They're guaranteed at least two games... And keep in mind, since FIFA went to the current format in 2005, Concacaf has NEVER finished sixth, so Chivas would hit a historic low if they went 0-2 in this tournament.
Mexican clubs are talented but tend to disappoint in this tournament. I remember Pachuca out playing their opposition yet somehow managed to lose.
though game and in the worst possible moment for Chivas. However this team has "something" that can get results when no one expects it. (Or maybe it was Almeyda??) going to be a though game. I saw Kashimas first game and those brazilians know how to play.
Is this the first time a CONCACAF team will have more nationals than a AFC team in the CWC @Paul Calixte ?
Off the top of my head, you'd probably have to go back to that 2005 Saprissa roster, since Jorge Vergara (their owner at the time) tried as much as he could to copy the Chivas model there.
https://www.worldfootball.net/teams/deportivo-saprissa/2006/2/ says all of their 2005-2006 players were Costa Rican. https://www.fifa.com/clubworldcup/archive/japan2005/clubs/club=1896632/matches.html has their roster.
https://www.fifa.com/clubworldcup/news/gudino-gets-his-second-chance-3010007 is titled "Gudino gets his second chance." He's the goalkeeper.
Chivas is favored in betting odds, which include odds for draws even when one club has to advance: Chivas win: 40.7% Draw: 30.5% Kashima win: 28.7% It adds up to 99.9% due to rounding.
@EvanJ @Paul Calixte @It's called FOOTBALL Didn´t Kashima Antlers play the 2016 CWC with only Japanese players? or at least the match vs Real Madrid with only local players?
I'm not checking who played, but I have the 2016 CWC rosters downloaded. Kashima had 20 Japanese, 1 from Korea Republic (Seokho Hwang), and 2 from Brazil (Fabricio Dos Santos Messias and Wellington Daniel Bueno).
That is correct. They started with eleven Japanese players against Real Madrid: https://www.fifa.com/clubworldcup/matches/round=276112/match=300364984/report.html
Kashima 3-2 Chivas Angel Zaldivar 3rd minute: 0-1 Ryota Nagaki 49th minute: 1-1 Serginho (penalty kick) 69th minute: 2-1 Hiroki Abe 84th minute: 3-1 Hugo Leonardo (own goal) 90+4th minute: 3-2 On the last goal, Alan Pulido had a penalty kick saved. The announcer thought he scored on his rebound, but it was an own goal. With Pulido and two defenders together, I couldn't tell who touched it. Then Chivas got a corner kick, and goalkeeper Raul Gudino, who ran up the field, headed the ball on top of the goal. Chivas had more shots (18 to 11), more shots on target (7 to 5), and 56 percent of the possession.
Esperance got two red cards. Fortunately for them, the second red card was in the 90+6th minute and the CWC goes to penalties without extra time.