Chivas Secures Victory with Late Goal Against Toluca in Clausura 2024 Quarterfinals

In a thrilling encounter at the Estadio Akron, Chivas celebrated their 118th anniversary by securing a valuable victory in the Clausura 2024 Quarterfinals against Toluca. The match ended with a 1-0 scoreline in favor of Chivas, thanks to a stunning goal from Víctor Guzmán.

The first half of the game between Chivas and Toluca started off evenly, with few clear chances for either side. It wasn’t until the 37th minute that Pavel Pérez’s run down the left wing almost resulted in an own goal for Toluca due to a mix-up in their defense.

Alexis Vega, returning to Estadio Akron, faced a hostile reception from the fans and didn’t have much influence in the first half. Fernando Beltrán’s long-range effort early in the second half showed Chivas’ intent, but the shot went wide. Toluca’s first real chance came through Alexis Vega’s shot in the 50th minute, which was well saved by Raúl Rangel.

There was controversy when Juan Escobar’s challenge on Pavel Pérez left the latter with a cut on his eyebrow, but no card was shown to the Toluca defender. At the 69th minute, Perez thought he had scored, but the goal was disallowed after a VAR review for handball.

The breakthrough for Chivas came in the 85th minute when Víctor Guzmán found the back of the net with a splendid finish from inside the box following a rebound. Guzmán, who had been out of the starting lineup since Round 13, could have secured Chivas’ spot in the Semifinals with his crucial goal.

This victory puts Chivas in a strong position heading into the second leg at the Nemesio Diez Stadium next Saturday. A draw would be sufficient for Chivas to advance, while Toluca must win to stay in the competition.