Chivas dealt blow ahead of Pumas clash
‘Canelo’ Angulo has not played since last season’s play-off and was expected to return against Pumas on Saturday only to be ruled out.
Jesús Ricardo Angulo’s return will have to wait. Canelo is still not in a position to return to action. Chivas coaching staff want him to take things a little slower which is why he was ruled out for this Saturday’s duel against Pumas. Guadalajara will be looking to register their third win in a row at Akron Stadium.
Towards the end of last season, Canelo was involved in a clash with Alfredo Talavera, then UNAM goalkeeper. He came out of the collision with a fractured fibula. He was only able to return to the pitch last week when he was given 45 minutes with Guadalajara’s U-20 team against Necaxa. That brief appearance suggested tghat he would soon return to the first team.
For Tuesday’s meeting with against Monterrey, he was not considered by coach Ricardo Cadena. Nor was he handed minutes in the lower category. On Friday, when the squad list for the game against Pumas was announced, Jesús Ricardo Angulo was not included. It was announced however that he will get to play again with the U-20s.
The coaching staff decided that it would be better for Canelo to take it easy. They want to avoid him suffering a relapse - especially after it took him so long to recover. When he fell injured, Canelo had been a key player for the coach. During his absence, the team has suffered - their first win didn’t arrive until last Friday when they thrashed Necaxa 4-0. They followed that up by beating the leaders Rayados 1-0.
Now, Chivas will take to the field at Akron Stadium in search of their third consecutive victory. With six points from the last two games, Guadalajara have crept into the play-off zone. Ricardo Cadena’s men will be trying to confirm that they are back in business - another victory that strengthen their position ahead of the final phase.
Chivas have looked much better since the coach decided to do away with a five-man defence, a strategy which gave him such good results in the final stretch of last season. With the same scheme, Chivas went the first eight games of the current tournament without a win. When he reverted back to a back four, the team attacked with greater consistency and the results are there to see - two wins already.