Chivas turns it around with pure heart and advances to the CL26 Semifinals! | OneFootball

THIS IS CHIVAS! As if it were the perfect birthday gift for the club’s 120th anniversary, the unity between Guadalajara and its fans made it happen: the Rebaño defeated Tigres 2-0 in a roaring Estadio AKRON (3-3 on aggregate), completing a comeback worthy of the history books and advancing to the Clausura 2026 Semifinals thanks to their higher position in the standings.

There was no tomorrow for the Rojiblancos; everyone knew it from the preparation leading into the match, and it became even clearer during the open training session, where Chivahermanos showed up in full force to motivate the team ahead of the second leg of the Quarterfinals. In a Fortaleza Rojiblanca that had been alive for hours before kickoff, the Nación Rojiblanca played its role as if it were another player on the pitch. And the team responded with tremendous intensity, even having an early goal incorrectly ruled out for offside.

Not even that could shake Guadalajara’s determination. Gabriel Milito’s side attacked in every possible way, always backed by its supporters. Quick combinations, crosses, runs in behind, and multiple attacking variations pinned Tigres deep in their own half, forcing their defenders to the limit and wearing them down physically.

The reward finally came late in the match, led by one of the players who had pushed hardest all night long: Santiago Sandoval scored a brace to send Chivas into yet another Semifinal, proving once again that this squad can compete against anyone, with the most Mexican roster in the league.

A standing ovation to the 45,000 Chivahermanos who became one with their team, because without that unmatched support, this victory would not have felt the same.

The Rebaño now awaits its Semifinal opponent, pending the conclusion of the remaining three Quarterfinal series. What they do know already is that they will once again close the series at home, with their people, in an atmosphere even more unforgettable than this one.

The goals

- THE HOUSE OF MEXICANS ERUPTED! In the 73rd minute, after a series of rebounds, Santiago Sandoval appeared inside the six-yard box to push the ball into the net and bring the Rebaño closer to the comeback.

- WHAT A NIGHT FOR ‘SANDO’! In the 76th minute, the academy product struck again, this time with a perfectly placed header across goal that beat Guzmán and sent the Nación Chiva into another frenzy.

The dangerous chances

- Marín had scored in the 1st minute! After a brilliant through ball from Sandoval, the ‘4K’ went one-on-one with Guzmán and buried his shot, sending the AKRON into chaos, but the assistant incorrectly flagged for offside.

- GOVEA WARNED THEM WITH A ROCKET! In the 8th minute, after a fantastic passing sequence from Chivas, Omar unleashed a thunderous shot from the edge of the box that forced Nahuel to tip it away for a corner.

- Now it was ‘Cotorro’! On the next play, a cross to the far post found González, who struck a fierce volley that unfortunately met the goalkeeper’s positioning and was deflected away.

- Guadalajara never stopped pushing! This time José Castillo threatened in the 12th minute with a flicked header at the back post that beat everyone, but a desperate clearance off the line denied the goal.

- In the 25th minute, ‘Efra’ bent a free kick toward the top corner, but the curve did not dip in time.

- In the 27th minute, Campillo carried the ball forward from defense, created space near the box, and fired a right-footed shot that narrowly missed the post.

- In the 35th minute, Chivas tried a rehearsed corner-kick routine involving three quick passes that left Sandoval open for a far-post attempt, though he could not direct it on target.

- SO CLOSE, ‘SEPU’! In the 45th minute, Sepúlveda rose highest to meet a pinpoint cross from Ledezma and directed a header toward the far post, but it skimmed the outside of the upright.

- In the 54th minute, another set-piece routine created space for Govea, who smashed the ball with his laces, only for Guzmán to make the save.

- WHALLEY! In the 81st minute, Guadalajara’s goalkeeper came up huge twice in succession: first stopping a low shot from Brunetta, then denying a point-blank header from Gignac, drawing thunderous applause from the Chivahermanos.

Guadalajara (3) 2-0 (3) Tigres(Santiago Sandoval 73’, 76’)Referee: Marco Antonio Ortiz NavaEstadio AKRON

Lineups

Guadalajara: 13 Óscar Whalley; 2 José Castillo (24 Miguel Gómez 67’), 19 Diego Campillo, 5 Bryan González; 37 Richard Ledezma (3 Gilberto Sepúlveda 83’ (YC 97’)), 6 Omar Govea, 28 Rubén González (C), 226 Santiago Sandoval (31 Yael Padilla 90’); 10 Efraín Álvarez (4 Miguel Tapias 90’), 17 Ricardo Marín (67 Sergio Aguayo 83’) and 20 Ángel Sepúlveda.Head Coach: Gabriel Milito

Tigres: 1 Nahuel Guzmán; 2 Francisco Reyes (RC 89’), 23 Rómulo Zwarg, 27 Jesús Angulo (10 André-Pierre Gignac 79’ (YC 97’)), 14 Jesús Garza (YC 44’) (20 Marcelo Flores 79’); 5 César Araújo, 6 Juan Vigón (33 Rafael Guerrero 61’), 11 Juan Brunetta (C); 30 Diego Sánchez (16 Diego Lainez 45’), 7 Ángel Correa and 17 Rodrigo Aguirre (32 Vladimir Loroña 59’).Head Coach: Guido Pizarro