GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Sonny Guadarrama and Necaxa lost 1-0 to Universidad de Guadalajara in the first leg of the Ascenso MX final on Wednesday, with the Texan forward going 74 minutes in front of more than 52,000 fans inside Estadio Jalisco.
Guadarrama has become a key part of Necaxa’s starting team this season, but was quiet in a game that U de G edged, playing on the right-hand side of a three-man forward line.
Perhaps Guadarrama’s most important contribution came when he tracked back from a Universidad de Guadalajara counter midway through the first half, making a vital tackle when it looked like the opposition was about to score.
Necaxa hadn’t conceded a goal in their previous five games, but did so in the 55th minute, when José Cruz Gutiérrez headed in.
Young Arizonan center back Ventura Alvarado was also on the bench for Necaxa.
In the final of Mexico’s Under-20 competition, Benji Joya came off the bench at halftime in Santos Laguna’s 2-2 tie at home to Club León.
Tom Marshall covers Americans playing in Latin America for MLSsoccer.com. E-mail him at tom.marshall.mex@gmail.com
