The first leg of the Liga MX Apertura 2023 playoff final between Tigres UANL and Club America ended in a 1-1 draw at the Estadio Universitario
Henry Martin broke the deadlock from the penalty spot in the 51st minute to put the hosts in front
Jonathan Herrera restored parity in the 71st minute after the substitute headed Franciso Cordova’s corner in
Odds taken from bet365. Click the odds below to place your bets at bet365!
Our Pick: Club America to win..
Impressive range of bonuses
1 of the world's top sportsbooks
Promo Code WSN365
$1,000 Safety Net Bet OR $150 in Bonus Bets
21+ and present in OH. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
Club America may not have gotten the best-case scenario they would have aimed for before the first leg of the final. However, it is not the worst result either because the 13-time Liga MX champions will be at home for the decisive second leg. After dodging defeat on the road yet again this season, winning at home in front of their supporters will be the perfect way to end the title drought.
Tigres UANL will be happy with what they got, considering their performance on paper and on the pitch. It was an evenly balanced contest, and the defending champions kept five of their ten attempts on target. The team will be disappointed that they could only convert one of those into something meaningful. The defense looked quite staunch and may not have conceded a goal had there been no penalty, as Club America got just two shots on target in the match.
A draw in the first leg was the most likely result, and now the ball is in Club America’s court. The 13-time champions may not have gained an advantage on the road, but a draw is good enough for them as they can mop up the pieces in their own backyard to clinch their 14th Liga MX title.
After securing a draw in the first leg of the final, Club America has extended their unbeaten streak against Tigres UANL in Liga MX to ten games. In these ten games, the 13-time champions have won eight and drawn two.
The two draws have come in the last two games, and both were at the Estadio Universitario. In Club America’s playground, Tigres’ last win came in the Apertura 2019 playoff quarterfinal first leg. However, they were eventually eliminated after losing the second leg.
The performance of Club America in the final third of the first leg was quite subpar, and the club cannot afford to replicate that attacking performance in the upcoming match. The hosts spurned a couple of good opportunities against the Tigres and could have nabbed a win.
Many opportunities came in the first half, and a majority of the attacks originated from the flanks. However, either the crosses were poor or the shots were wayward. In the second leg, the 13-time champions will need to get their cutting edge back to clinch the title.
The Tigres attack was rendered ineffective in the first leg, primarily due to the stellar performance of Sebastian Caceres.
The 24-year-old center-back won all the aerial and ground duels he was involved in and kept the Tigres attack at bay on multiple instances. Another robust performance like that could help Club America secure the trophy with a clean sheet.
After scoring nine goals and nabbing five assists in 19 appearances, Julian Quinones is aiming to finish as Club America’s top scorer in his debut season.
However, the winger has fired blanks in the last two games and attempted just one long-range shot on target in the last match. In the final game of the season, Quinones will be eager to finish the season on a high with a goal and a winner’s medal.
The chances of Tigres UANL retaining their Liga MX title this Apertura season may have dropped after the outcome of the first leg. Despite that, the visitors are still in the game and have the potential to cause an upset in the second leg.
Tigres put five shots on target, but they were either tame or well-saved by the keeper. In the second leg, the Tigres will hope that Lady Luck is with them as they push for their ninth Liga MX title.
In the first leg, Tigres missed the services of Luis Quinones. On paper, the Colombian has only scored two and assisted four goals in 18 appearances, but his presence in the game has been a massive boost for his club.
Currently recovering from a thigh injury, Quinones may feature in the crucial second-leg encounter and may also make his mark with a critical contribution.
At the end of the first half, Tigres defender Samir went down because of an injury and had to be replaced by Diego Reyes for the rest of the game.
The Brazilian center-back has been an authoritative figure in Tigres’ backline and if he does not recover before the second leg, the visitors could be extremely vulnerable at the back.
Impressive range of bonuses
1 of the world's top sportsbooks
Promo Code WSN365
$1,000 Safety Net Bet OR $150 in Bonus Bets
21+ and present in OH. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
Teams: Club America vs. Tigres UANL
Location: Estadio Azteca
Time: Sunday, December 17 at 8:30 pm ET
How to watch: Univision, Telemundo, Fox Sports, ESPN, Vix and Sling TV
Chivas Guadalajara vs. Atlas F.C. Prediction: Play-In Game Showdown Kicks Off Liga MX Postseason
3 days ago | Angelo ZarraTijuana vs. Club America Prediction: Las Aguilas Quest to Retain the League Title
3 days ago | Angelo ZarraChivas Guadalajara vs. San Luis Prediction: Goats Look to Clinch Quarter Finals Spot
2 weeks ago | Angelo Zarra
We support responsible gambling. Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly. If you need help, call
1-800-Gambler.
WSN.com is managed by Gentoo Media. Unless declared otherwise, all of the visible content on this site, such
as texts and images, including the brand name and logo, belongs to Innovation Labs Limited (a Gentoo Media
company) - Company Registration Number C44130, VAT ID: MT18874732, @GIG Beach Triq id-Dragunara, St.
Julians, STJ3148, Malta.
Advertising Disclosure: WSN.com contains links to partner websites. When a visitor to our website clicks on
one of these links and makes a purchase at a partner site, World Sports Network is paid a commission.
Copyright © 2024