Liga MX: Chivas-Rayos tops Wildcard Saturday

Necaxa is hottest Liga MX team entering playoffs

Just like the Chivas, Necaxa is playing with a coach who was not on the bench when the season started.

José Guadalupe Cruz was rescued from the newly created Liga de Expansión (formerly Ascenso MX) where he worked in the Tepatitlán FC front office. Before that, “El Profe” was general manager for third-tier club Murciélagos and that came on the heels of a brief stint as coach of the Dorados de Sinaloa franchise in Ascenso MX. He was fired from that job.

The last time Cruz prowled a Liga MX sideline before the Rayos came calling was in January 2018. Two games into that Clausura 2018 season, Atlas sacked “El Profe” after nearly three years in charge. The Zorros had qualified for the playoffs in each of the previous two seasons under Cruz, but the 0-0-2 start (a 2-1 home loss to León followed by a 3-1 loss at UNAM) was the last straw.

Cruz must have wondered what he’d gotten himself into as Necaxa was mired in the cellar when he came on board with 8 points from 9 games. Ironically, the Chivas handed him a 2-1 setback in his debut as “El Profe” saw out the final two games of a 5-game losing streak before the Rayos finally seemed to catch on. “The Electricistas” eked out a tie against the league-leading Pumas on Matchday 12 then won out to climb from last place and latch onto the No. 10 seed.

Necaxa is 5-1-2 under Cruz with a 10-6 goal differential. That’s a dramatic reversal of the 5-14 goal differential posted by the Rayos before “El Profe” took over.

The primary difference under Cruz is the tactical discipline and efficiency. Necaxa has a modest payroll ($26.8 million dollars compared to $61.2 million dollars for the Chivas), so it is understood that to compete against top teams the Rayos must minimize mistakes.

Midfielder David Cabrera is key to Necaxa’s chances. The savvy Pumas product helps initiate offense while also working hard to disrupt opponents’ offensive moves. Cabrera has also proven to be a real threat on free kicks, showing off an accurate left boot.

Joining Cabrera in the middle of the pitch are Alejandro Zendejas on the left and Juan Delgado on the right, with Fernando Arce prowling the space in between. This is the where the game will be won or lost for Necaxa. This foursome must keep in contact with the back four – especially along the flanks – and shut down passing lanes into the box.

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The Rayos must be precise with outlet passes and work to control tempo, offsetting the Chivas’ speed and skill advantage. Look for Cabrera and Arce to work in tandem on defense and in transition.

Up front Lucas Passerini will be asked to occupy as many Chivas defenders as he can, whether it be serving as a decoy or creating space for teammates. The Argentine point man is also an effective passer inside the box.

Luis Malagón has done a fine job in his first-year as No. 1 goalie, even blocking two penalty kicks (tied for most among Liga MX keepers), so “El Profe” might not be averse to playing for a draw and subsequent shoot-out.

It’s worth keeping in mind that back-up goalie Sebastán Fassi suffered a long-term injury earlier this week, so Malagón must be careful. An unfortunate collision or a red card would be disastrous for the Rayos.