Chivas 2-4 América summary: score, goals, highlights | Liga MX Clausura 2023
Chivas #Chivas
Club América have moved up into second spot in the Liga MX Clausura 2023 standings after an impressive Clásico Nacional win against Chivas at Estadio Akron, which had at one stage looked as if it would be by considerably more than the final two-goal margin. For the first time ever, Las Águilas were 3-0 up away from home at half-time against their rivals and even went into a four-goal lead just after half-time, but took their foot off the gas and allowed the home side to grab a couple of consolation goals.
Early América dominance
The visitors wasted little time in stamping their authority on the game, Diego Valdés firing a warning shot against the angle of post and bar after little over 90 seconds. América dominance followed and it seemed as if it were just a matter of time until they opened the scoring. So it proved. Valdés was again involved, playing the ball in behind Alan Mozo for Jonathan Rodríguez, who curled a superb low strike into the far corner in off the post after 16 minutes.
Chivas threatened to level on a couple of occasions almost immediately, with Luis Malagón tipping over Robert Alvarado’s angled shot before Carlos Cisneros headed wide from just a few yards out under pressure from a defender. Would things have been different if either of those two efforts had gone in? We’ll never know.
Ruthlessness from Las Águilas either side of half-time
Two goals for América before half-time all but killed off the contest. Rodríguezclinically finished at the end of a well-worked counter-attack with Henry Martin, minutes before Leo Suárez smashed in a loose ball in the penalty box on the volley.
Alvarado glanced another header inches wide for Chivas as they looked for a lifeline before half-time, but they were punished further just after the interval as Martín stooped to head home Emilio Lara’s cross. América’s convincing lead was starting to turn into a humiliation for the home side.
Chivas threaten unlikely comeback
There were still more than 35 minutes left on the clock and it looked as if things were about to get seriously ugly for Velkjo Paunovic and his men. But they at least managed to make the scoreline respectable in what was left of the match, although they did need a helping hand to get started. Mozo’s hopeful ball in from the right was missed by Alvarado but headed beyond his own goalkeeper by the backtracking Lara.
10 minutes later and, all of a sudden, we were wondering if an unlikely comeback was about to take place. Alvarado’s cross was headed back across goal by Daniel Ríos and Sergio Flores nodded down past Malagón to give Chivas a glimmer of hope with 20 minutes left.
Alexis Vega returns for Chivas
That, however, proved to be that, despite the best efforts of Alexis Vega, who came off the bench for Chivas at half-time and put in a lively performance in attack. América shut up shop in the closing stages to make sure they didn’t suffer the embarrassment of surrendering a four-goal lead and despite the hosts’ huffing and puffing, there was no way through in the closing stages.
Chivas have now lost back-to-back matches having previously won for in a row, slipping out of the top four and down to fifth spot as a result. América leapfrog their rivals thanks to their victory and now find themselves in second place in the standings, although they are a whopping eight points adrift of runaway leaders Monterrey.