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Diablos Rojos stun top-seeded América, advance to Liga MX Final

By Thomas Buckley

Toluca players celebrate after upsetting title favorites América. The Diablos Rojos advanced to the Liga MX Final with na 3-2 aggregate victory. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images)
Toluca players celebrate after upsetting title favorites América. The Diablos Rojos advanced to the Liga MX Final with na 3-2 aggregate victory. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images) /
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Liga MX semi 6
Toluca defender Haret Ortega (right) and goalie Tiago Volpi (seated) teamed up to frustrate América and El Tri striker Henry Martín, leading the Diablos Rojos to their 13th Liga MX Final. (Photo by Manuel Velasquez/Getty Images) /

Toluca held off a furious second-half onslaught from top-seeded América to advance to the Liga MX Finals for the first time since the Clausura 2018.

The Aguilas came into the semifinal series against the sixth-seeded Diablos Rojos on a 14-game unbeaten streak (13-1-0) but ran into a brick wall Saturday night.

“Los Choriceros” bravely conceded possession throughout the second half in a frantic effort to protect their 3-2 aggregate lead, and netminder Tiago Volpi came up with several big saves while midfielder Claudio Baeza led a scrambling defense that never stopped harassing the Aguilas playmakers.

Henry Martín appeared to get a late series winner, sending the Estadio Azteca crowd into a frenzy until ref Adonai Escobedo correctly whistled the play offside.

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América finished the Apertura 2022 in first place thanks to a dominating two-month stretch that included a franchise record nine-game win streak.

Entering the Liga MX playoffs, the Aguilas were favored to hoist the trophy and add to their Liga MX record 13 league titles. And their odds spiked after an historic 11-2 rout of No. 8 Puebla in the semifinals.

Even after Toluca handed América its first loss since July 31 on Wednesday night, the Aguilas were expected to coast to next week’s Final. After all, the Diablos Rojos were merely average on defense this season and “los Azulcremas” had scored 50 goals in 20 games (playoffs included).

Toluca scored against the run of play in minute 29, but América answered just 6 minutes later, leaving more than an hour to get the goal required to send them to their 19th Liga MX Final (their 18 finals appearances is most in league history).

The first best chance for the “winner” came in minute 58 when a Volpi reflex save pushed an Álvaro Fidalgo header over the bar. The Spaniard was all alone right in front when he met a perfect Roger Martínez cross only to be denied by the Brazilian goalie.

América only managed two more shots on target the rest of the match – neither tested Volpi ­– and could not recover from the gut punch that was the nullified goal. Martín was just a toenail offside when Federico Viñas fed him at the top of the box. The El Tri striker controlled crisply and quickly zipped a shot into the upper right corner, leading to the aborted celebration.

As for Toluca, the Nacho Ambriz era produced dividends a season or two earlier than expected. The Diablos Rojos advance to their 13th Liga MX Final (fourth all-time) in Nacho’s second season in charge.

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“Los Choriceros” will now await their opponent – No. 4 Pachuca leads No. 2 Monterrey 5-2 after the first leg with the second leg on Sunday in Monterrey – before continuing its quest for an 11th Liga MX title.

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