Juarez City.- Avilés Hurtado knew how to sell a non-existent foul in the area well, the referee marked it and decreed the penalty that Hurtado himself correctly charged to seal the Bravos de Juárez 2-0 victory over FC Dallas, on Wednesday night, in the debut of the border team in the 2024 Leagues Cup.
With the win, Bravos has three points and is now the leader of Western Group 3, tied in points with St. Louis SC, but with a better goal difference, and both have already qualified for the next phase. Dallas suffered its second defeat of the tournament and was eliminated.
Next Sunday, the Braves will be at home to St. Louis to fight for first place in the group. It is worth remembering that if they end up tied in regular time, they will have to take penalties and whoever wins in that instance will earn one more point.
The team that finishes as leader of this group will face the second-place team from Group West 5, which is made up of Timbers and Colorado for MLS, and León for Liga MX, in the next round. And the second-place team from Group West 3 will face the first-place team from Group West 5.
The Timbers are currently leading the division with three points, after defeating Leon 2-1 last Sunday. The Timbers will face Colorado on Thursday night.
On the field of Toyota Stadium, in Frisco, Texas, the Braves went ahead on the scoreboard at minute 23 of the first half with a goal scored by Ángel Zaldívar.
The play began when Dieter Villalpando received the ball inside the penalty area on the left, paused, respected Ralph Orquín’s effort, to whom he passed the ball, Orquín practically on the goal line sent the cross that Zaldívar headed in to put a number on the scoreboard.
After the goal, Dallas went forward in search of a tie, but goalkeeper Sebastián Jurado put on his hero’s suit and saved the Braves on at least two occasions, at 26′ and 32′.
Hurtado came on as a substitute in the 63rd minute in place of a cramped Zaldívar, the same situation that led to José Abella leaving the game in the 66th minute and Dieter Villalpando in the 77th minute.
At minute 90+8, Jurado once again prevented Juarez from scoring when a corner kick from the right reached Musa’s feet, who shot low, but Jurado saved it with his left leg.
The Braves-St. Louis game will also begin at 7:00 p.m.
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