MIAMI, Florida – 2023 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League participants Pachuca and Tigres were among the big winners over the weekend in the 2023 Clausura of Liga MX, as the Tuzos remain atop the domestic table, while the Felinos are unbeaten through five matches.
Pachuca edged Club Leon 1-0 in a battle of 2023 SCCL sides on Saturday in Leon. Javier Eduardo Lopez scored for the second straight week, firing in a left-footed shot in the 28’ for a 1-0 Pachuca advantage.
Club Leon’s comeback task became more difficult shortly before halftime when Joel Campbell was sent off with a straight red card, but it soon became 10 on 10 when Erick Sanchez was sent off for Pachuca in the 68’.
In the end though, GK Oscar Ustari and the Pachuca defense held firm to collect the victory and the three points to remain in first place in the table with a 4W-0D-1L mark, while Club Leon are 13th at 1W-1D-2L.
2023 SCCL debutants Atlas and 2022 SCCL finalists Pumas played to an entertaining 2-2 draw on Sunday in Mexico City in which Atlas twice came back from deficits to claim a point.
2022 SCCL Top Scorer Award winner Juan Dinenno handed the home side a 1-0 lead in the 35’, but Brian Lozano responded for Atlas in the 43’ with an excellently-taken right-footed free kick to even the score at 1-1.
Pumas regained the lead, 2-1, in the final moments of the first half through Diogo de Olivera, but a key 10-minute stretch in the second half shifted the momentum to Atlas. In the 65’, Atlas GK Camilo Vargas saved a penalty from Dinenno, keeping the scoreline at 2-1, and then in the 74’, Higor Meritao of Pumas was sent off for a second yellow card.
That opened the door for the visitors from Guadalajara, who took full advantage and earned the 2-2 draw courtesy of Julian Quinones in the 87’. Atlas are now ninth with a 1W-4D-0L record.
The fourth 2023 SCCL side from Mexico in action over the weekend was Tigres, who emerged victorious 1-0 in a Saturday contest with Cruz Azul in Mexico City.
Tigres were on the front foot to start and it paid off with a goal in the 41’, as Guido Pizarro took a cross from the left wing and snapped a header into net for a 1-0 Tigres lead.
Cruz Azul sought an equalizer, but were turned away by the alert reactions of Tigres GK Nahuel Guzman. The visitors from Monterrey also got a boost midway through the second half by the introduction of new arrival and Mexico international Diego Lainez, who had several good cracks at goal.
Guzman proved pivotal down the stretch with a big save in stoppage time to help Tigres secure the victory and improve their record to 3W-2D-0L.
