What were the keys to Chivas' victory over Cincinnati? | OneFootball

It was clear that the final match of the 2025 Leagues Cup would not be easy for Guadalajara, as they faced FC Cincinnati, one of the strongest teams in the MLS. However, the team led by Gabriel Milito left a good impression, not only because of the 1-2 victory, but also because the Rebaño performed extraordinarily well and showed outstanding football, which we will analyze below.

Chivas took to the field with their familiar lineup: Rangel in goal, Campillo, Sepúlveda, and Castillo as center backs, while Mozo and "Cotorro" started as wingbacks. In midfield were "Oso" González and Romo, while up front we saw Efraín, Padilla, and "Hormiga."

Guadalajara took the initiative in the first half, controlling the pace of the game and making Cincinnati feel uncomfortable in their own stadium. One of the most important keys for the Rebaño was the way in which the stoppers were involved in building up play, as both Diego Campillo and José Castillo gained ground on the field and practically lined up alongside the midfielders.

The Rebaño's first goal came from a great combination on the right wing, featuring Alan Mozo and Efraín Álvarez, who used one-two passes to eliminate opponents from the path, so that the Rojiblanco wingback was subsequently brought down and the referee awarded a penalty, which was well executed by 'Efra'. The penalty kick bore the hallmark of Milito's Chivas, as from day one they have been known for being a team that combines well in short passes.

The second goal was also the result of the great work Guadalajara has done over the past few weeks, as it came from extraordinary high pressure led by Diego Campillo and Efraín Álvarez, who caused the loss of possession and then the Rebaño's left-footed striker served the ball to 'Hormiga', who continues in great form and scored the goal that sealed the victory.

In fact, the pressure exerted by Chiverío was fundamental to the course of the game, as it had an unusual but very functional structure. The first to jump in and apply pressure were Armando González and Alan Mozo, something that is not so common for the Rebaño Sagrado defender, as he is more accustomed to staying a little lower in that phase. Gabriel Milito took advantage of Alan's energy and good execution to disrupt Cincinnati's exit.

Finally, let's talk about how valuable the presence of Efraín Álvarez and Armando González was. The two have complemented each other well so far this semester, so much so that two of the three goals scored by "La Hormiga" came from passes by the left-footed player. In the match against Cincinnati alone, Álvarez scored a goal and provided an assist, in addition to making multiple positive contributions by getting involved in the build-up play. For his part, González was quite sharp in his back support and also in his link-up play. In fact, he played a tremendous pass to Luis Romo that almost ended in a goal.