Goals in short supply on Matchday 4; Pachuca tops Liga MX table

Naturally, a few days after we publish an article about goal-scoring fireworks in Liga MX and we are punished with three goalless draws on Matchday 4.

And one of those 0-0 matches came in Toluca even though the Diablos Rojos played nearly 30 minutes with a two-man advantage!

Through three weeks, Liga MX fans were screaming “Gooolll!” more than three times a game but, by Sunday’s end, we saw just 19 goals in eight matches – a measly 2.4 gpg average.

This despite the 6-0 shellacking América handed Mazatlán FC, and the thrilling 2-2 draw that kicked off Matchday 4.

Champs move to top of table

Pachuca claimed its seventh Liga MX championship last season as the No. 1 seed and the Tuzos climbed back to the top of the perch for the first time in the Clausura 2023 after a 2-1 victory over visiting Necaxa.

Guillermo Almada’s men are averaging 3 goals a game despite trading away the defending Liga MX scoring champ (Nico Ibáñez). Even with Monterrey on 9 points, Pachuca’s +5 goal differential (compared to the Rayados’ +3) has the Tuzos on top of the table.

Javier “Chofis” López opened the scoring for the hosts, boosting his personal tab to 3 goals. Pachuca and Necaxa traded penalty kicks late in the second half for the final score (Gustavo Cabral in minute 79, Necaxa’s Facundo Batista in minute 90+9).

Sunday’s only other match was the Toluca-León contest in which Esmeraldas goalie Rodolfo Cota made 8 saves.

The Diablos Rojos rained crosses into the box in the second half, most of them harmless, while also spraying 22 off-target shots, wasting an excellent opportunity to climb into the top half of the standings.

Instead, last season’s losing finalists find themselves in 9th place (5 points from a 1-2-0 record) though they do have a game in hand. That make-up game will take place Wednesday on the road against 8th-place Atlas.

Liga MX news and notes

Fifth-place UNAM will be without winger Eduardo Salvio for about a month (hamstring) while defender Nicolás Freire (thigh) for 10 days. Both were unavailable for the team’s scoreless draw at Tijuana.

Youngster Daniel Aceves is set to return to Liga MX after six months in Spain where he was on loan to second division side Real Oviedo. The 21-year-old left back will return to Pachuca after making just 10 appearances with the Carbayones.

Defender Luis Quintana has joined last-place Mazatlán after an inauspicious 18 months at Necaxa. The Pumas academy project made his Liga MX debut in 2012.

Former teen phenom Diego Lainez arrived in Monterrey on Sunday. The 22-year-old winger/midfielder is set to join Tigres this week after “los felinos” acquired him from Real Betis.