Another edition of a duel born in the 40’s, Leon will be paying Chivas a visit in the first game of the semifinal League match-up at 2100 hours Wednesday night.
Here is a hardcore factoid for all you younglings out there: the León - Chivas match is the first match to have been classified as a "Clásico" in Mexico.
Ameri-who? Let’s let them sit quietly in the corner for a bit.
Chivas versus Leon is the most historic duel in Mexican professional soccer history.
Approximately 80 years ago, the newly birthed Union Leon was officially admitted into the Mexican Pro league. The debutant team was invited to play pre season in which Chivas and Union Leon squared off. The Leoneses came away with a 4 – 3 victory over the Red and Whites, which had begun a restructuring which would soon pay out dividends.
Once the Union de Curtidores and León merger was officialized, the team changed its name to León. It was then that the rivalry began to emerge. The team from Guanajuato had become the "First Champion" of Mexico. Los Esmeraldas, as they were known way back then, won the League Championship in the 1947-48 and 1948-49 seasons, and the Mexican Cup in 1948-49. After a very brief hiatus, The “Emerald team” continued its title haul by winning the 1951-52 and 1955-56 championships.
After that, it was all about Chivas. El Campeonísimo.
Guadalajara had become the most dominant dynasty of the time by winning four consecutive league championships between 1958-1962. Eight in total within a 13 year period between 1957 and 1970. During that same period they won two Mexican Cup titles (1962 and 1970), and seven Campeon de Campeones between 1957 and 1970, as well as being proclaimed Champions of the CONCACAF Champions Cup in 1962.
Even though the Guadalajara vs Leon games didn’t receive much attention at first, fans recognized they would be witness to grit and commitment. Both teams would leave their hearts on the field.
During 60's and 70's, the rivalry reached its peak: León and Chivas were the teams to beat. Each season one or the other were league leaders, fighting for the Cup. At some point during the 1970’s, bad management sank the Esmeraldas and the Fieras fell on hard times ending up with their relegation to Minor League Divisional play cutting the rivalry short. Guadalajara, on the other hand rose to National and International notoriety, the rest is history.
Guadalajara and León have faced off 127 times in regular league play, Chivas emerging victorious on 52 occasions, tying 35 times and losing 40. They have never faced each other in the playoffs.
Looking at the stats, the numbers are quite even, except in the possession from last weekend’s games. Leon, held on to the ball for roughly three quarters of regulation time and eighty seven percent passing accuracy. Chivas on the other hand only managed thirty three percent ball possession, uncharacteristically so for the Red and White starting eleven, which has put ball possession as the main priority since the arrival of Victor Manuel Vucetich. Uncharacteristic, yet tactically practical. America needed to tie things back up to flip the game to their advantage as the higher seed in the quarter finals match.
Try as they might it wasn’t going to happen. Even less so, where Christian Calderon turned on the magic.
El Chicote turned out to be Guadalajara’s secret weapon. Just as in the first match, Calderón managed to slip, not one, but two high velocity, well aimed rockets past Guillermo Ochoa. Herrera had mentioned he hadn’t seen us in the playoffs. I guess he’s tired of seeing us now.
Leon is definitely not America. It is a well-oiled machine, with well-practiced routes. Their defense is strong and fast, they have great shooters and passers and most of all they have a DT who knows his players. Ignacio Ambriz has created a Green Machine which will push Chivas to their limit.
IMO this matchup should have been the final. Two offensively minded teams which know how to balance their attack and defense, with high pressing priorities which will make for an attractive back and forth for the fans.
Hopefully, we will see a revival of the age old Clásico, and once again bear witness to grit and commitment. Bear witness as both teams leave their hearts on the field.
Chivas has risen. It’s another team. The confident smiles are there again. The eyes now hardened see a different horizon. Their focus has been redirected. The want to transcend.
It is their time for the Vuce Eleven to write their own history.
