Morsels and meanderings from Liga MX Matchday 12
For the fourth straight time, the No. 1 team in our Liga MX Power Rankings failed to win. Monterrey was the culprit on Matchday 12, stunned 3-1 by a modest, but plucky FC Juárez team.
Elsewhere across the league, Atlas edged Guadalajara in a raucous “Clásico Tapatío” that saw the Chivas down to nine men by the half-hour mark.
The Zorros and coach Diego Cocca were mauled in the press for the conservative approach taken with a 1-0 lead AND a two-man advantage.
Atlas twice nearly conceded an equalizer, a turnabout that would have been a monumental embarrassment that could have derailed a promising season. As it is, “Los Rojinegros” have climbed into second place while relying heavily on a defense that has given up the fewest goals in Liga MX (5).
América will celebrate 105th anniversary in first place
The lone team above the Zorros in the league table – América – muted some panicky whispers across Aguilas Nation by halting its 3-game winless streak with a 2-0 win in the “Clásico Capitalino.”
Atlas had momentarily moved to the top of the Liga MX table with 22 points after its win in the Guadalajara derby on Saturday night, ahead of América on goal differential. Twenty hours later, the Aguilas were back in first (25 points) thanks to an efficient, if unspectacular 2-0 win over the Pumas.
The game turned on a bit of brilliance from Richard Sánchez in minute 36. The América midfielder picked left back Jerónimo Rodríguez’s pocket out by the sideline about 45 meters from goal and immediately one-timed a shot that soared over the retreating Alfredo Talavera before bouncing into the netting inside the far post.
Mauro Lainez’s clincher late in added time was equally inspired and América strolled off with a reassuring 2-0 win that sank their crosstown rivals even further (UNAM is in second-last with only 8 points from 11 games).
Since the league is on hiatus until Oct. 14, América will celebrate its birthday (the Aguilas were founded on Columbus Day – Oct. 12 – in 1916) in its self-assigned position – the top of the Liga MX.
Return of ‘El Turco’ to Liga MX?
Is Antonio Mohamed planning a return to Tijuana?
The former Xolos, Rayados, and Aguilas coach is rumored to be in talks to succeed Robert Dante Siboldi, fired by Tijuana on Sept. 29. “El Turco” Mohamed also had brief stints coaching Monarcas, Jaguares and Veracruz before finding success in Tijuana and Monterrey.
The Chivas were also said to be considering Mohamed for their coaching vacancy, but the Xolos job seems to be the preferred landing spot for the Argentine manager who last prowled the Liga MX sidelines with the Rayados in November 2020.
The Tijuana vacancy is the fourth of the Apertura 2021 season. Preceding Siboldi on the Pink Slip List were Guillermo Vázquez (fired by Necaxa on Sept. 24), Víctor Manuel Vucetich (voted off Chivas Island on Sept. 19) and Héctor Altamirano (axed by the Gallos Blancos on Aug. 23).
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Leonardo Ramos took the Querétaro gig and Pablo Guede is new head man at Necaxa, but the Chivas job was handed to Marcelo Michel Leaño on an interim basis so Guadalajara’s coaching search is still in progress.