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Toluca ended León’s Liga MX reign, No. 1 seed next

By Thomas Buckley

No. 1 seed Cruz Azul takes on No. 11 Toluca in one of Wednesday's two quarterfinal series. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images)
No. 1 seed Cruz Azul takes on No. 11 Toluca in one of Wednesday's two quarterfinal series. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images) /
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Atlas and Puebla have only met one time in the Liga MX playoffs and that came back in April 2001. (Photo by Carlos Pacheco/Jam Media/Getty Images) /

Camoteros, Zorros are pleasant surprises

Before the season, few bettors would have plunked down cash on Puebla and Atlas. The former has one of the lowest payrolls in Liga MX and the latter faced serious “relegation” issues.

Puebla barely made the playoffs last season but pulled off a stunner, defeating holders Monterrey in a wildcard match before succumbing to eventual champs León in the quarterfinals.

Despite that playoff surprise, Camoteros ownership fired coach Juan Reynoso (yes, the same one), and brought in Nicolás Larcamón. All the 36-year-old Argentine has done is lead “La Franja” to a 7-7-3 record with a +11 goal differential and the No. 3 seed, earning a first-round playoff bye. In fact, Puebla is the last team to defeat Cruz Azul, besting the Cementeros 1-0 at Estadio Azteca back on Matchday 2.

Atlas entered the Guardianes 2021 in last place in the “Relegation Standings.” Things looked bleak after the Zorros lost their first three matches and were still winless after six. Then Atlas caught a break when América made an administrative error that resulted in a forfeit, providing the Zorros with 3 points … and momentum.

Atlas won three of their next four and won twice more in April, climbing out of the relegation cellar and claiming the No. 7 seed.

Unexpected playoff participants

One of these two teams will be in the Final Four this season, but you have to go back 12 years to find the last time either Puebla or Atlas reached the semifinals. In the Clausura 2009 playoffs, Puebla defeated Monterrey in the quarterfinals but came up short in the semifinals against UNAM, the eventual Liga MX champs.

Atlas is in the Liga MX playoffs for the first time since the Clausura 2017 season and has not been in a Final Four since December 2004.

The last time Atlas participated in the quarterfinals, an eighth-seeded Zorros club got smacked around by No. 1 Monterrey, eliminated by a 6-2 aggregate score.

Puebla and Atlas have only met in the postseason once before and that was 20 years ago. Back in the Verano 2001 Liguilla, the Camoteros eliminated the Zorros in a wildcard match-up on a 5-4 aggregate score.

Next. 44SPORTS consultancy stepping up. dark

These two teams met in Puebla’s Estadio Cuauhtémoc back on Matchday 11 and Atlas came away with a 1-0 win thanks to a 73rd-minute Aldo Rocha strike. The Camoteros have not lost since.

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