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Home teams dominate Matchday 7 contests

By Thomas Buckley

Pachuca's Nicolás Ibáñez celebrates after scoring his team’s first goal during a Liga MX match against Tigres on Sunday. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images)
Pachuca's Nicolás Ibáñez celebrates after scoring his team’s first goal during a Liga MX match against Tigres on Sunday. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images) /
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Liga MX M7 home teams
Toluca players celebrate their second goal – in minute 49 – in their 3-1 win over visiting Tijuana. The result pushed the Diablos Rojos into first place in the Liga MX table. (Photo by Agustin Cuevas/Getty Images) /

In the final Liga MX matchday before the All-Star break, home teams won six of the first seven games of the weekend. And several hosts absolutely punished their visitors, outscoring their guests 19 to 4 in those six victories.

Necaxa was the lone exception, defeating Atlético de San Luis on the road Sunday thanks to two first-half goals. The 2-1 triumph lifted the Rayos into fifth place in the standings with 12 points.

The win also served as another small measure of revenge for Necaxa coach Jaime Lozano who lost to André Jardine in the Olympic semifinals last summer (Lozano as coach of Mexico, Jardine as coach of Brazil). This marked the second consecutive win for Lozano and the Rayos over the Tuneros since Jardine took over in February.

Toluca manhandled visiting Tijuana 3-1 earlier Sunday, climbing into first place with 17 points. The Diablos have played an extra game after their Matchday 16 contest against Puebla was moved up (a 1-1 draw on Tuesday).

Last season’s top seeds square off

Sunday’s Pachuca-Tigres clash pitted the two best teams of the Clausura 2022 and promised to be the best game of the weekend. Unfortunately, a harsh red card against Tigres defender Jesús Angulo in minute 14 turned the game in Pachuca’s favor.

The host Tuzos scored on the ensuing free kick and basically managed the result the rest of the way. Pachuca played with patient confidence but lacked the crispness that saw them claim the No. 1 seed and reach the Liga MX Final last season. Nico Ibáñez netted both goals, boosting his club into fourth place.

Tigres saw its five-game win streak come to an end and Miguel Herrera’s club dropped from the top of the Liga MX table into third place (15 points), 1 point behind crosstown rivals Monterrey.

The other results for Matchday 7 were (home team listed first):

Atlas 3, Querétaro 1; Mazatlán FC 2, Chivas 1; Monterrey 5, León 1; Santos Laguna 4, Cruz Azul 0. América was playing host to FC Juárez later Sunday, while the UNAM at Puebla match was postponed since the Pumas were in Barcelona getting pummeled by the Catalan side in the Joan Gamper Trophy match.

Liga MX-MLS festivities

The Liga MX All-Stars will head to Minnesota for Wednesday’s All-Star game and the Skills Challenge. This marks the second season in a row with the neighboring leagues squaring off.

Next. 'Ponchito' leads Monterrey to 5-1 rout of León. dark

Last year, Liga MX won the skills challenge while MLS defeated their Mexican rivals in a penalty shoot-out after a 1-1 draw.

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