Photo Credit: Itzel Segura / Prost Amerika
By Jonny Rico
Follow on Facebook and Twitter.
Of the 18 Liga MX teams, there are only eight left in the fight for the 2017 Clausura title. What happened during the regular season matter very little now. It is often mentioned that the Liga MX regular season is nothing more than just a long qualification tournament to get into the real season where you can win the league title. And there is a bit of truth to that statement. Starting now it doesn’t matter whether you were a goal away from being relegated to second division like Monarcas Morelia or if you dominated during the entire season like Tijuana Xolos and Monterrey. Each of the eight remanding teams have a clear path to the championship.
Number one seed Tijuana Xolos will face the miraculous number eight seed Monarcas Morelia. Number two seed CF Monterrey will face crosstown rivals and still reigning Liga MX champs Tigres UANL who finished as the number seven seed. Number three seed Chivas Guadalajara will also face crosstown rivals Atlas FC who finished in the number six seed. Number four seed Toluca FC will face off against number five Santos Laguna.
The four higher seeds will host the return leg. This plus the second tie-breaker is the only benefits or rewards that clubs have for their play during the regular season. If the series is tied in the aggregate score after the two matches, the first tie-breaker will be the away-goal rule. If both teams are tied in away-goals then the higher seeded team will advance to the next round (away-goal rule and higher seed advantage become void in the final).
TIJUANA XOLOS vs MONARCAS MORELIA
First Leg – Morelia vs Xolos | Thursday, May 11th | 5:30 PM (Pacific) / 8:30 PM (Eastern) | TV: Azteca America
Second Leg – Xolos vs Morelia | Sunday, May 14th | 6:00 PM (Pacific) / 9:00 PM (Eastern) | TV: Azteca America
Morelia will arrive to the first leg of the series at home full of confidence. They’ll look to take advantage of the home field advantage at Estadio Morelos. The dramatics in which Morelia saved themselves from relegation which also handed them the playoff ticket will have the team believing that anything is possible. The stoppage time goal by Raul Ruidiaz on Saturday against Monterrey also gave the Peruvian striker his second consecutive scoring title, finishing off the Clausura season with nine goals. Among the other strikers he beat was Tijuana Xolos’ Aviles Hurtado.
Xolos will come into the series against Morelia fully concentrated on what they have to do. The sting from last season’s top of the table finish and first round elimination is still fresh and they are looking to avenge their own performance. Their powerful offense (best in the league) will look to pick up the valuable away-goals in this first leg match.
CF MONTERREY vs TIGRES UANL
First Leg – Tigres vs Monterrey | Wednesday, May 10th | 5:30 PM (Pacific) / 8:30 PM (Eastern) | TV: UDN*
Second Leg – Monterrey vs Tigres | Saturday May 13th | 5:00 PM (Pacific) / 8:00 PM (Eastern) | TV: Univision and UDN*
The two most powerful squads in Liga MX face off in what is sure to be a thrilling Clasico Regiomontano series. Tigres will look to make their home ground count and take advantage of their good run in form and take a first leg lead. Over the past five Liga MX matches, Tigres has won four and lost one scoring a total of 15 goals and only allowing two. The lone lost in that run; CF Monterrey.
Monterrey need to shake off their dip in form over the past few weeks. They need to contain Tigres as much as they can during the first leg and maybe try and sneak away a valuable away-goal or two. Monterrey need to avoid a blowout like the ones Tigres have been handing out lately in that run of five games (3-0 vs Chivas, 4-0 vs Pumas, 3-0 vs Xolos and 5-1 vs Queretaro), that way Monterrey can take the series back home where they are their strongest.
CHIVAS GUADALAJARA vs ATLAS FC
First Leg – Atlas vs Chivas | Thursday May 11th | 7:30 PM (Pacific) /10:30 PM (Eastern) | TV: Azteca America
Second Leg – Chivas vs Atlas | Sunday May 14th | 4:00 PM (Pacific) / 7:00PM (Eastern) | TV: Univision and UDN*
Atlas FC are excited to be participating in this part of the tournament, it has been awhile since Atlas last played a Liga MX playoff match. And the fact that they are facing a derby match is even greater motivation for the team who could become the underdog dark horse of the playoffs. “It is motivating for us, to be able to eliminate them in the playoffs, I am sure we will give a great game,” said Daniel Alvarez, Atlas FC youth team product. “There is that bit of rivalry since the lower divisions. Both teams will want to win and we just have to go out and play a great game at home in the first leg.”
Chivas will be looking to finally consolidate their project. Argentine manager Matias Almeyda was brought in to reshape the club, save the team from relegation and return the club to the big stages of Mexican soccer. He saved Chivas from relegation last year, he has won two cup titles and made the qualified the team into the Liga MX playoffs but suffered first round eliminations to arch-rivals Club America in consecutive seasons. Now Almeyda and Chivas have yet another derby match in the first round of the playoffs. Will Chivas finnaly get over the quarterfinal hump?
TOLUCA FC vs SANTOS LAGUNA
First Leg – Santos vs Toluca | Wednesday, May 10th | 7:30 PM (Pacific) / 10:30 PM (Eastern) | TV: UDN*
Second Leg – Toluca vs Santos | Saturday May 13th | 7:00 PM (Pacific) / 10:00 PM (Eastern) | TV: UDN*
Santos is a team who very quietly put together a decent season. They tied a lot of games but they only lost once in the 17-game regular season. Their manager, former Mexican National Team manager, Jose Manuel ‘Chepo’ de la Torre has the team playing well balanced football. And they’ll need to rely on that solid defense during the first leg match at home. They won’t want to give up any away goals to Toluca. If they can keep the shutout at home, they’ll be in prime position to advance to the next round if they can pick up a a win or draw (with goals i.e. 1-1, 2-2) in the return leg.
Toluca came into the 2017 Clausura hot and ready to steamroll everyone. The club was/is excited about celebrating the Centennial back in January. Toluca FC defeated Club America on the exact day of their 100th anniversary during Week 2 of the regular season. They have since cooled down but still managed to pick up the necessary results to finish in the top four. Toluca now want to culminate the Centennial season with their 11th league title (would tie them with Chivas as second most winning-est clubs in Liga MX, behind Club America’s 12th).
*UDN = Univision Deportes Network
Liga MX
Xolos
