Super Tigres overshadow scoreless ‘Super Clásico’
Last place América escaped the Estadio Akron cauldron with a point despite playing a man down the final 40 minutes against the Chivas.
The scoreless “Super Clásico” culminated a drama-filled Liga MX triple-header that opened with an emphatic statement by the Tigres and included a gritty home win by Cruz Azul that ended its three-game losing streak at Estadio Azteca.
The Liga MX “Game of the Year” saw the Chivas drop points at home, squandering a chance to climb into the top half of the standings. Instead América gutted to out for most of the second half after losing Jona dos Santos to a red card in minute 51.
The hard-earned point was enough to climb out of the basement (7 points, –6 goal differential), ahead of Mazatlán (7 points, –7 goal differential).
Tigres reveal León to be Liga MX pretender
Miguel Herrera’s men marched into the Camp Nou and thumped León 3-0, leaving no doubt that they are serious contenders for the Clausura 2022 title.
Tigres goalie Nahuel Guzmán stopped an Ángel Mena penalty kick in minute 11, turning the tide of the game. Just over a quarter-hour later, the Tigres were up 2-0 after León keeper Rodolfo Cota made his first two mistakes of the season.
The loss was the second straight 3-0 rout for the Esmeraldas and suddenly León looks more like a pretender and Ariel Holan is on a hot seat, just four months after leading “La Fiera” to the Liga MX Finals.
In the middle game of Saturday’s triple-header, a brilliant flying scissors kick by sub Juan Escobar in minute 70 gave the Cementeros a 2-1 victory over crosstown rivals UNAM, lifting Juan Reynoso’s men into fifth place with 17 points.
The setback dropped the Pumas into 10th place (11 points) though they have a game in hand.
Cruz Azul got on the board first with a ricochet header off a corner kick, their league-leading eighth headed goal of the season. Favio Álvarez answered moments later, finishing off a flowing move that featured two back-heels inside the box.
Escobar’s game-winner was the Cementeros’ ninth goal off a set piece this season, the most in Liga MX.
Next. Liga MX tries to get back to football. dark
Matchday 10 concludes Sunday with another triple-header: Pachuca at Toluca; first-place Puebla at Atlético de San Luis; and, Santos Laguna hosting Tijuana.