Liga MX highlights, lowlights and another Clásico

América blanks Chivas, Xolos test positive, Monterrey showdown next up

The Aguilas swooped past the Chivas and collected all 3 points in Saturday night’s Super Clásico, but the bigger story in Liga MX happened off the field. Thirty members of the Xolos of Tijuana tested positive for the Covid-19 virus (14 players, 16 coaches and staff).

So while Guadalajara fans grumbled about the “penalty” not called against Jorge Sánchez, Liga MX officials were tinkering with team schedules, trying to figure out how to keep the Guardianes 2020 season from going off the rails.

At Estadio Azteca on Saturday night, Gio dos Santos scored a fantastic goal in minute 26 – trap, touch, blast – and Memo Ochoa made it stand up with three brilliant saves in the Aguilas’ 1-0 victory. América survived another injury to a back-liner, a development that prompted coach Miguel Herrera to go conservative to protect substitute defender Ramón Juárez, a 19-year-old rookie. The Chivas swarmed forward but could not find the net.

The loss extended the Chivas’ winless streak against the Aguilas to six games (0-2-4) and vaulted América into second place, pending the outcome of Monday night’s fixture. Guadalajara has now failed to score in six of its 11 games thus far this season.

Liga MX officials pull out their slide rules

Heading into this pas weekend, league headquarters was alerted that the Tijuana club was late getting virus test results. Officials promptly postponed the Xolos game against FC Juárez from Saturday to Monday.

By Saturday, the worst-case scenario had emerged. Thirty members of the Xolos organization had tested positive for Covid-19 with several victims described as symptomatic.

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The Liga MX braintrust immediately got to work juggling the Guardianes 2020 calendar. The Xolos-Juárez game was rescheduled for Sept. 30 and Juárez’s Matchday 13 game against Pachuca was pushed back a few days so the Bravos would not be inconvenienced. Also, the Xolos Matchday 12 game against Santos was postponed with a make-up date pending.

Clubs and league officials will be alert to any fall-out. Cruz Azul played at Tijuana on Sunday, Sept. 13, and the Xolos withheld four players from that match because of the virus. So Cementeros fans might be wise to be concerned until the team’s next testing period.

Earlier this month, five members of the Atlético de San Luis organization (three players, the team president and a staff member) tested positive heading into Matchday 10, so the Tijuana case is not an isolated incident.

League and team officials as well as fans are holding their breath, hoping the pandemic doesn’t interfere any further.

Stage set for Clásico Regiomontano

The 124th battle for Monterrey bragging rights is set to take place Saturday night at the Estadio BBVA Bancomer. While the Tigres appear to be running on all cylinders, the host Rayados will be hoping to get a reprieve from the league Disciplinary Committee.

These two bitter rivals have not played since Sept. 28, 2019 (a 2-0 win for the visiting Tigres in the same venue, a loss that cost Monterrey coach Diego Alonso his job), although the Rayados got the last laugh by going on to win the Apertura 2019 title that season.

Mexico’s northern derby features two of the highest payrolls in Liga MX, but neither team started out the Guardianes 2020 playing up to their wages.

Monterrey was 1-3-1 before its well-deserved 3-1 dismantling of América. But since then, the Rayados have gone 2-2-1 and their overall record includes disappointing home draws against also-rans Necaxa and Atlas.

Coach Antonio Mohamed has a loaded roster but has not found a starting 11 that clicks. Now he might have to tinker with his back line after central defender César Montes picked up a cheap red card against Atlético de San Luis Sunday night. The club will no doubt appeal to the Disciplinary Committee as the second yellow appeared rather bogus.

Across town, the Tigres are gaining confidence as coach “Tuca” Ferretti seems to have loosened the bit on his race horses. The normally conservative tactics have not been completely discarded, but the plodding attack has been given freer rein the past two games, and the offense has responded with flair – and goals.

Nicolás “Diente” López has given the Tigres offense some teeth coming off the bench and may get a start in the Clásico after Javier Aquino limped off injured against Querétaro on Saturday. Midfield playmaker Leo Fernández got his second start of the season this past weekend and, once he settles in, this could be a dangerous team.

The Tigres have a slim lead in the overall Clásico Regio record with 43 wins against 40 losses and 38 ties and they’ll get the early edge in the betting line, especially if “El Cachorro” Montes’s red-card suspension is upheld.