First, on Tuesday it was announced the Carlos Ochoa would be joining Chivas on loan from Monterrey for the InterLiga, Clausura 2009, and Apertura 2009. For Ochoa this would be the 8th shirt he wear in Mexican futbol. We’ll see how it goes and at the end of the year we have the option to buy him.

Guess what?! Arellano is joining the team. We already have him, you say? That’s crazy. Well, you’re right. I’m talking about Omar Arellano Nuño, the current players’ daddy. He’s spent some time in Spain with Atleti and Javier Aguirre and now he’s come back to join the technical team. Mini-Arellano said that the relationship on the team would not be of father and son, but of two professionals. He also said he is happy to have his father there because they have never been able to work together. This will be an interesting relationship to watch develop.Hopefully, Mini’s goals will increase thanks to help by Dad. Besides, two Omar Arellano’s can always be better than one, right?

On December 22 there will be a charity match for the young kids of Iraq in Milan, Italy organized by La Organización Mundial por la Paz. Omar Arellano and Guillermo Ochoa of America were both invited to play in the match and Arellano was guaranteed 10 mins of playing time. The reason for inviting these two was to show that the football rivalry can transcend and help those in need and they were both chosen as the Mexican representatives. Efrain, told him no. The reasoning? Chivas are in preseason training and allowing Arellano to go would ruin some of the work planned and both agree the team comes first. Some of the world’s greatest stars will be at the match and an oldies game played by the stars of the 90’s will be played beforehand and will feature Jorge Campos. Some of the current stars set to play?
Carles Puyol, David Beckham, Iván Córdoba, Alessandro Nesta, Roberto Abondanzieri, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Alessandro del Piero, Drogba, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Raúl González, Steven Gerrard, Carlos Tévez, Francesco Totti, Javier Zanetti, Álvaro Recoba, Paolo Maldini.
Too bad, it would have been a great opportunity.

After the first leg in Argentina, we seemed comfortable lead of 2-1 with the away goal rules. Yes, there were still 90 minute left in the game but Chivas was in the mindset to win and advance.

Guadalajara

30 Hugo Hernández
6 Omar Esparza
4 Héctor Reynoso (YC 56′)
20 Édgar Mejía
16 Édgar Solís (Marc Fabián 46′)
5 Patricio Araujo (YC 39′)
7 Gonzalo Pineda (Alberto Medina 46′)
18 Xavier Báez
11 Ramón Morales (Antonio Olvera 71′)
9 Omar Arellano
21 Sergio Santana
Efraín Flores

River Plate

1 Juan Marcelo Ojeda
4 Paulo Ferrari (Rodrigo Archubi 76′)
2 Gustavo Cabral
16 Raúl Quiroga
3 Cristian Vallagra (YC 74′)
8 Matías Fernández
5 Oscar Ahumada (YC 6′)
11 Matías Abelairas (YC 24′)
10 Diego Buonanotte (YC 53′) (Gustavo Bou 62′)
9 Radamel Falcao
13 Sebastián Abreu
Diego Simeone

The game finally started with much anticipation. From the very opening seconds of the game River let Chivas know what they were there to do. Quickly they set themselves up for the attack and Chivas gave away a free kick. Reynoso should have received a yellow for the foul but since it was early in the game the ref let it slide. The River free kick was sent out by the wall and now Chivas had to worry about a corner. Unfortunately, they did not worry enough because it was only the second minute and Chivas were down 0-1. With this scoreline they would advance due to they away goals rule but they had to be very cautious now.

The game continued with River looking dangerous. In the 9th min Pato Araujo had to leave the field to get his head bandaged.

Our right side looked weak and River soon noticed and they got us again. It was the 20th minute and we were 0-2 down at home. There was absolutely nothing that Hugo Hernandez could do about Falcao’s shot to the lower right side of his goal.

The 28th minute showed a small fight break out between players as Buonanotte fouled Esparza and the latter retaliated. Somehow the whole group got involved and the already dirty game became more tense.

In the 42nd we had what should have been a penalty. River’s Ojeda clearly held on to Santana as he went into the area and wrapped his arms around him preventing Santana from getting the ball into the unattended goal. The ref didn’t mark this and tension mounted again.

The first half showed a bad Chivas. They constantly fouled, were overtaken by a River side, and were not working as a team. It was bad, bad, bad.

For the second half Edgar Solis and Gonzalo Pineda were taken out for Alberto Medina and Marco Fabian.

During the 59th we showed some signs that we were going to continue fighting for our place in the semi finals. We scored by a nice effort by Omar Arellano who received a long ball, looped it over defender, which fell to Marco Fabian who slotted it in. 2-1 and we were going to penalties.

Minutes later we again achieved what we were meant to do. It was the 64th and we tied 2-2 thanks to a play by Arellano to Medina who scored. With this score we were guaranteed to go through and we only had to endure the time that was left.

The rest of the time Hugo Hernandez became confident again and his performance was elevated. Time after time he made saves that kept us in the game. Any other scoreline would not have meant penalties. It was do or die. River continued to look dangerous and with 4 minutes of extra time it was worrying. The back line of the Chivas players seemed tired and let go of ball after ball. Finally it all ended.

We were lucky enough with the result because at any time, River could have easily made it 3-0, 4-0, etc. Fortunately, in the second half their finishing went down and Chivas played a bit better. Overall, it was down to luck and for a while Hugo Hernandez.

The game had definitely been tense and it showed all the way to the Managers. Both Efrain Flores and Diego Simeone were sent away during the course of the second half and on the field it was not much better having foul after foul.

Now, we face Internacional de Porto Alegre during the semi finals of the Sudamericana. Scheduling changes however pose a problem. With our possible qualification into the Liguilla we face squad depletion because of the short time in between games. Add in our international players that are sure to be called up for the games against Ecuador on Nov. 12 and the ever important World Cup Qualifying match for Mexico at the end of the month and we’ve got a problem.

A match report from a different perspective is also up here.

With Morales coming back injured we said goodbye to our captain and perhaps the most experienced player for this match. Luckily, it didn’t seem like we missed him too much. A win at the Azteca stadium seemed a bit daunting especially since we were away from home. A win would give us 3 much needed points, but a draw wouldn’t have been too bad either. A point is a point and it would have helped on the table. Anyways we started with
Guadalajara

30 Hugo Hernández
6 Omar Esparza (Alberto Medina 56′)
20 Édgar Mejía
4 Héctor Reynoso
19 Jonny Magallón
16 Édgar Solís
5 Patricio Araujo
18 Xavier Báez
8 Marco Fabián (Gonzalo Pineda 52′)
9 Omar Arellano
21 Sergio Santana (Sergio Ávila 64′)

and America with
1 Guillermo Ochoa
15 Jesús Sánchez
2 Ismael Rodríguez
5 Enrique Vera
6 Sebastián Domínguez
4 Oscar Rojas
20 Alejandro Argüello
25 Juan Carlos Silva (Juan Carlos medina 46′)
8 Federico Insua (Juan Carlos Mosqueda 79′)
7 Alfredo Moreno (Enrique Esqueda 68′)
9 Salvador Cabañas

Up to the 10th min we constantly attacked and troubled America’s defense. Solis also came down on the edge of the area and we were awarded a free kick which flashed across the goal.

In the 11th Arellano scored a goal which could have gone in as easily as not. It came off a cross/shot from Santana and we were up 1-0.

During the 24th minute Arellano and Fabian had a good combination up front but the moment was wasted by Fabian who fired a weak shot, one that could have done more damage.

The 26th min saw danger in our area. An America player played the ball in to our area with so much pace that as it rebounded off the top corner of the post, the “crack” was clearly heard. In the process Hernandez hit his jaw and had to be treated but was luckily able to continue.

Unfortunately, bad luck landed in our area when a corner headed by Dominguez went into goal. He had two defenders on it but our tallest, Reynoso, was overcome by him anyways. Hernandez dove the right way but was unable to get to the ball. It was the 32nd min and we were level 1-1.

In the 39th Araujo received a yellow for a foul on Insua.

Another scare in the 40th as Salvador Cabanas rounded the goalkeeper and scored but he was offsides. Still, it scared me.

So, half time came and the game was exciting. The constant attacking by Chivas had been welcomed although America slightly leveled after their equalizer to make it more of an even game. Despite the young age of the squad they were coping in the big game.

In the 2nd, the line up stayed the same for our side.

In the 5th min there was a great build up by Fabian and the shot rebounded and was shot by Santana. He was offside and he sent it over goal but it was a good effort.

The 7th min saw a HUGE mistake from America in which they missed a goal due to bad communication. Or confusion. It seemed like they were defending on the wrong side of the pitch.

11th min and Esparza went out injured and Medina came in.

The same minute saw an incredible save by Hernandez on a shot by Magallon which could have easily been an own goal.

19th min Santana came off for Avila.

In the 26th we saw an incredible goal again by Arellano. He ran and shot the ball over Ochoa for a spectacular shot and the 3rd goal this week.

The 44th we saw Magallon go out injured and it seemed like he hurt his arm as he was carried off in the little ambulance car. We had no more subs left and we were down to 10 men for the remainder of the game.

So, the game ended and we won 2-1. A great win away from home and a good addition to our points tally. Arellano scored both and it seems like its become a tradition to scored in the Classico’s for his family(both his grandfather and father did as well in their day). Hernandez didn’t have as great as a performance as he did in Argentina but then again America didn’t have as many great of shots. I was impressed with this game as I usually am with all the other classico’s but hopefully this week was a turn around to a winning streak.

The only bad thing, terrible thing actually, is that Johnny Magallon fractured his arm in a Michel-esque way. So he’ll be about for 2-3 months. Out of La Liga, Sudamericana, and El Tri. I wish him speedy recovery because he is a player that we’ll definitely miss. A rock that one.

An update on the Nery Castillo saga. It’s not only the players who don’t want him to come, it is him as well. At the time he has no desire to play in the America’s. My message to him: If you were regularly playing in Europe with Man City great. But unfortunately my friend you are not. It doesn’t seem like the time to be picking and choosing where you want to play. Wherever you can get minutes seems adequate. But perhaps Vergara will stop seeing as how Arellano has had some great performances this week. You missed out and we will gain from it.