Chivas finally bagged their first victory of the Apertura 2026 season last night, snatching a brutal 1-0 win over FC Juarez thanks to a last-minute goal from Roberto Alvarado at Akron Stadium. After a home loss to Toluca just last week, this was a nail-biter that felt like it was slipping away for 89 minutes.
When “Dominant” Doesn’t Mean Scoring Goals
From the jump, this game was a wild ride of missed chances. FC Juarez came out swinging, with Jose Luis Rodriguez unleashing a left-footed shot that smacked the post just ten seconds in, followed by Jordan Carrillo’s right-footed attempt sailing just wide from outside the area. Oscar Estupiñan even got a lobbed shot off that got past Chivas keeper Raul Rangel but went wide. Despite that visiting team’s better start, Chivas quickly took over possession. They were “overly superior” by halftime, but what good is possession without a finish? Bryan Alonso Gonzalez had a header saved and another left-footed shot clang off the post. Armando Gonzalez saw his close-range header denied by the post too after a cross from Luis Romo, and Chivas’ Jordan Carrillo’s right-footed shot was well saved by Juarez keeper Sebastian Jurado. It was 0-0 at the half and you could feel the home crowd’s frustration bubbling.
Second Half Scramble Ends in Sweet Relief
The second half started with no changes, but Chivas faltered, letting Juarez gain more possession. The game turned into a “poorly played” affair, with neither side creating many dangerous chances. The subs started flying, with Chivas bringing in Efrain Alvarez for Jordan Carrillo, and later Ricardo Marin, Kevin Castañeda, and Diego Campillo. Juarez countered, swapping out Javier Aquino, Haret Ortega, and Ricardinho for Francisco Nevarez, Jairo Torres, and Monchu. Chivas’ Armando Gonzalez forced a save from Jurado, and Kevin Castañeda had a shot easily saved. Then, a moment that could have cost Chivas everything: a bad mistake by Juarez’s keeper Sebastian Jurado allowed Bryan Alonso Gonzalez a header at an almost empty net, but somehow it still went wide! You just can’t make this stuff up! Just when it felt like Chivas was destined for another frustrating home draw, a cross came into the box in the last minute of play. Ricardo Marin headed it perfectly to a wide-open Roberto Alvarado, who didn’t miss. Finally!
Chivas gets to breathe for a minute, heading south to face Puebla in their first away match of the season. Meanwhile, FC Juarez will host Pumas. What a way to finally get that first W!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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