Tigres complete CCL semifinals bracket, sets up Liga MX-MLS final
The semifinals of the Concacaf Champions League are now set, guaranteeing a MLS-Liga MX finals clash for the second consecutive season.
Tigres routed visiting Motagua (Honduras) 5-0 on Thursday night to secure a 6-0 aggregate victory and advance to a CCL Final Four for the second time in three years. They’ll face Liga MX rivals León who eased past Haiti’s Violette AC (6-2 aggregate).
On the other side of the bracket, we get a rematch of last season’s thrilling MLS final that saw LAFC win in a penalty shootout over Philadelphia Union.
LAFC – led by erstwhile El Tri star Carlos Vela – destroyed the Vancouver Whitecaps 6-0 on aggregate, while the Union edged past Liga MX side Atlas 3-2 to provide the Philly club with a chance at revenge against their MLS rivals.
Revival in northern Mexico
Tigres was a mess heading into Thursday’s match against Motagua. The team was sporting a new coach – Robert Siboldi – brought in after an embarrassing 2-1 home loss to last-place Mazatlán FC.
The shocking setback was the club’s fourth straight loss in league play and Tigres had scored just 6 goals in its last eight Liga MX matches despite boasting one of the biggest payrolls in the league.
Siboldi – a former Tigre who coached Santos Laguna to a Liga MX title five years ago – is a no-nonsense manager who has no qualms about shaking things up.
It’s unwise to credit the new coach with reviving the team’s fortunes based on a single game against a modest Central American team, but Tigres fans sure are hopeful.
It's too early to tell how much this is due to Siboldi's hand. But it's clear that Siboldi is willing to mix things up. A we definitely needed to change things up. This win is a huge confidence booster!#CCL2023
— Tigres English (@tigres_english) April 14, 2023
André-Pierre Gignac contributed a brace (27’, 66’) and “los felinos” slammed the door shut with three goals in the final 8 minutes.
They’ll now face León three times in an eight- or nine-day stretch. The two-legged CCL semifinals will be wrapped around the Liga MX season finale on April 30 with both teams battling for playoff position. Tigres will host the first leg of the semifinals, then will travel to León for the Matchday 17 contest at the Camp Nou and then play the second leg of the CCL semifinals a few days later at the same venue.
MLS now 1-1 vs Liga MX in CCL 2023
After edging past 10-man Atlas in Philadelphia last week, the Union survived a full-on assault from the Zorros in Guadalajara on Wednesday.
Protecting the 1-0 first-leg advantage, Philly – in its first Concachampions tournament – acquitted itself well, responding to an early Atlas goal (11′) with a nifty one of its own in minute 28. This goal meant Atlas had to win by two due to the away-goal rule.
“Los Rojinegros” pressed the attack and wasted two glorious opportunities a few minutes later when keeper Andre Blake foiled a Julián Quiñones breakaway then Aldo Rocha shot wide from inside the box.
Julio Furch put the Liga MX side ahead just before halftime, but the Union’s physical defending kept the Zorros off balance. When Julián Carranza found the net for a second time (78′), Philly was assured the win.
Next. Diego Cocca presents latest El Tri squad. dark
The result evened the Liga MX-MLS accounts in this year’s tournament after Tigres defeated Orlando City SC in the Round of 16 in the only previous cross-league match-up. With a Liga MX vs MLS meeting assured in the final, bragging rights will be determined on the biggest stage.