8 key Liga MX games down the home stretch
Liga MX playoff seeds at stake in final three weeks
When the Liga MX decided to expand the playoff field this season, it was obvious that it would provide late-season drama since more teams would be in the mix down to the wire. And that expectation is certainly playing out.
Not a single team has been eliminated with only three games remaining, including woeful Atlético de San Luis. And the last place Tuneros can’t be knocked out of the race this weekend either as they are only 3 points out of 12th.
The top four teams earn a first-round bye and teams finishing 5th through 12th will face off in home-and-home “wildcard” matches in this fashion: No. 5 vs No. 12, No. 6 vs No. 11, No. 7 vs No. 10 and No. 8 vs No. 9.
Through 14 games, five teams have secured a spot in the Liguilla: León, UNAM, Tigres, Cruz Azul and América. León – No 1 in our Power Rankings – has already clinched a top 4 seed and need one win in its final three games to claim the No. 1 seed. The other five teams will be battling for the remaining three top seeds in hopes of earning a week off.
Ten teams are mathematically alive to snare a first-round bye although it is unrealistic to think No. 9 Santos, No. 10 Toluca and No. 11 Necaxa truly have a chance. And No. 6 Monterrey, No. 7 Guadalajara and No. 8 Pachuca must win this weekend to remain in contention for a first-round bye.
With this in mind, here are the Top 8 matches remaining in the Guardianes 2020 that will impact the Top 4 seeds, starting with this weekend.
Matchday 15
No. 4 Cruz Azul at No. 7 Guadalajara
Cruz Azul was in first place after Matchday 11 but has not been able to find the net since. In fact, the Cementeros were the highest-scoring team at the time, but three consecutive shut-outs (two losses and one draw) caused the Mexico City club to tumble down the standings. Although they still have the second-most goals in Liga MX, the power outage is a huge concern for coach Robert Siboldi.
The Chivas have also struggled on offense (7 shut-outs in 14 matches, and only four Liga MX teams have scored fewer goals), but their strike force came alive last week against Atlas. Winger Uriel Antuna appears to be settling in after a long adjustment period (a goal and an assist against Atlas) and leading scorer J.J. Macías found the back of the net again.
Both teams boast strong defenses, so goals could be at a premium. Even so, I expect this to be an entertaining, end-to-end affair with plenty of scoring chances.
No. 2 UNAM at No. 8 Pachuca
The Pumas have confounded the pundits who had the club finishing in the middle of the Liga MX table, especially after coach Miguel González quit just days before the season started.
The cash-strapped front office made only two moves over the summer, but both have paid off handsomely. Veteran goalie Alfredo Talavera has been UNAM’s MVP since Opening Day and Uruguayan midfielder Facundo Waller has become a key contributor (usually as a sub) with his playmaking.
Pachuca went against form and brought in a bunch of veterans in the offseason, loading up on offense, and the club has struggled to find a rhythm. A lack of familiarity has been evident and it does not help that coach Paulo Pezzolano has not settled on a starting 11.
The Tuzos know they must win, not only to move closer to a playoff berth, but also to finish in the top 8 which would give them home-field advantage in the wildcard round. UNAM has been opportunistic all season and if Pachuca makes a mistake expect the Pumas to pounce.