Ceres native Cade Cowell reached a career milestone during Chivas Guadalajara’s 3-1 win over Pumas UNAM in Liga MX play on Feb. 24 at Estadio Akron.

“I was really happy to get my first goal in league and it was amazing we got the three points at the end too,” the 20-year-old forward said while being interviewed by Telemundo Deportes after the game.

Cowell’s right-footed volley shot off a cross pass from Alan Mazo gave Chivas a 1-0 lead in the 53rd minute.

Chivas (8-6-3, 27 points) climbed to fifth place in the standings after beating fourth-place Pumas UNAM (8-5-4, 28 points).

“It’s a huge confidence boost for us but we expect to win against good teams,” Cowell said. “We are a great team. It shows we can compete with anyone of them.”

Cowell has scored three goals and dished out one assist while appearing in seven matches during his first season with Chivas.

He’s made two starts, including one versus Pumas UNAM.

Cowell has two goals and one assist in two CONCACAF games.

Chivas acquired Cowell from the San Jose Earthquakes earlier this year. The Major League Soccer team announced Cowell’s transfer for a club-record fee of $4-plus million on Jan. 15.

Cowell made history by becoming the first U.S. National Team player to suit up Chivas.

He spent his first five seasons of his pro soccer career with the Earthquakes.

A Homegrown Player, Cowell signed a first-team contract with San Jose in January of 2019. 

Nearly seven months later, Cowell ascended to the professional ranks, becoming the youngest first-team player in Earthquakes and Bay Area team sports history (15 years, 102 days), as well as the fourth-youngest signing ever in MLS history at the time.

“It’s really easy to be comfortable (in San Jose), you know?”  Cowell said while talking about leaving California and moving to Mexico to begin the next chapter of his pro soccer career in a recent interview with The Atlantic. “Playing in your hometown for so long, you know everyone at the club. It’s a happy place to be. You’re not uncomfortable. What I really wanted to do was be uncomfortable. When you go to the national team and play against players like (Christian) Pulisic and (Weston) McKennie, I was uncomfortable every day. It brings out the best in you. It’s something you can’t really explain or do until you’re in the situation.

“I was really excited for that — to try something new. New league, new culture, new everything.”