Queretaro's Emanuel Villa (pictured) shared 2015 Liga MX Apertura joint-top scoring honors with Leon's Mauro Boselli on 13 goals each. (Photo: Mexsport)
QUERETARO, Mexico – Queretaro (6W-4D-7L, 22 points) missed out on a place in the 2015 Liga MX Apertura playoffs by five points, finishing the regular season in 11th place after Friday’s 0-0 draw with visiting Puebla.
For head coach Victor Manuel Vucetich, however, there is now a clearer picture of where the club stands in its progression.
"The goal was qualification (to the playoffs) and circumstances prevented such a step,” said the 60-year-old. “Another objective was to consolidate as a team.”
The Gallos Blancos finished as runner-up to Santos in the 2015 Clausura and earned a place in the 2015-16 Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League. Even though a berth in the SCCL quarterfinals was ultimately secured, facing battles on two fronts proved somewhat challenging. Queretaro went 1W-1D-2L in Liga MX games immediately following SCCL outings.
Those international evenings, though, helped the club gain confidence and played a role in defining its ambitions.
"Today, there is more structure and we play better at home and on the road,” Vucetich added. “The team is going to achieve a presence and is working to mature as a whole.”
Vucetich will be sitting down with club management to discuss personnel decisions for the 2016 Clausura, but the former Monterrey manager is anticipating the return of striker Camilo Sanvezzo. The 27-year-old Brazilian shared 2014 Liga MX Apertura top-scoring honors with Leon’s Mauro Boselli (12 goals each), but suffered left ACL damage in August after missing the 2015 Clausura with a similar injury.
Sanvezzo could form a potent partnership with Emanuel Villa, who has a 2015-16 SCCL-best six goals and was the 2015 Apertura’s joint-top scorer with, once again, Boselli (13 goals each).
Queretaro will face D.C. United in the first SCCL knockout round next year.
