With ‘Tala’ back in net, will Pumas be Liga MX top cat?

Top-seeded León hosts Pumas in Guard1anes 2020 finale

The underdog Pumas got a big boost on Saturday with the announcement that Alfredo Talavera will be back between the pipes for Sunday’s Gran Final. “Tala” has missed UNAM’s past six games after injuring a thigh during warm-ups before the club’s season finale.

The veteran goalie last played on Oct. 31 in a 2-2 draw against the Chivas. Since then, back-up Julio González has performed admirably, shepherding the Pumas into a one-game, winner-take-all match against top-seeded León.

Although coach Andrés Lillini figures Talavera’s experience could be decisive, “Los Auriazules” await medical decisions on four other players. Playmakers Favio Álvarez and Facundo Waller were unavailable for Thursday’s first leg at home, while peripatetic winger Juan Iturbe limped off the pitch injured in minute 53. All three are game-time decisions.

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The scrappy Leonel López was also subbed out due to injury (in minute 78), so the Pumas face a serious manpower shortage in midfield. The injury situation could force Lillini to turn to rookie Erik Lira, a 20-year-old on loan from Necaxa.

Andrés Iniestra and Juan Pablo Vigón will carry extra responsibility, focusing primarily on protecting the back line while also pressing forward to relieve the relentless pressure to be expected from León. In lieu of playmaking midfielders, fullbacks Alan Mozo and Alex Mayorga must push forward and supply strikers Carlos González and Juan Ignacio Dinenno with crosses.

The Pumas defense was virtually error-free in the first leg, but unfortunately their one marking mistake came in minute 89 and Emmanuel Gigliotti took advantage to find the equalizer.

With “Tala” in net, central defenders Sebastián Freire and Johan Vázquez will play with more confidence.

For their part, the Esmeraldas will want to improve passing accuracy (82% pass completion rate on Thursday night) and reduce unforced turnovers. Too many times, a spot of over-dribbling or indecisiveness with the ball resulted in loss of possession and allowed the Pumas to flow forward.

Iniestra and López did a splendid job of disrupting Luis Montes and solid team defense allowed the Pumas to slow the León transition game. Look for the Esmeraldas’ 3M attack (Montes, Angel Mena and Jean Meneses) to be more patient.

León’s creativity and constant movement can twist a defense in circles, and I’d expect them to find space and opportunity on several occasions at the Camp Nou. But that won’t mean much if they are scatter-shots again. The Esmeraldas were on target with only 2 of their 9 shots on Thursday.

At the other end, coach Ignacio Ambriz must tweak his back four after Stiven Barreira’s ejection late in the first leg. Veteran Juan Ignacio González is one option but he is not a 90-minute man at this stage. Most likely William Tesillo will slide from left fullback into his familiar central defender role, leaving Ambriz with a decision at left fullback.

If offensive-minded José David “Avión” Ramírez is the choice, we’ll know Ambriz will have León on the front foot from the opening whistle. A less likely possibility would be the reappearance of Yairo Moreno. The Colombian – a converted winger – is Ambriz’s first choice at left back but he has just now recovering from a thigh injury suffered in early October.

Finally, here’s hoping referee Jorge Pérez Durán is mostly invisible such that the Gran Final is not marred by any controversial calls.