Necaxa players celebrate tying Cruz Azul late in their match. Rayos starlet Heriberto Jurado (second right) provided the assist. He just turned 17 last month. (Photo by ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP via Getty Images)
Liga MX: Matchday 5 delivers up a few more surprises
Pumas defender Nicolás Freire (right) hugs his linemate Arturo Ortiz after Ortiz scored the go-ahead goal against León in a Liga MX match on Sunday.(Photo by Manuel Velasquez/Getty Images)
Five weeks into the Clausura 2022 and nobody’d complain if Liga MX marketing execs appropriated the famous NFL motto in an ad campaign. That’s because it is now quite evident that “On any Given Matchday,” a Liga MX minnow can knock down a contender.
A week after last-place Atlético de San Luis stunned América 3-2, an unheralded Necaxa team scored twice in the final 10 minutes on Saturday night to upset Cruz Azul 2-1.
It’s worth noting that both shockers took place in Estadio Azteca, the home fortress for the two Mexico City giants who suddenly seem more like pretenders than contenders.
Then on Sunday at high noon, mighty León – last season’s Liga MX runner-up – was taken down by an overachieving Pumas side that climbed into fifth place with the 2-1 victory.
Who’s that atop the Liga MX table?
Nicolás Larcamón will be in great demand this summer as the young Argentine coach (he’s 37) has Puebla in first place after his Camoteros scored a late goal to claim a draw against reigning Liga MX champs Atlas.
Puebla is one of three unbeaten teams through five matchdays (Atlas and Monterrey are the others) and they sit in first place with 11 points from a 3-2-0 record. Atlas boasts the same record but the Camoteros have a +6 goal differential compared to the Zorros’ +4.
Cruz Azul seemed poised to move into the top spot on Saturday after the Puebla-Atlas stalemate as the Cementeros had 10 points and an easy home game against a team in turmoil. Necaxa had fired Pablo Guede after losing badly to Pachuca on Feb. 5 and new coach Jaime Lozano was forced to watch the game from home since he had tested positive for Covid.
“La Máquina” scored from the penalty spot in the first half and appeared to have the game in hand until coach Juan Reynoso started tinkering with the line-up. Known as “The Chessmaster” after leading Cruz Azul to the Guardianes 2021 Liga MX title, Reynoso has taken to making unnecessary and illogical moves as if to prove that he deserves that moniker. But just like last season when he lost the locker room due to his puzzling line-up rotations, his decisions backfired spectacularly against Necaxa.
Ignoring logic, Reynoso removed two midfielders and shifted from a 4-2-3-1 to a 4-2-4 and the visiting Rayos started to dominate possession while moving freely through the middle of the field. The tying goal seemed inevitable and when they got it in minute 84, it seemed only a matter of time before Necaxa stole the winner. And in 90+5, the underdogs said “Thank you very much.”
Instead of a 4-1-0 record and sole possession of first place, the Cementeros are dealing with a serious blow to their psyche and doubts about their late-game composure.
A battle for last place, you say?
Santos Laguna welcomed América to Estadio Corona for an early-season showdown with the winner poised to escape the cellar. That’s right! Just eight months removed from playing in a Liga MX final (where they lost to Cruz Azul), Santos Laguna was sitting in last place.
But perennial title favorites América was right there with the Guerreros, in 17th place. And coach Santiago Solari was facing dismissal.
Liga MX fans were treated to a high intensity, back-and-forth game that featured an early own goal, Diego Valdés scoring against his old team (his first goal since joining América last month), a defensive error that led to the equalizer just before halftime and a game-deciding penalty kick by América defender Bruno Valdez (making up for his minute 10 own goal).
With that result, the Aguilas climbed into 13th place (4 points, 1-1-2 record) but coach Solari is not out of the woods yet. América has a make-up game Wednesday against lowly Mazatlán FC (15th place) and then Solari’s fate will be determined after next weekend’s game vs. Pachuca.
Pumas surprise yet again
Last season, the Pumas were in freefall, sitting in 17th place after 13 games thanks to one of the worst offenses in Liga MX. Future prospects looked dim, too, since the club was strapped for cash, and the loyal fanbase was preparing for a rough few seasons.
But then the team caught fire, going 4-1-1 down the stretch to claim the final playoff spot. Then UNAM manhandled favored Toluca in the wildcard game, setting up a quarterfinals showdown against No. 1 seed América.
Pundits were already writing the post-mortem after the first leg (a scoreless draw), congratulating UNAM for scrapping their way into the postseason. But they weren’t done. The gritty Pumas stood toe-to-toe with the top-seeded Aguilas, overcoming an early penalty to smash their bitter rivals in the mouth.
UNAM’s season ended in the semifinals and then the winter transfer window was unkind as midfield sparkplug Erik Lira was sold off to boost the team’s finances. So … another tough season, right? Wrong.
The Pumas were in first place after two weeks, routing Toluca and Querétaro by a combined 8-2 scoreline. This was a team that had 6 goals in 13 games before exploding down the home stretch last season.
On Sunday, León paid a visit to the CU and logic had the Esmeraldas winning to extend the Pumas’ losing streak. So when the visitors went up in minute 20, the crowd deflated … but only momentarily. Rogerio finished off a fantastic rush 4 minutes later then defender Arturo Ortiz gave UNAM the lead heading into halftime.
The Pumas held off a furious León attack in the second half and … well, that’s no surprise is it. Because after all, on any given Liga MX matchday … expect the unexpected.
