Guadalajara Starts Liga MX Season with a Win
Guadalajara kicked off their Liga MX season with a 2-1 victory on the road. Debutante Yair Padilla scored the winning goal in the 81st minute, assisted by skipper Víctor Guzmán. The Chivas, last season’s losing finalist, showed their determination to compete for the championship once again. Unlike other top contenders who stumbled on Opening Night, Guadalajara made a strong statement with their win. The team’s coach, Veljko Paunovic, also gave two other young players their Liga MX debut.
León’s Missed Opportunities
Despite dominating possession with 70% and taking 28 shots, León failed to equalize or secure all three points against Guadalajara. Goalkeeper Miguel Jiménez made seven saves to deny León’s scoring attempts. The Esmeraldas, recently crowned Concacaf champions, had plenty of chances but couldn’t find the back of the net. Guadalajara’s desire to win their 13th Liga MX trophy was evident in their defensive efforts and Jiménez’s outstanding performance.
New Additions and Transfers in Liga MX
Guadalajara continues to strengthen their squad with the signing of Erick Gutiérrez, a Liga MX champion with Pachuca in 2016. Gutiérrez spent the past five years in the Netherlands with PSV Eindhoven, winning two league cups and two league Super Cups. Owner Amaury Vergara is also looking to add Sporting KC striker Alan Pulido, a former Liga MX Golden Boot winner. Meanwhile, América acquired Julián Quiñones from Atlas, and FC Juárez signed Luca Martínez Dupuy from Argentina’s Rosario Central. UNAM made changes to their defense by bringing in Lisandro Magallán from Boca Juniors and Ajax, and Gabriel « Toro » Fernández from FC Juárez to strengthen their attack.
Keywords: Guadalajara, Liga MX, season opener, victory, Yair Padilla, León, missed opportunities, signings, transfers, Erick Gutiérrez, Alan Pulido, Julián Quiñones, Luca Martínez Dupuy, Lisandro Magallán, Gabriel Fernández, UNAM.