Toluca ended León’s Liga MX reign, No. 1 seed next
Toluca hopes to continue shocking the world, but to achieve an improbable 11th Liga MX title they must first get past a record-setting Cruz Azul side.
The Guardianes 2021 quarterfinals kick off in the Estadio Bombonera Wednesday night when the top-seeded Cementeros tangle with the 11th-seeded Diablos Rojos. The Liguilla continues immediately thereafter with the first leg of the Atlas-Puebla series. The other two quarterfinals open Thursday night.
Toluca reached the Elite Eight by stunning holders León in a penalty shoot-out after their wildcard match ended in a 2-2 draw. Diablos goalie Luis García was the star, leading “Los Choriceros” into the quarterfinals for the first time since the Apertura 2018 season.
Diablos have had Cementeros’ number in playoffs
Cruz Azul has lost to Toluca in the playoffs all four times the clubs have met since the move to a split-season format in 1996. The only time the Cementeros knocked the Diablos out of the playoffs was in the 1977-78 quarterfinals, and “La Máquina Celeste” needed overtime to get past “Los Escarlatas.”
Despite losing at lowly FC Juárez on Matchday 17, Toluca eked into the playoffs when Querétaro, Mazatlán FC and Tijuana failed to win. The Diablos survived an erratic campaign and settled for the 11th seed for a second season in a row, once again condemned by a poor second half.
After a 4-1-1 start to the Guardianes 2021, the club won just twice more – finishing 2-3-6 – but they boast one of the most dangerous offenses in Liga MX.
Captain Rubens Sambueza is the puppet master on offense, directing the attack from either wing while supplying all manner of crosses and through balls for Alexis Canelo and Michael Estrada. Canelo led Liga MX in goals scored (11) while Sambueza was the league-leader in assists (6). The two combined for the Diablos’ second goal against León on Sunday.
Coach Hernan Cristante prefers an aggressive, swarming defense led by J.J. Vázquez and Claudio Baeza aligned in a double pivot, but the back line has been error-prone and wildcard hero García had an inconsistent campaign.
Toluca visited Cruz Azul on Matchday 7, erasing an early 2-0 deficit by halftime only to concede the winner just past the hour mark.
The two goals Toluca managed were the most allowed by Cruz Azul all season (Atlas and Atlético de San Luis also scored twice against the Cementeros’ top-ranked defense), so the Diablos know they can’t afford to waste a single opportunity. That’s especially true when considering that Cruz Azul matched Toluca for most goals scored (26).