Pumas-León: Cat fight for Liga MX supremacy
Free-form fútbol vs workmanlike warriors
León is going to try to impose its will on the match from the outset, so the Pumas must be willing to absorb pressure and look for chances to break out. Lillini has his guys taking an organized approach, with forwards González and Juan Ignacio Dinenno tracking back to help out.
The Esmeraldas flow forward and players filter in and out of positions so UNAM will look to counter quickly and could try to create chances with long balls. This should be a high-intensity, high-quality contest.
Last match
Querétaro 2, León 3
The Esmeraldas scored more than 2 goals for the first time all season, overturning a 2-1 deficit with 2 goals in the final 15 minutes. Whirling dervish Jean Meneses missed the match but José Ramírez filled incapably. Fullback Yairo Moreno made a bad mistake that allowed the Gallos to take the lead but made up for it with a brilliant play to assist on the equalizer.
Pumas 3, Atlético de San Luis 0
UNAM was missing three starters – defender Nicolás Freire, plus midfielders Juan Iturbe and Favio Álvarez – yet didn’t miss a beat, winning with ease. Juan Pablo Vigón stepped in for Favio and scored the team’s opener. Alfredo Talavera continued his sterling play between the pipes to earn his third clean sheet of the Guardianes 2020.
Possible line-ups
León: 4-1-3-2
Cota
Navarro – Barreiro – Tesillo – Moreno
Aquino (or Rodríguez)
Mena – Montes – Meneses
Sosa – Gigliotti
Coach Ambriz is not afraid to tweak his line-up mid-game so we could see Joel Campbell used upfront. Barreiro and Tesillo will have their hands full with UNAM’s two-headed strike force, but the Pumas can’t score without the ball. So expect León to pass-and-move, pass-and-move, with fullbacks Navarro and Moreno flowing forward frequently.
UNAM: 4-4-2
Talavera
Mozo – Vázquez – Quintana (or Freire) – Mayorga
Gutiérrez – Lira – Iniestra – Iturbe
Gonzlález – Dinenno
I’m expecting the Energizer Bunny Iturbe to be fit after missing last week. UNAM would be better off with his attacking potential though Vigón is a capable replacement. I would not think coach Lillini will risk inserting Freire if he is not fully fit, especially against a dynamic offense.
Key players
León: Winger Ángel Mena is due to erupt. The Ecuadorian has been in a slump since his MVP-caliber Clausura 2019 season, fighting injuries and adjusting to life without J.J. Macías at the point. His superb goal against Querétaro last week could signal that he is back.
Pumas: Goalie Alfredo Talavera has been so clutch that he has earned a call-up to the national team at 38. Acquired just before the season, “Tala” has become a locker room leader and a security blanket for the young Pumas.