and foul. The referee’s decision to “let them play” did not help the Red Bull in the end, even though that often helps the Red Bull. Most teams are embarrassed to play with so many obvious tactical fouls and such blatant time-wasting for 90 minutes.

    Toronto has more than one goal scorer and will probably score against that strategy, if nothing else from a Giovinco free kick. Fouling Toronto has a steep price after all.

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  3. Chivas hold off NYRB…..I think its more like they “parked the bus” on NYRB, and Jesse Marsch had no blueprint to break down that backline. If Chivas de Guadalajara tries that with TFC and give Giovinco chance after chance……hmmmm

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    • RBNY did not look to have much of a strategy in the final 30 minutes. They lumped it into the box, like a good ole’ english championship team.

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  4. Well I am not one to go lightly on people not smart enough to go to soccer games in the US, especially these CCL games, they are so good, but you have to realize, even in Seattle, Chivas fans took about 1/2 of the seats.

    Not mine, smart enough to be on the front end of how exciting CCL is.

    I gotta think that Toronto will be favored. Chivas barely beat a terrible ( injured ) Seattle team and NY.
    They don’t look like CCL champs. Toronto does.

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  5. if this was the first leg, we would be happy that RBNY did not let in an away goal. Overall, a better showing this year from the MLS. Hopefully Toronto will do what Montreal and Real Salt Lake could not.

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  6. The crowd was probably 60-65% Chivas fans. Although you could have thought it was more because they were louder when they played well. At first they were quiet when the Red Bulls were pressing and getting shots. As the game wore on they became louder and drown out any Red Bulls songs or cheers.

    A uninspired performance in my opinion, minus the first 10 minutes. At least Toronto has a chance at this point.

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  7. BWP was playing asa midfielder. He now has to start and end the play. This is going to ve a tough season but dont blame BWP blame marsh and his tactical nonsense. Match to forget: marsh davis adams who disappeared for most of match

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  8. Red Bull Arena is where US teams in international competitions go to die. General consensus was crowd was about 75% Chivas fans :/

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    • 1) There is a huge Mexican population in the NY/NJ metropolitan area; 2) if you wanted to buy a ticket for the match, NYRB was requiring you to buy 3 additional Red Bull MLS matches as well. Not a bad move by Red Bulls BUT that drove the resale ticket prices up, so Red Bull’s supporters started selling their tickets to the match to cash in. This did two things – it gave the Chivas fans a cheaper ticket option and it reduced the number of Reb Bull supporters at the match.

      BTW – where have you been the last 30 years? This is nothing new, Particularly when it comes to Mexico.

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  9. Fire marsh he destroyed red bulls championship sticking to adams and davis who diaspeared for most of the match yes they can run and press but can they unlock a defense no

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  10. What game were you watching chivas did nothing for two games and was gifted a goal by tyler adams. Someone bench this kid! Disappeared tonight along with shawn davis. Chivas was horroble

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  11. Tired of jesse marsch. He had a winning team and he did not play it. Tyler and davis are overated. They dont unlock defenses and didappear for long stretches. Feel bad for BWP who now has to be a midfielder just to get the plays started

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  12. Match to forget: marsch who blew it tactically by pulling BWP back and pushing valot foward to press. Marsh won against a better tijuana buy felt the need to add his wrinkles and blew

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