Liga MX

Francisco Sebastian Cordova scored two goals and Emanuel Aguilera and Henry Martin each added one as Club America beat Chivas 4-1 in El Super Clasico on Saturday at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

Alan Pulido scored in the 50th minute for Chivas, which manager Luis Fernando Tena led in his debut.

The decidedly one-sided match unsurprisingly featured a healthy dose of controversy in a matchup featuring Liga MX's most bitter rivals.

In the 37th minute, Chivas center back Antonio Briseno caused a gaping wound in America midfielder Giovani dos Santos' leg after a reckless challenge. Briseno immediately received a red card as dos Santos writhed in pain. Forward Andres Ibarguen was forced to replace his injured teammate in the lineup.

In the 73rd minute, Chivas went down to nine men when midfielder Alan Cervantes was sent off.

After VAR review, officials ruled that Chivas committed a handball in the penalty box despite it appearing to hit the left shoulder of left back Miguel Ponce. That led to Cervantes' spirited, lengthy argument with a referee and another red card.

As far as the result, Cordova opened the scoring in the 18th minute off a feed from forward Roger Martinez. America's successful counter attack ended with Martinez's cross finding the midfielder, who found an opening after a defender fell while trying to mark him.

The initial goalscorer wasn't done, however. With first-half stoppage time winding down, Ibarguen did an excellent job keeping possession alive in the Chivas end. Eventually, the ball found its way to right back Paul Aguilar, who chipped a pass to Cordova. The game's top star then fired a low, bouncing shot for the eventual game-winner.

Undeterred, Chivas responded despite being down a man when right back Josecarlos Van Rankin found Pulido to cut the deficit in half.

However, Aguilera put home a penalty kick after the aforementioned handball call to give America a 3-1 advantage.

Martin, who entered the game as a late substitute, finished the evening with a goal after collecting a long rainbow pass from Renato Ibarra.

America outshot Chivas 26-4 and put 11 shots on target versus Chivas' two. The side also earned nine corners against Chivas' two and committed only eight fouls compared to Chivas' 16.

With 21 points, America is now tied with Necaxa for second place in the league table, two points behind Santos.

Chivas is tied with Toluca and FC Juarez in 16th place with 11 points.   

Club America will host the latest edition of El Super Clasico on Saturday against Chivas Guadalajara at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

The Eagles are the favourites ahead of the clash after a terrible campaign for the Goats. 

Chivas have won only three games in the Liga MX this season, which triggered the sacking of coach Tomas Boy after only five months in charge.

America are placed in fifth and positioned to qualify for the Clausura, but they cannot afford a defeat to their historical rivals.

Date: Saturday, Sept. 28

Time: 9:05 p.m. (local), 10:05 p.m. (ET), 3:05 a.m. Sunday (BST)

TV: TUDN (Mexico and USA)

Stream: Univision NOW, 

Odds: America 83-100, Chivas 17-5, draw 13-5 (per Caesars)

Preview

Chivas will journey from Guadalajara to the capital after appointing Luis Fernando Tena on Thursday as their new manager.

The 61-year-old will begin his tenure against the club he managed from 2006-07.

Chivas released a statement about the arrival of "El Flaco" (h/t Tom Marshall of ESPN): "The club confides that the experience, fortitude, and knowledge of 'Flaco' in managing players will be a boost from this moment to return the 'Rabano Sagrado' to the historical position that its tradition and supporters demand."

The away side have won only once in their last five, are 18th in the relegation table and lost 4-2 to Pachuca last time out.

America could only muster a 2-2 draw with Queretaro in their previous game at the Aztec Stadium, but they will like their chances against a Chivas team in full transition. 

The hosts have struggled to produce a winning run since the start of the season and are without a victory in their last six, having drawn five and lost once. Their last league victory came on August 18 in a 1-0 win over Monarcas Morelia.

Worryingly for the home side, they do not have any forwards in goalscoring form. Meanwhile, Chivas' Alan Pulido has five goals for the season—and the 28-year-old scored on Wednesday against Pachuca.

Tena's arrival could be the key differential in the match, and a fresh face pulling the strings from the dugout might have a profound effect.

UANL finished off an impressive season with a Liga MX Clausura title after defeating Leon in Sunday's final.

Tigres had a 1-0 lead after the first leg and followed it up with a 0-0 draw in the second leg to win 1-0 on aggregate.

The defense was especially impressive to keep an elite attack without a goal for 180 minutes, while Nahuel Guzman anchored the squad in net to help come away with the victory at Estadio Leon in Guanajuato, Mexico.

Although this represents the club's seventh title in the top division, the latest win is the team's first in the Clausura campaign to go with four Apertura championships.

Just like in the first leg, scoring was a challenge for both clubs in this match.

Considering they trailed entering the day, Leon were unsurprisingly the more aggressive side, and it led to some quality chances in the first half. The home team had the only two shots on goal in the first half, although neither side was able to get onto the scoresheet in that time.

As Tom Marshall of ESPNFC noted, it was an even battle in the first 45 minutes, and injuries were a bigger story than anyone would have hoped:

The second half featured Leon holding much of the possession, but Tigres had the better chances to put it away.

Eduardo Vargas and Enner Valencia each had one-on-one opportunities against Rodolfo Cota but were denied by the keeper:

Not to be outdone, UANL goalie Nahuel Guzman also made big saves to keep the match scoreless:

As time ticked away, however, Tigres turned all its focus onto the defensive end:

Even with five minutes of stoppage time, Leon were never able to get the equalizing goal needed to save the season.

The frustration finally poured over when Andres Mosquera was booked with a red card in the 93rd minute.

Tigres were able to hold on for the hard-fought victory, with Andre-Pierre Gignac recording the only goal in the two legs.

These two squads were the best in the league over the course of the past few months, making this a must-watch final for all fans of Liga MX. However, nothing is guaranteed when the clubs return to action for the 2019-20 season.

Leon will have to overturn a 1-0 deficit against UANL Tigres on Sunday if they are to win the second leg of their 2019 Liga MX final clash and lift their first Clausura crown since 2014.

French forward Andre-Pierre Gignac scored the only goal in the first leg on Thursday to give Tigres an early lead, but the failure to add to that strike could prove costly at the Estadio Leon.

Both teams qualified for the final by virtue of the seeding rule after both teams tied 1-1 in their respective semi-finals, but Clausura first-placed finishers Leon won't be able to rely on that advantage in the decider.

Los Esmeraldas know they have to score at least once on Sunday if they are to end their five-year wait for a trophy, while Tigres are still seeking their maiden Clausura triumph.

Date: Sunday, May 26

Time: 9:06 p.m. ET/2:06 a.m. BST (Monday)

Venue: Estadio Leon, Leon, Mexico

Live Stream: Univision Now (U.S.), fuboTV (U.S.)

TV Info: Univision (U.S.)

Odds

Leon: 21-20

Draw: 11-5

UANL: 5-2

Via Oddschecker.

Preview

The Liga MX Clausura has tightened up during its final phases, with only one goal scored in each of the five 90-minute legs that that have taken place since they got underway.

Fortunately for Tigres, Gignac was on hand at the far post to clean up an attack on Thursday, as the league's official channel shared:

Gignac, 33, joined Tigres from Marseille in 2015 and has been an essential piece of their attack in the years since.

His strike against Leon saw him tie level as the club's all-time highest scorer, though Mexican football writer Tom Marshall pointed out he's been far more economical in reaching his tally:

Leon, meanwhile, will be looking to the likes of former Arsenal striker Joel Campbell—on loan from Italian side Frosinone—in their hopes of at least pulling level to force extra time.

Another key figure for Ignacio Ambriz's side is winger Angel Mena, who leads the Liga MX Clausura on 14 goals this season.

Broadcaster Jon Arnold stressed how important he is to his side when he went down injured in the first leg:

Mena will be fit to feature in the second leg and will bear a lot of Leon's pressure in engineering something to break down a Tigres defence that hasn't kept a clean sheet away from home since beating Lobos in mid-April.

Tigres lost 1-0 at Monterrey in their most recent road game but were unbeaten in the three away games prior to that (three 1-1 draws), and they only need to stay level on Sunday in order to clinch the Clausura.

Tigres UANL held home field, and now all the pressure is on Leon to make a comeback in the 2019 Liga MX Final. 

Andre-Pierre Gignac scored in the 21st minute and Nahuel Guzman held things together in net as Tigres earned a 1-0 victory over Leon in the first leg of their matchup. Leon will need to win the second leg by at least one goal to take home the league championship.

If the first match of the series is any indication, Leon will have a tough time making that happen. Tigres were the aggressors throughout, holding possession for 55 percent of the match while outshooting Leon 20-9. While only six of those shots were on goal, the ball consistently seemed to stay in the attacking zone, even when Leon was attempting to mount a comeback.

Angel Mena, who spearheaded the Leon attack, was kept almost completely quiet by the home defense. 

Guzman, while not faced with much action in front of the net, made all four stops that came his way. He has recorded two straight shutouts to set up Tigres for a potential championship.

His squad will look to avoid coming home empty-handed for the season after losing in the CONCACAF Champions League Finals to Monterrey.

Leon, meanwhile, will have to pick things up at home to cap off their storybook season with a league championship. Not picked as a threat during the preseason, Leon sat atop the regular-season table by dominating on both ends of the field.

Giving up just one goal Thursday was a testament to the team's continued defensive brilliance. Rodolfo Cota was again strong in goal, and the defensive unit has to feel like they did enough to win the game given Tigres' aggression.

The victor's defense was just a little bit better in the first leg. 

Tigres UANL host Leon in the first leg of the 2019 Liga MX Clausura final at the Estadio Universitario in Nuevo Leon, Mexico, on Thursday.

Tigres have made it to the final without playing their best football. Ricardo Ferretti's team drew with Pachuca in the quarter-finals and Monterrey in the last four, but they went through on the tiebreaker courtesy of a better regular-season finish.

They will have to improve if they are to see off Leon, who have been the top team this season. Nacho Ambriz's men have won 16 of their 21 matches and are the form side heading into the final.

Date: Thursday, May 23

Time: 8:45 p.m. local time/9:45 p.m. ET/2:45 a.m. (Friday, 24 May) BST

TV Info: Univision Deportes (U.S.)

Live Stream: Univision (U.S.)

Match Odds (via Oddschecker): UANL 10-11, Draw 12-5, Leon 3-1

Match Preview

Tigres may have to make do without defenders Carlos Salcedo and Jesus Duenas against Leon due to injury, but star striker Andre-Pierre Gignac is expected to be fit and available, according to Tom Marshall at ESPN FC.

The Frenchman remains the club's talisman and headed a crucial equaliser against Pachuca to send his team into the semi-finals.

Gignac also showed his quality with a superb goal in the CONCACAF Champions League final as Tigres finished runners-up to Monterrey (U.S. only):

The 33-year-old has won three Liga MX titles since arriving at the club from Marseille in 2015, and the hosts will look to the striker to get the goals that will give them the advantage ahead of the return leg on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Leon will be hoping to end a superb season in style by winning their first Liga MX title since 2014.

They will have to cope without suspended midfielder Rubens Sambueza, who misses the match after being sent off in the second half of their semi-final victory over Club America.

The 35-year-old's absence will be felt as he had been particularly impressive in the first leg victory against his former team:

Striker Jose Juan Macias, who has also shone since joining on loan from Chivas in December, will also miss out after being called up by Mexico for the FIFA Under-20 World Cup:

However, Leon can still look to Angel Mena for attacking inspiration at the Estadio Universitario. The 31-year-old has racked up 14 goals and 12 assists this season to top the league's goalscoring charts.

The final pitches the league's top two against each other and should provide plenty of drama. Tigres have been the dominant team in Mexico's top league but will need to be at their best if they are to see off the challenge of an exciting Leon side.

Club America left no doubt in their 2-0 Clasico Nacional win over Chivas Guadalajara at Estadio Chivas on Saturday night. It was a nightmare that Chivas fans in attendance had seen just three days prior when Club America defeated Chivas by the same score in Mexican Copa MX quarterfinals.

Scoring started early when forward Nicolas Castillo acrobatically headed in a cross from midfielder Renato Ibarra to put Club America up 1-0 in the third minute.

Trouble mounted for Chivas when midfielder Jesus Molina was sent off with a red card, leaving the team to try to mount a comeback with only 10 men. Instead, Club America doubled the deficit when Castillo struck again—this time assisting forward Andres Ibarguen on a goal in the 50th minute.

Chivas was not able to recover.

With the loss, Chivas fell to just 1-4-1 in their last six matches, while Club America has now won three in a row.

Last year's Clasico Nacional matchup in September ended in a 1-1 draw, but the rivalry has remained heated all the same leading up to this season's matches. Ahead of Wednesday night's Copa match, Chivas legend Adolfo "Bofo" Bautista provoked Club America players on Twitter.

Club America midfielder Mateus Uribe dismissed Bofo, and the current Chivas players could not back up Bofo's trash talk on the field on Wednesday or Saturday.

This was a big blow to Chivas, as Jose Cardozo's club fell to 11th place and out of qualifying position for the Liguilla. According to Tom Marshall of ESPN FC, Chivas fans could be heard shouting for the firing of Cardozo at Saturday's final whistle.

Meanwhile, Club America moved into fourth place at 6-1-4.

Saturday's Clasico Nacional will see Chivas Guadalajara and Club America renew hostilities after the latter beat their great rivals 2-0 in the quarter-finals of the Copa MX on Wednesday.

Both teams need the points as they pursue a place in the playoff phase of the Mexican top flight. Club America are the Liga MX champions and favourites with the oddsmakers even though they have struggled to replicate last season's form.

Chivas have also endured problems, with Jose Cardozo's squad not living up to the obvious talent in the ranks. Cardozo's men are in danger of not qualifying for the Liguilla.

Date: Saturday, March 16

Time: 7 p.m. local time/9 p.m. ET/1 a.m. GMT (Sunday)

TV Info: ESPN Deportes, Univision.

Live Stream: fuboTV.

Odds

• Chivas: 48-25
• America: 157-100
• Draw: 233-100

All odds according to OddsShark.

The indifferent form of both has been detailed by Rafael Diaz of OddsShark: "Though they are just one point above Chivas in the league table, Miguel Herrera's men have lost just once in their last four league matches, in contrast to Chivas' two defeats in their last three."

Another loss could doom Cardozo, although Goal's Jon Arnold has said "the scuttlebutt is that Cardozo would keep his job even if Chivas lose Saturday."

Cardozo needs to work out a way past the conservative tactics favoured by his rivals. America rely on a solid defence and an industrious midfield long on graft and goals.

A key figure is Mateus Uribe, whose technique and vision can keep the chances flowing for a capable forward line. It's a group led by Chile international Nicolas Castillo.

He's still a rugged target man but now benefits from the pace and flair offered by winger Jeremy Menez. Their combination should mean Herrera's team isn't short of a cutting edge.

Any lead will be ably protected by goalkeeper Agustin Marchesin and formidable centre-back Edson Alvarez.

The onus will be on Chivas to attack, with some hoping for a more enterprising match than Wednesday's fare:

Even so, the Clasico continues to be a major draw:

Striker Alan Pulido can net the goals Chivas need, but he requires more support from midfield duo Jesus Molina and Fernando Beltran. Without it, Chivas will slip to another damaging defeat, one potentially fatal for their flickering playoff hopes.