What do Heart of Midlothian and Chivas de Guadalajara in common?

What do Heart of Midlothian and Chivas in common? Well on the face of it, not much. Hearts play in Edinburgh in the Scottish Premier League. Chivas play in Guadalajara in Liga MX.

But this past weekend, they both came from 3-0 down to salvage a point and dismay their underdog opponents.

Callum Slattery (21′), Tawanda Maswanhise (49′) and Emmanuel Longelo (62′) had put Motherwell 0-3 ahead and the Steelmen from Lanarkshire looked to be cruising.

However they collapsed towards the end as Harry Milne (65′) and two goals from Cláudio Braga, all inside 18 minutes, saved a point for the Edinburgh side.

Meanwhile in Tijuana, the home side Xolos entertained Mexico’s best supported club Chivas de Guadalajara.

With the Stadio Caliente mostly full, but with a majority sporting red and white striped Chivas jerseys, it took just five minutes for the excitement in a highly entretaining evening to start.

Gilberto Mora opened the scoring for Xolos and they continued to dominate the half. They might even have entered the locker room with a two goal lead, having been awarded a penalty on the verge of half time after Richard Ledezma fouled Adonis Preciado.

To make matters worse for Ledezma, he had to leave the fieled having injuted himself giving away the penalty.

A four minute VAR delay, not the last of the night, was waited out before referee Katia Itzel García received word from the powers that be to award it. Preciado’s penalty was weak however and well saved by Chivas keeper Raúl Rangel.

The last ten minutes of the half were pulsating with both sides having clear cut opportunities and it did not take a brave man or woman, to predict more goals after the sides returned. They were not to be disappointed.

That prediction needed just five minutes to come true, Frank Thierry Boya doubling the Xolos lead shortly after the return after an accurate Alan Vega cross found him.

The second VAR delay featured Xolos’ Ivan Tona who was relieved to receive just a yellow after Ms Garcia has studied the screen at the touchline.

A further tense four minute delay ensued after Mora netted again, with the decision being to let the goal stand and give Xolos a 3-0 lead.

Chivas’ Daniel Aguirre then became the second player to be forced to leave the field because of a foul he commited. It was really all going wrong for Chivas who couldn’t even foul opponents without endangering thenselves!

16 minues remained and the home side seemed to be cruising with only the 40% or so minority of the Caliente being audible. Then the walls fell in but Mexico didn’t have to pay for it, only Tijuana did!

Armando González scored what appeared to be a consolation goal, albeit the best goal of the game so far. Both sides continued to create, and miss, gilt-edged chances until Xolos’ golden boy of last season. Efraín Álvarez, scored directly from a free kick with his famed left boot.

An astonishing ten minutes were added and that was more than enough time for Miguel Gómez to set up Roberto Alvarado for an unlikely equaliser.

In fact, Armando González almost stole a win for the Bajío side deeper into stoppage time.

Xolos now have nine ponts from six games while Chivas just four points from five.