Oakland was the stage for a special night for Guadalajara. In a context marked by six players called up to the National Team and three more sidelined through injury, Chivas found the resources it needed in its academy to build an impressive victory over América and cap off El Clásico de México with a performance that left much more than a favorable 2-0 scoreline.
Gabriel Milito had to rely on an unprecedented lineup, with Carlos Hernández playing as the left-sided center back, Luis Rey as the libero and Daniel Aguirre on the right. A completely new defensive line that, rather than showing any lack of continuity, responded with confidence against an América side that fielded practically its regular starting lineup from Liga MX.
The structure was completed by Leonel Calderón as the left wing-back and Richard Ledezma on the right, while Rubén González and Brian Gutiérrez formed the double pivot. Further forward, Jordan Carrillo and Kevin Castañeda were tasked with adding dynamism to the attack, with Ángel Sepúlveda serving as the attacking reference. And it was precisely from that area of the pitch that one of the keys to the night emerged.
Two attacking midfielders who made the difference
Jordan Carrillo and Kevin Castañeda interpreted the match differently, but in complementary ways. Castañeda was consistently involved in the build-up, dropping deeper to provide passing options and connecting particularly well with Ledezma, Sepúlveda and the ‘Oso’ González. His ability to appear at different heights on the pitch allowed Chivas to find combinations and progress the ball with clarity.
On the other side, Carrillo provided a change of pace. He moved between the attacking midfield area and the left flank, exchanged positions with Calderón and was especially important in the press. His intensity when closing down, tracking and winning the ball allowed Guadalajara to sustain many of its attacks in the opposition half. Together, they gave the team something fundamental: the mobility needed to maintain its structure.
A defense that stepped up
If there was one clear message in Oakland, it was the one delivered by the young players. Carlos Hernández played in his first Clásico and did so with confidence. The Rojiblanco academy product found passes between the lines and, above all, held his own in defensive duels against forwards of the caliber of Miguel Borja and Henry Martín.
At his side, Luis Rey brought experience from the libero position, while Daniel Aguirre was also involved in the build-up and combinations down the right flank, linking up with Castañeda and Ledezma to keep the ball moving.
Leonel Calderón also made the most of his opportunity. Playing as a left wing-back, he was a constant threat going forward and repeatedly entered the penalty area, creating three scoring opportunities. The goal never came for him, but his attacking presence was one of the constants throughout the match.
Sepúlveda, much more than just the goals
Ángel Sepúlveda stole the spotlight with his brace. First from the penalty spot and then with a superbly executed header, but his contribution went far beyond his goals.
The striker became involved in the build-up, dropped deeper to provide support near the midfielders and constantly battled with América’s center backs. His ability to hold up the ball and provide a reference point for the team allowed the young players around him to have a constant outlet. It was a performance that combined goals, experience and leadership.
The structure remained intact
The match also had a clear turning point. Chivas dominated the first half and managed to impose its conditions both with and without the ball. After halftime, América enjoyed more possession, but Guadalajara did not lose its structure. The team maintained its distances, resisted the pressure, won important duels and prevented América’s territorial dominance from turning into clear-cut scoring chances.
That was another one of the keys: Chivas did not need to abandon its identity to defend its lead. It remained organized, attacked vertically whenever space opened up and stood firm when América tried to push forward.
A message from the academy
The result in Oakland represents a valuable tune-up ahead of next Saturday’s Clásico Tapatío, but it also sends a message that goes beyond this particular match. With Miguel Gómez, José Castillo and Bryan González sidelined through injury, along with six players away on National Team duty, six young players developed in the club’s academy saw action and showed that they are ready to step up when their opportunity arrives.
And so ended a special night for Guadalajara: with a brace from Sepúlveda, a structure that remained solid throughout the 90 minutes and a generation of young players who used El Clásico as an opportunity to show that Chivas has an academy, resources and footballers ready to compete.
