Sepúlveda Scores Twice as Chivas Beat América 2-0 in Oakland

Ángel Sepúlveda's two first-half goals lifted Guadalajara past Club América 2-0 in a sold-out Tour Rebaño 2026 friendly at the Oakland Coliseum.

Chivas Guadalajara defeated Club América 2-0 in a friendly edition of El Clásico de México at the Oakland Coliseum in California, a stop on the 2026 Tour Rebaño. More than 60,000 fans packed the venue for the sold-out match, with the large majority dressed in Guadalajara's red and white. Ángel Sepúlveda decided the game with two first-half goals.

The first goal arrived from the penalty spot in the 13th minute after the referee ruled that Alejandro Zendejas had handled the ball inside the box. Sepúlveda took responsibility and converted from the spot to open the scoring.

The second came 10 minutes later. Chivas worked the ball quickly down the right flank before Rubén González crossed toward the edge of the area, where Sepúlveda arrived to guide a header past goalkeeper Luis Malagón and inside the far post.

Guadalajara also controlled possession for long stretches. From the opening whistle the team moved the ball with its usual rhythm, kept its shape across the full 90 minutes, dictated the tempo and kept América's attack quiet.

Malagón was nevertheless the busier of the two goalkeepers. He was nearly caught out in the third minute when a cross from debutant Leonel Calderón almost carried into the net, and in the 18th minute he tipped a Kevin Castañeda strike from midfield out for a corner. After the break, Efraín Álvarez picked out Calderón's head with a pass in the 67th minute, but the header failed to find the target. A 79th-minute Chivas shot also missed narrowly as Guadalajara pushed for a third that would have made the margin wider.

The occasion also marked a milestone for four homegrown players from the Cantera Rojiblanca, Guadalajara's youth academy. Carlos Hernández and Leonel Calderón were named in the starting lineup, while Rodrigo Parra came on in the 57th minute and Jesús Hernández in the 74th to log their first senior appearances for the club.

The result kept intact a significant streak for head coach Gabriel Milito. Across the nine clásicos he has managed against América and Atlas, his teams have seven victories and two draws, with no defeats.

Óscar Whalley started in goal for Chivas, and Milito also turned to his bench in the second half, bringing on Jonathan Pérez, Efraín Álvarez, Emiliano Rodríguez and Ricardo Marín. Guillermo Almada's América lineup featured Luis Malagón, Henry Martín, Miguel Borja, Érick Sánchez and Alejandro Zendejas, with Raphael Cavalcante replacing Sánchez in the 61st minute.

Guadalajara now heads back into league competition. Training resumes Monday ahead of the Clásico Tapatío against crosstown rival Atlas, set for Saturday, Oct. 10, at Estadio Jalisco.