Undoubtedly, starting the tournament with a win is very important, it boosts confidence and allows Chivas the opportunity of working with less pressure in their areas of opportunity ahead of the Clausura 2023 J2 match against Atlético San Luis.
A quick reading of the match...
Rayados was not an easy opponent, they demanded maximum effort from Guadalajara in the defensive zone. However, in the words of Veljko Paunovic himself, a large part of the Rebaño's problems were due to their ball distribution. The red-and-white team was unable to generate advantages from the back, which made it difficult for the attack to flow.
In addition, the home team had Germán Berterame and Rogelio Funes Mori, whose technical and physical abilities make them very difficult to mark in the air, so Gilberto Sepúlveda, Gilberto Orozco and Miguel Jiménez had a lot of work to do.
Atypical factors to take into account...
Sergio Flores' injury conditioned the game plan, as the Rebaño midfielder provides pace and agility from his passing between the lines, which was lost when he came off. Although it must also be said, the 'Bear' contributed defensively and offensively by registering 3 interceptions, 4 defensive duels won and always being a passing option, thanks to his agility and reading of the game.
Another important point to consider was the expulsion of 'Tiba', as it altered the red and white structure by having to sacrifice Ronaldo Cisneros to use 'Pollo' Briseño. With this, Guadalajara lost depth and was forced to play closer to their goal.
The Rebaño showed a great level in this area...
Chivas left Rayados offside on 6 occasions, and even had a goal disallowed thanks to their good use of their diving. Paunovic's men always use this resource to defend themselves and it was very important to reduce the Regia's offense.
Individual performances...
- Miguel Jiménez: The 'Wacho' had a phenomenal night, accumulating 8 great saves, which gave Guadalajara confidence and a clean sheet.
- Alexis Vega: The '10' is a player with goal-scoring value, as despite not playing a leading role in the match, one play was enough to give Chiverío the 3 points.
- Pavel Pérez and Fernando Beltrán: The former accelerated the game with his driving and dribbling, while the latter led several dangerous possessions. In fact, both came close to scoring thanks to associations that came from their boots.
