By the Numbers: A look back at the Apertura 2022

Liga MX teams put up big numbers in scoring column

The Apertura 2022 regular season is in the books and the Liga MX playoffs are set to kickoff with Wildcard Weekend.

Four single-elimination games will take place with the winners advancing to the quarterfinals where the Top 4 seeds await: América, Monterrey, Santos Laguna and Pachuca.

Before we turn our attention fully to the wildcard matches, we have time to take a quick glance back at the 153-game season that stretched from July 1 to Oct. 2 and some of the numbers the 18 clubs produced.

One number of particular interest is 420. That’s how many goals were scored, an average of 2.74 goals per game. Three games featured 7 goals, most notably América’s 7-0 win over Cruz Azul on Matchday 10. The other two 7-goal games were: Pachuca 6, Tijuana 1 (Matchday 14) and Santos Laguna 4, Monterrey 3 (Matchday 1).

Without further ado, here is Liga MX By the Numbers:

52

number of penalties whistled this season. Players converted 38 of the spot kicks, while 14 were missed. Toluca’s Camilo Sanvezzo led the league with four penalty kick conversions.

38

goals scored by América and Santos Laguna, the most potent offenses in Liga MX. Both teams were more prolific in the second half of games with the Aguilas scoring 22 times after halftime and the Guerreros finding the net 25 times.

35

goals allowed by Querétaro, the worst defense in Liga MX. Despite finishing in seventh place, Cruz Azul was the second-worst defense, conceding 34 in 17 matches.

+21

goal differential produced by América, tops in the league

11

goals by Pachuca’s Nicolás Ibáñez to edge América striker Henry Martín and claim his first Liga MX Golden Boot Award.

10

draws by Puebla, the most since Necaxa had 10 ties during the Clausura 2018 season

9

games in a row won by América, its longest-ever win streak and the most consecutive wins since Cruz Azul won a league-record 12 straight just a year-and-a-half ago.

–8

goal differential compiled by Cruz Azul, the worst mark of the 12 playoff teams.

7

assists by Toluca’s Leo Fernández to lead Liga MX. Monterrey’s Arturo González was second best with 5 assists.

3

number of teams that did not lose a home game. Santos Laguna (8-1-0), América (6-2-0) and Monterrey (5-3-0) were the three Liga MX squads that went undefeated at home during the Apertura 2022.

2

losses by Monterrey, the fewest in Liga MX this season. After losing their season opener, the Rayados went 10-5-1 thereafter. América, Pachuca and Puebla were next best, losing just three times this season.

1

number of coaches fired during the season, the fewest since 1940. Cruz Azul fired Diego Aguirre after the club’s humiliating 7-0 loss to América on Matchday 10.