Liga MX's two grandes are struggling to meet expectations and could face big changes, GOAL US dives into why.
The referee made it clear to anyone watching. The penalty he called would be the last kick of the game. Atlas veteran Aldo Rocha stepped up and converted, the whistle blew as promised and Chivas’ season ended.
The Guadalajara side fell 2-1 to its crosstown rival Thursday night in a match that sent the winner to the next round of Liga MX’s play-in to make the – the eight-team playoff that will decide the league champion. With the defeat, Chivas now face a long holiday period in which the legendary club will have to find a manager, sign improved players, and convince fans that it is on the right path to a return to greatness.
On the other hand, Club América, Chivas’ biggest rival, could’ve been forced into this weekend’s deciding play-in match. Perhaps they even should have. Club Tijuana led the teams’ Thursday night contest that sent the winner to the No. 7 seed of the Liguilla and the loser to the contest against Atlas. But in the 74th minute, Tijuana defender Nico Díaz put his boot through the neck and face of América midfielder Alvaro Fidalgo to reduce Tijuana to 10 men.
América winger Alejandro Zendejas set up Cristian Borja for a goal in the 91st minute, then thought he had won it himself even later in stoppage time only for the goal to be disallowed because of a handball in the box. América then was able to win a back-and-forth penalty shootout.
Getty Images SportWhy did Chivas’ season end?
While Chivas fans rightly can feel aggrieved by a penalty given against the team that sealed its fate, the reality is that ' season has been doomed for months.
Since the abrupt departure of Fernando Gago to manager Boca Juniors, there has been little enthusiasm about Chivas having any real chances of winning silverware or even making a deep run. Gago's departure has led to fans focusing their frustrations on the manager for the lack of respect he showed to one of the proudest and most important clubs in Mexico. Yet, the club's lack of a transition plan cost it.
Chivas didn’t help themselves by sticking with interim manager Arturo Ortega, someone with experience developing players but no experience getting results in the first division. Chivas will now search for a better fit at manager, but they needed to be more assertive from the start if they wanted to find success in the Apertura this season.
While Gago's bolting marked a steep decline, the team wasn’t flying with the Argentine at the helm, either. Injuries to key attackers, especially veteran forward Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez, only made their finishing woes more frustrating as Chivas typically were able to defend well but couldn’t score. Defeats to Atlas in the regular-season , to lowly Puebla, and on the final day to Atlético San Luis put the club in this position. They never looked like a team that would find inspiration and rally for a title chase.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportWhy is América struggling?
América not only is one of the country’s most popular teams, but it’s also one of the best at the moment. At least, it has been. Las Aguilas won back-to-back titles at this time last year and in the spring, joining a small, elite group of teams to win consecutive short tournaments.
This season did not start well, however, with América winning just two of its first six. It has struggled with injuries, as nearly every player has missed some time this season and key pieces like Zendejas – who was out for almost two months – center back Igor Lichnovsky – who is out for the season – and playmaker Diego Valdes all have missed significant time.
That made it tough for a team that made a decent run in the Leagues Cup and had other commitments like the Campeones Cup, which it won against the Columbus Crew, to establish a rhythm.
Yet, even when América has been healthy, it has found itself in games like Thursday’s – or games like the one it lost two weeks ago to Toluca 4-0.
That’s a problem because it now faces Toluca in the playoffs in a two-legged series. It’s also a series in which it won’t have a true home-field advantage. While América’s home record is decent this season, renovations to the Estadio Azteca meant the team was playing across town at Mexico City’s Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes. Controversy with the local government there means the club may have to play its home match for this series in Puebla, about 90 miles east of their typical home.
Even when the team has been at relatively full strength, there are too many individual errors at the back like the ones that led to Xolos goals. As the blowout in Toluca showed a few weeks ago, good teams will take advantage of those gifted scoring chances.
América will have to decide if they need a winger who can replace Julian Quiñones who departed in the summer, if they need more center-back cover before Lichnovsky's return, and whether or not they'll accept offers from abroad for current players like Fidalgo or center back Sebastian Caceres.
What's next for both sides?
The one grande this year that has lived up to the label is No. 1 seed Cruz Azul, who América ducked playing in the first round by securing the No. 7 seed. Tijuana or Atlas will go into that spot and face a team that is re-establishing itself as a top club in Mexico.
Both Chivas and América may need to do the same this winter. The expectations at Mexico’s two biggest, most-supported, and historically most successful clubs are that they always win titles – not that they end up in the play-in round of the playoffs and get bounced in that game or barely sneak in.
Both clubs’ ownership groups have plenty to think about, and the sporting departments will already need to be in overdrive to find the right piece to improve the squads and make sure they don’t find themselves in these situations again in the Clausura.
Looking ahead to Liga MX playoffs
The final play-in date for the Liga MX playoffs kicks off on Nov. 24 before the postseason starts in full on Nov. 27. The final will take place between Dec. 12-15.