FC Juarez Wins Their First Home Game In 1st Division Play
In their first home game in Liga MX, Juarez gets their first win, points, and goals of the season by defeating Toluca 2-0.
Fans from both sides of the border in Juarez and El Paso, Texas have been anxiously waiting for the first home game. The excitement has also been high from fans in the border region since the announcement that they would be playing in the first division. FC Juarez recently announced that they have already sold out their Bravo Cards (season tickets) for the following two seasons.
Before the game began a moment of silence took place in honor of all the victims of the El Paso shooting. The heinous incident occurred the previous morning and took the lives of 20 people and injured more than 24 others.
FC Juarez was coming into this game after having lost in the previous week against Santos 3-0. Meanwhile, Toluca came after having salvaged a point after ending their last match against Cruz Azul 1-1.
Los Bravos de Juarez fed off the energy that the fans in attendance were bringing. Since the first minute of play, they pressured Los Diablos Rojos and missed their first opportunity of the match.
Toluca had a lackluster performance in the first half as their only clear opportunity came early in the eight-minute. Edgar Pardo sent a shot from outside the 18-yard box that hits the top crossbar.
Juarez wasted no time in handing their fans, the first goal of the Bravos season in the first division. Mauro Fernandez was the man who made the historic first-ever goal for Los Bravos. He was able to find his way into the 18-yard box, and he sent a shot that trickled past a sliding Alfonso Talavera in the 17th minute.
Juarez continued to pressure throughout the rest of the half not allowing Toluca to have many opportunities of goal. The last clear chance for Los Diablos came in the 39th minute by way of a free-kick, but it did not result in much, and the half ended with Juarez taking the 1-0 lead to the lockers.
The second half of play begun and as Toluca was trying to push their players forwards, Juarez took the opportunity, and on a counterattack, the Bravos struck again. Angelo Sagal was the man who increased the lead to 2-0, as Sagal brought the ball on the right side of Toluca’s defensive third. He then cut back into the middle of the field and sent a beautiful shot outside the 18-yard box that sent Talavera flying. The ball ultimately was placed beautifully, and it reached the top right corner of the post and into the net.
Ricardo La Volpe’s men couldn’t bounce back after the early second-half goal by Juarez and Toluca created no real opportunities to score. The only shot that created a sense of danger for Bravos’ goalkeeper Ivan Vazquez came from William Da Silva, but defenders blocked it in the 61st minute of play.
Juarez defended well in the backfield the rest of the second half and relied on created opportunities on counterattacks. Unfortunately for them, they were unable to capitalize on many occasions to stretch their lead even further.
After six minutes of stoppage time, the referee called an end to the match giving FC Juarez their first win at home and in the 1st division of the Liga MX.
Juarez will now face Merida FC midweek in the Copa MX first round and then play against Cruz Azul in week 4 of Liga MX play. Meanwhile, Toluca will head back home and play host to Club America next Sunday.
