He was erased from Atlas FC, but now is a key player for them in Liguilla

Atlas FC arrived at the semifinals with the morale boost that gives having won the quarterfinals against the biggest rival, as they eliminated Chivas with a 3-2 aggregate, although they earned the advantage on the first game, when they won 2-1 in Estadio Akron.

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And even if Tigres arrived with the slightest advantage over Atlas that the position on Liga MX table, the results, and the performances that both teams had in the quarterfinals showed that the Rojinegros are the most solid team of the series, something they demonstrated by winning 3-0 the first leg.

Atlas have been playing under the same idea for at least 18 months, something that is evident as every single player, no matter if they were starters or jumped on the pitch as substitutes later in the game, knows the role they have to fulfill.

That’s why the departure of Jairo Torres for MLS side Chicago Fire once the regular season finished didn’t change Diego Cocca’s strategy, as even if Torres was essential during the season, Cocca quickly found his successor.

Aníbal Chalá waited for his time to shine

After arriving mid-season in Apertura 2021 out of CD Toluca in a trade where Atlas sent Pablo González to Los Diablos Rojos, the 26-year-old Ecuadorian left-back didn’t have Diego Cocca’s trust, as he only started in two games of the regular season.

In total, he played 10 games for Clausura 2022, but his opportunity of earning a more prominent role with Atlas arrived once Jairo Torres left and he didn’t waste it, as he now has become a key player in the three games that the Rojinegros have played.

Even if he’s not playing on the position that he’s most comfortable, as Cocca has placed him as a left midfielder, so far, Chalá has scored one goal against Chivas and caused the penalty that made Julio Furch open the score against Tigres.

What’s his market value?

When he first arrived in Liga MX out of LDU Quito, Toluca paid a transfer fee of $475,000, and even if he couldn’t establish, Dijon FC d’Or from French second flight acquired him on a one-year loan that increased his market value up to $2.1 million.

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