JUAN SAMUEL SANTANA CHAVEZ
Chepe Zazueta
CHIVAS DEFEATS AMERICA WITH ALTERNATE SQUAD IN OAKLAND NATIONAL DERBY
Chivas once again defeated América in the National Derby, this time on an international stage and with an alternate squad due to absences caused by the FIFA international break. Guadalajara defeated the Eagles 2-0 at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, in Oakland, California, in a match corresponding to the Tour Rebaño 2026. One of the Guadalajara goals was scored by Ángel Sepúlveda, who headed it in to extend the lead. The match also marked Chivas' return to Oakland after almost 29 years, as the previous encounter in that city dated back to 1997, when Guadalajara also defeated América, that time by 3-2.
The victory had a special ingredient: Gabriel Milito presented a roster of 25 players, conditioned by the absences of Raúl Rangel, Roberto Alvarado, Diego Campillo, Hugo Camberos, Luis Romo, and Santiago Sandoval, who were with the Mexican National Team, in addition to players recovering from injuries. Given this situation, the Argentine coach included five players from the youth academy for the first time with the senior team: Carlos Hernández, Rodrigo Parra, Emiliano Rodríguez, Aarón Correa, and Anwar Ben Rhouma. Among them, Aarón Correa stands out, a 17-year-old born on October 20, 2008, in Wisconsin, United States, registered as a forward; while Emiliano Rodríguez is also part of the youth structure and plays as a defender.
The Guadalajara victory also adds to the history of National Derbies played on U.S. soil. Prior to this edition, records of unofficial matches showed 41 non-official encounters, with 16 wins for América, 12 for Chivas, and 13 draws; furthermore, the most recent encounter in the United States had ended 1-1 in Glendale, Arizona, in October 2025. The Oakland match was also a success in terms of attendance: the stadium sold out its tickets in less than a week, becoming, according to the organizers, the fastest-selling Mexican Derby in the United States. Thus, Chivas not only secured another victory against their biggest rival but also added a new Guadalajara win to the history of the National Derby outside of Mexico.
