Cade Cowell, Chivas hero in Concachampions opener

Despite freezing conditions and playing on an artificial surface in Hamilton (Ontario), Chivas managed to overcome the adversity at Tim Hortons Field to secure a solid first leg lead leaving Canadian side Forge FC with a mountain to climb in the first round of the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup.

This was the Guadalajara side’s first appearance in CONCACAF’s premium club competition in six years with coach Fernando Gago opting to leave out decided the likes of Víctor Guzmán, Erick Gutiérrez, Roberto Alvarado and Jesús Gilberto Orozco Chiquete with the Argentine playing five at the back.

Chivas

• México

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Cade Cowell was the hero of the night for Chivas bagging two goals to the delight of the small but vocal red and white clad Chivas fans braving the elements with Ricardo Marín bagging the other goal for the Mexican side on the strike of half-time.

Gago upbeat

After the matchm Chivas’ Argentine coach was in a positive frame of mind but cautious with the second leg still to be played: “No game in soccer is won after the first leg. We have a good lead but we must try to maintain it or increase it to qualify. I have been saying it since the first matches, we are still a team in construction and we are growing with every match. Today we had the possibility of playing a line of three, playing a line of four and the players understood the tactics well. In spite of the cold and the artificial turf, which is something beyond our control the team performed very well. In the last minutes we lacked a little of what I was hoping for but it is a logical situation with the result in our favor”, the Argentine concluded.

The second leg will be played next Tuesday at the Akron Stadium with a second round place against Club América or Nicaguarga’s Real Estelí on the line.

Forge

• 29 Christopher Kalongo
• 81 Malik Owolabi-Belewu
• 4 Dominic Samuel (71')
• 23 Garven Metusala
• 13 Alexander Achinioti-Jonsson
• 10 Kyle Bekker
• 39 Beni Badibanga (71')
• 21 Alessandro Hojabrpour
• 14 Terran Campbell (71')
• 20 Kwasi Poku (10')
• 7 David Choinière (75')
• Substitutes
• 41 Amadou Koné
• 9 Jordan Hamilton (71')
• 22 Noah Jensen (75')
• 36 Dino Bontis
• 37 Kevaughn Tavernier (71')
• 32 Zayne Bruno
• 64 Khadim Kane
• 19 Tristan Borges (10')
• 2 Malcolm Duncan (71')
• 30 Jassem Koleilat

Chivas

• 30 Whalley
• 21 José Castillo
• 4 Briseño
• 50 Mateo Chávez (87')
• 43 Leonardo Sepúlveda
• 17 Jesús Sánchez
• 29 Alan Eduardo Torres
• 20 Fernando Beltrán (66')
• 28 Fernando Gonzalez
• 19 Ricardo Marin (59')
• 16 Cade Cowell x2(66')
• Substitutes
• 47 Gael García (87')
• 6 Pável Pérez
• 2 Alan Mozo
• 34 Armando González (59')
• 33 Raúl Martínez
• 27 José Rangel
• 11 Isaac Brizuela (66')
• 31 Yael Padilla (66')
• 32 Jesús Brígido
• 18 Ronaldo Cisneros
• 23 Miguel Jiménez

Substitutions

Tristan Borges (10', Kwasi Poku), Armando González (59', Ricardo Marín), Isaác Brizuela (66', Cade Cowell), Yael Padilla (66', Fernando Beltrán), Jordan Hamilton (71', Terran Campbell), Kevaughn Tavernier (71', Béni Badibanga), Malcolm Duncan (71', Dominic Samuel), Noah Jensen (75', David Choinière), Gael García (87', Mateo Chávez)

Goals

0-1, 25': Cade Cowell, 1-1, 30': Terran Campbell, 1-2, 45': Ricardo Marin, 1-3, 62': Cade Cowell

Cards

Referee: Victor Rivas
VAR Referee: Allen Chapman, Tristley Bassue
Jesús Sánchez (55',Yellow) Kevaughn Tavernier (81',Yellow)