Cementeros top Liga MX Power Rankings, Rayados now 2nd

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Ake Loba (left) scored a brace for Monterrey. (Photo by Alfredo Lopez/Jam Media/Getty Images) /

Puebla is biggest riser, while Toluca plummets six spots

After seven games, the Liga MX Power Rankings are still rather fluid but the cream is starting to rise to the top.

We’re still seeing some wild yo-yoing and I expect that to continue as Liga MX teams learn to cope with these unusual times. Covid-19 continues to wreak havoc (the Tigres have been hard hit of late and defender Jorge Torres Nilo tested positive heading into the weekend) and players who have recovered from the virus have struggled to regain fitness.

The upcoming schedule – four games in 15 days – could also expose teams who lack roster depth, further shaking up these Power Rankings. However, this condensed run of matches could help many teams find their equilibrium and settle into their appropriate slots. It would not be a surprise if a sense of order is not evident until the stretch run.

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In this week’s rankings, Puebla was the biggest riser (up 4 spots) after a dominating 4-1 rout of then-No. 2 Toluca. That loss caused the Diablos to plummet 6 spots, the biggest drop in the rankings.

So without further ado, here are the Playing for 90 Power Rankings after seven Liga MX matchdays. As always, the figure in parentheses after the team name indicates the club’s movement from the previous rankings. The second line includes the team’s record (wins-ties-losses), total points, goals for and goals against.

1. Cruz Azul (–)

5-1-1, 16 points, 14 GF, 5 GA

The last time the Cementeros lost at Estadio Azteca was on Jan. 11 so Saturday was just another night in the park as “Cabecita” Rodríguez scored twice and “La Máquina Azul” cruised to an easy win over Necaxa. Coach Robert Siboldi continues to tweak his line-up, giving plenty of faces playing time. That should serve the Cementeros well as they push through this gauntlet of four games that the Liga MX schedule has cooked up for everybody.

2. Monterrey (+1)

3-3-1, 12 points, 12 GF, 8 GA

Break out the champagne! The Rayados have won back-to-back games for the first time since 2019. Even so, Monterrey was profligate in front of net with striker Rogelio Funes Mori missing four clear scoring chances. Fortunately, new starter Ake Loba netted twice to help the Rayados edge past a feisty FC Juárez unit.

3. León (+2)

4-2-1, 14 points, 6 GF, 4 GA

The Esmeraldas are still not finishing well, failing to score in the final 25 minutes against Atlas despite playing with a man advantage. Still, coach Ignacio Ambriz probably liked what he saw just before halftime in the club’s 2-1 victory as Fernando Navarro provided a nifty assist to equalize then scored after shaking free from two defenders inside the box. Ambriz switched back to a 4-1-3-2 after a one-game experiment with a 5-man back line and his team seemed more comfortable. The Esmeraldas still lack a killer up front, but are winning with possession and defense.

4. América (–)

4-1-2, 13 points, 14 GF, 11 GA

The Aguilas toughed out a 2-1 win over lowly Atlético de San Luis, but could have succumbed to despair after losing defensive stalwart Bruno Valdez for the season. Coach Miguel Herrera is sure to rotate his line-up freely, especially with Nico Benedetti, Gio dos Santos and Andrés Ibarguen all returning to fitness. Of course, those three are offensive players and the greater concern will be shoring up the back line. We may see some of recent signing Luis Fuentes in the coming weeks.

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Cementeros remain atop Liga MX Power Rankings

By Thomas Buckley | Sep 1, 2020