No goals, no mercy: Atlas edge Chivas when it mattered most

Even in a warmup, it hurts. Even if it comes down to penalties after a 0–0 draw, it still hurts. Guadalajara lost the Clásico Tapatío on Saturday, falling 5–3 in the shootout to Atlas and seeing its pride bruised – and with it, any chance of playing for the Copa Pacífica title on Sunday, a tournament marking the 100th anniversary of the University of Guadalajara.

When red-and-white and red-and-black share the same field, the word “friendly” no longer applies. No one wants to lose a game like this, even in the heart of preseason. With the Liga MX Clausura 2026 just a week away, the rivals met again at Estadio Jalisco, and the first half delivered plenty of emotion.

It was only the fifth minute when Diego González beat his marker down the right flank and reached the end line. He looked up and sent a cross searching for a finishing touch, but Raúl Rangel stepped up. The Guadalajara goalkeeper stretched out to claim the ball and snuff out the danger.

Guadalajara responded quickly. Richard Ledezma picked up the ball outside the box and unleashed a low right-footed drive toward the base of the near post. Camilo Vargas had to be at his best, diving to his left and pushing the shot out for a corner in the 15th minute to save Atlas.

Two minutes later, Bryan González made a run into space down the left, met a perfectly weighted through ball and, with Vargas rushing out, struck first time with his left foot. The shot beat the keeper but crashed off the post. Atlas escaped again, in what was Chivas’ clearest chance of the first half, at 17 minutes.

Atlas knocked again at the 35-minute mark. A corner from the right swung across the box to the far side, where Serbian forward Uros Durdevic controlled inside the area and fired toward the near post. Once more, Rangel was equal to it, catching cleanly to keep his goal intact.

Both teams returned from the break with the same starting lineups. Each coach opted to give minutes to what most closely resembled their likely opening-day XI. Early in the second half, Ledezma again found space in a dangerous area and hit a powerful shot that Vargas handled safely in the 47th minute.

Three minutes later, Ledezma lifted his head on the right and sent a cross through the box. On the opposite flank, Bryan González met it with a solid header, but lacked the right direction, sending the ball over the bar. Guadalajara pressed on, still with its original lineup.

Atlas answered just after the hour. At 61 minutes, Paulo Ramírez collected a cutback outside the box, set himself and drilled a low shot toward the base of the post. Rangel produced another excellent save, diving to block and preserve his clean sheet.

At 70 minutes came a moment of near-miracle in the Atlas box. Bryan González headed the ball back across goal; Armando González couldn’t connect, Efraín Álvarez awkwardly nudged it backward with his back to goal, and Roberto Alvarado poked a stumbling effort toward the line. Vargas stretched to deny it, producing a brilliant goal-line save.

The intensity kept rising, as expected in a Clásico Tapatío. Durdevic took possession inside the area, back to goal and leaning left, then spun sharply to strike with his right. The shot beat Rangel’s dive but whistled just wide of the far post at 73 minutes.

Despite efforts from both sides, the score remained unchanged. After 90 minutes, a penalty shootout was required to decide who would reach the Copa Pacífica final and who would play for third place. Atlas were flawless, winning 5–3 with conversions from Diego González, Edgar Zaldívar, Gaddi Aguirre, Alfonso González and Durdevic.

For Guadalajara, Armando González, Luis Romo and Ricardo Marín scored, but Roberto Alvarado missed the second attempt, his left-footed strike saved by Vargas. Atlas will now face Monterrey on Sunday for the Copa Pacífica title, while Chivas will play Leones Negros earlier in the day for third place.

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