Puebla vs Chivas: who won teams’ previous Liga MX playoff meetings?

Puebla welcome Chivas Guadalajara to the Estadio Cuauhtémoc in the Apertura 2022 playoffs on Sunday, with the hosts in possession of the historical advantage over their preliminary-round opponents. The two-time Mexican champions have knocked Chivas out of the playoffs four times, while Guadalajara - who have gone more than 30 years without a postseason win over La Franja - have progressed at Puebla’s expense just twice.

Puebla’s playoff wins over Chivas

Puebla’s first playoff victory over Chivas came in the final of the 1982/83 season, Los Camoteros winning on penalties after a 2-2 aggregate draw. Guadalajara had earned a 2-1 advantage after the first leg, thanks to goals by Demetrio Madero and Samy Rivas. Italo Estupiñan was on the scoresheet for Puebla in the opener, before Madero’s own goal in the return led to a shootout to decide the title. And while Los Poblanos proceeded to score all of their spot-kicks, Sergio Lugo’s miss for Chivas handed Puebla a 7-6 triumph.

In the Prode 85 tournament, Puebla then defeated Chivas 1-0 in the quarter-finals with a goal by Arturo Álvarez, while in the 1991/92 season, they overcame Los Rojiblancos in the last eight with a 4-3 aggregate victory.

Finally, in the preliminary round of the Apertura 2021 championship, Puebla again downed Chivas from the spot. After a 2-2 stalemate, with goals by Christian Tabo and Lucas Maia for La Franja, and by Isaac Brizuela and Manuel Mayorga for Chivas, Maia’s sudden-death penalty secured a 6-5 shootout win.

Chivas’ playoff wins over Puebla

Meanwhile, Chivas’ maiden postseason victory over Puebla came in the quarter-finals of the Mexico 86 tournament, the 12-time Mexican champions progressing to the last four thanks to a 4-3 aggregate triumph. The Guadalajarans were 3-2 winners in the first leg, courtesy of goals by Eduardo de la Torre, Rafael Cruz and Demetrio Madero. Daniel Bartolotta replied with a double for Puebla. In the second leg, a 1-1 draw then sent Chivas through. Enrique López Zarza was on target for Puebla, but José Manuel de la Torre’s strike ensured a 4-3 final result.

Chivas repeated the feat in the semi-finals of the 1986/87 tournament, winning 4-0 on aggregate. Los Rojiblancos took the first leg 2-0 with goals from Luis Valdez and Concepción Rodríguez, and were victorious by the same scoreline in the second leg, thanks to goals from Néstor de la Torre and Luis Valdez.

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Chivas also beat Puebla in 88/89 - but both knocked out

Two years later, in the 1988/89 playoffs, Guadalajara also prevailed twice over Puebla - but the round-robin format used in that year’s postseason means they were not solely responsible for La Franja’s elimination. What’s more, Chivas didn’t qualify for the next stage, either.

Drawn together in the semi-finals in one of two six-team groups, Chivas won 1-0 at home in the sides’ opening clash, with a goal from Omar Arellano, before a 3-0 victory in the return, thanks to a double by Benjamín Galindo and another strike by Arellano. In the end, though, it was Club América who progressed to the final after winning the group, while Chivas and Puebla finished second and third, respectively.