Chivas suffered two red cards and drew in Mazatlán after a late VAR-assisted penalty denied them a vital win in the Play-In race.
Chivas Suffered Two Red Cards and Drew in Mazatlán During Fiery Play-In Clash
Guadalajara dropped two points in a wild draw with Mazatlán after finishing with nine men
Chivas suffered two red cards and drew in Mazatlán on Friday night in a chaotic Liga MX battle with Play-In implications. Despite taking the lead early on, Guadalajara collapsed late, allowing Mazatlán to equalize from the penalty spot deep into stoppage time after a flurry of cards and controversial VAR decisions.
With tensions running high and both sides fighting for postseason positions, the draw leaves Chivas in a vulnerable spot with just one round left in the regular season.
VAR Chaos as Chivas Suffered Two Red Cards and Drew in Mazatlán
The game wasted no time heating up. In the opening minutes, Mazatlán appealed for a penalty after Luis Rey appeared to foul Luis Amarilla, but the referee waved it off — and VAR chose not to intervene. Soon after, a close-range header from Roberto Meraz forced Raúl Rangel into a quick reaction save.
Chivas bounced back with their first real attack in the 15th minute. Roberto Alvarado whipped in a cross from the right, and Teun Wilke rose to meet it, heading past Hugo González to make it 1-0. Guadalajara almost doubled their lead when Luis Rey was set up by Alan Pulido, only for a goal-line clearance by Lucas Merolla to keep Mazatlán alive.
Controversy returned later in the half as Wilke appeared to be brought down by Mazatlán’s Samir in a one-on-one situation. Referee Fernando Hernández reviewed the play via VAR but opted not to send Samir off, sparking protests from Chivas players.
Guadalajara Collapse in Final Minutes as Amarilla Converts VAR-Aided Penalty
The second half started slower, but the action exploded late. Luis Rey was shown a second yellow card in the 80th minute, putting Chivas down to ten men. With momentum swinging, Mazatlán surged forward and earned a penalty at the 90-minute mark after Gilberto Sepúlveda clipped Bryan Colula inside the box.
Then chaos truly erupted: Goalkeeper Raúl Rangel received a second yellow for dissent and further punishment for scuffing the penalty spot. With no substitutions left, midfielder Erick Gutiérrez was forced to step into goal.
Despite the unusual twist, Luis Amarilla calmly slotted the penalty past Gutiérrez in the 93rd minute, leveling the match and salvaging a point for Mazatlán.
Chivas Cling to 12th in Table With One Match Left in Regular Season
Following the draw, Chivas hold onto the 12th and final Play-In spot with 17 points — but their position is far from secure. They return home to Estadio Akron on Tuesday to face Puebla in their final chance to secure postseason play.
Mazatlán, now level with Guadalajara on points, stays just above them in the standings due to goal differential, adding extra drama to the final week of the regular season.
