CARSON, Calif. -- It took another penalty shootout to determine the second InterLiga champion Sunday at a sold out Home Depot Center.
And this time, it was perennial powerhouse Chivas de Guadalajara beating Morelia 4-2 in penalty kicks after drawing 1-1 in regulation in the nightcap of an InterLiga final doubleheader.
Chivas goalkeeper Luis Ernesto Michel blocked Hugo Droguett's penalty kick to end the match and helped give his team the second allotted slot for Mexican teams to the South American club tournament Copa Libertadores.
Guadalajara will compete in Group 6, which includes Lanus (Argentina), Everton (Chile) and Caracas (Venezuela).
F.C. Pachuca beat Atlas in a lengthy penalty kick shootout in the early InterLiga final. With that win, Pachuca earned a slot in a home-and-away play-in series against La Universidad de Chile on Jan. 28 and Feb. 4.
Pachuca goalkeeper Miguel Calero was the hero in the early match, stopping three penalty kicks. Likewise, Michel made the difference for Guadalajara.
"Por-te-ro, por-te-ro," meaning "goalie, goalie," where the chants that came from the stands as Michel made his way onto a makeshift stage at midfield to join his teammates to receive the InterLiga championship trophy.
Michel caught a break when Morelia missed its first penalty shot. Wilson Tiago sent a wild shot into the stands. That and Droguett's miss were the difference.
But Chivas can also thank substitute Marco Fabian, who tied the game in the 66th minute with a one-timer blast from about 25 yards out into the back of Morelia goalkeeper Moises Munoz' net.
Fabian timed a floating ball falling to his right foot, bending it in for the score. A Morelia defender tried to clear a previous centered pass into the penalty area with a header only to send it in Fabian's direction.
"When you're on the bench, you always wish to come in and score a goal," Fabian said. "I am just glad I was able to help my team tie the game. It's a goal that I will cherish. It's definitely one of the more difficult ones I've scored."
Morelia, who finished with 10 men, took a 1-0 lead in the 58th minute thanks to a Chivas own goal. Carlos Ochoa headed a Droguett corner kick into his own net as he tried to clear the area. Monarcas defender Fernando Salazar was ejected in the 67th minute after being shown double yellow cards.
The own goal quieted the mostly pro-Chivas crowd. It also prompted some of those fans to send projectiles onto the field. A plastic beer bottle hit Morelia midfielder Tiago in the back of the head.
Tiago exited the game briefly and returned to action just in time to see Fabian's game-tying goal.
The crowd clad in Chivas signature red and white stripes erupted in cheers again when Wilson missed his penalty kick. But perhaps the loudest cheers came when Michel blocked Droguett's shot from the penalty slot.
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