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The Chapala Charales suffered a major setback on Wednesday, April 6, falling 2-0 to Aves Blancas (White Birds) of Tepatitlán in the first leg of the quarterfinals of the Liga TDP (Tercera División Profesional, Mexico’s fourth-tier professional soccer league). This result leaves the Chapala team in need of a perfect performance in the return match to keep its championship aspirations alive.
The away loss means the Charales must score at least two goals next Saturday to have any chance of advancing. The stage for this feat will be the Juan Rayo Municipal Stadium in Chapala.
The current situation contrasts sharply with the last matchup between the two teams. Just a month ago, during the postponed Week 20 regular-season match, Chapala dominated the same opponent with a convincing 3-1 road victory.
However, the playoffs have presented a different challenge, and Charales will need to regain their scoring touch at home. The coaching staff and players are now focusing on correcting defensive errors so that the “Rayo”—the team’s home stadium—can witness a comeback that catapults them directly into the semifinals.
Translated and edited by Bruce Bernhart
