Chivas Draws Cruz Azul in the First Leg and Will Fight for a Spot in the CL26 Final at the Jalisco | OneFootball

Mexico City.- Chivas showed personality at the Estadio Azteca, as they tried to impose their style of play and ultimately secured a 2-2 draw against Cruz Azul in the first leg of the Clausura 2026 Semifinals. Now, Guadalajara will look to finish the job and punch their ticket to the Final next Saturday at the Estadio Jalisco, where, backed by their fans, they will aim to make home-field advantage count, knowing that any draw on aggregate will send them through to the next round.

The Rebaño found success early in the match through long balls and aggressive pressure after losing possession, which allowed them to recover several balls in the opponent’s half and create danger around Cruz Azul’s goal. That persistence paid off when Santiago Sandoval appeared to open the scoring and net his third goal of the current Liguilla, unleashing the roar of the rojiblanca fans at the Azteca.

However, Cruz Azul responded quickly and managed to level the match minutes later. From that point on, the game entered a phase of shared control, with both teams alternating possession spells and attacking opportunities. Both Guadalajara and La Máquina had important moments going forward, although neither side managed to reflect it on the scoreboard before halftime, which ended with the score tied 1-1.

The start of the second half brought an important tactical adjustment from Gabriel Milito, who completely altered the team’s structure with the introduction of Miguel Gómez in place of Efraín Álvarez. The substitution had a major impact on Guadalajara’s defensive behavior and off-ball play. In fact, Gómez wasted little time making his presence felt, delivering a precise cross that Ángel Sepúlveda converted with a powerful header to restore Chivas’ lead.

Nevertheless, Cruz Azul reacted quickly once again and found the equalizer through a controversial penalty, converted by Osinachi Ebere—who had stamped on Diego Campillo earlier in the first half. After that moment, the pace of the match gradually slowed down, with both teams managing their energy levels and showing the natural fatigue of such a demanding series. With the score tied and the decisive chapter still to be played on Saturday, the match closed at a lower intensity.

Goals:

0-1: Santiago Sandoval opened the scoring in the 29th minute, reacting quickest to a rebound left by Kevin Mier.

1-1: Carlos Rodríguez equalized in the 37th minute with a great finish from the right side that beat the Chivas goalkeeper.

1-2: Ángel Sepúlveda restored Chivas’ lead early in the second half, as he powered home a header in the 50th minute following an excellent cross from Miguel Gómez on the left flank.

2-2: Osinachi Ebere converted a controversial penalty in the 56th minute to set the final score.

Cruz Azul 2-2 Chivas(Carlos Rodríguez 37’, Osinachi Ebere 56’)(Santiago Sandoval 29’, Ángel Sepúlveda 50’)Referee: Maximiliano Quintero HernándezEstadio Azteca

Lineups

Cruz Azul: Kevin Mier, Omar Campos, Willer Ditta, Amaury García, Gonzalo Piovi, Rodolfo Rotondi, Jeremy Márquez, Carlos Rodríguez, Agustín Palavecino, José Paradela, Osinachi Ebere.Head Coach: Joel Huiqui

Chivas: Óscar Whalley, Richard Ledezma, José Castillo, Diego Campillo, Bryan González, Rubén González, Omar Govea, Efraín Álvarez (Miguel Gómez 46’), Santiago Sandoval, Ángel Sepúlveda, Ricardo Marín.Head Coach: Gabriel Milito