The players may change but there is never any love lost when Mexico City rivals Club America and Cruz Azul clash.
13 Liga MX matchdays down, four to go.
With the end of the regular season — and the playoffs — inching closer, let’s take a look at three things you should keep an eye on in the next round of matches of the 2018 Apertura.
Stakes are high in the Clasico Joven
Without a doubt, Saturday night’s Clasico Joven between Cruz Azul and Club America will be one of the biggest games of the season. This weekend’s matchup of the two Mexico City teams is not only a crosstown rivalry, but also a highly-anticipated…
MEXICO CITY — Next weekend, the two best teams in Liga MX this season will square up against each other in a battle for league supremacy and bragging rights between two old rivals. Club America and Cruz Azul have dominated Mexican soccer in the…
A battered Estadio Azteca hosts Club America and Tijuana
You don’t expect to talk about the state of a pitch as the main storyline for a mid-season Liga MX game. Unfortunately, the horrendous work done on the Estadio Azteca pitch, spearheaded by a Costa Rican company last summer, has yielded more than its share of controversy for producing subpar conditions this season. Just when it looked like the pitch had recovered, a Shakira concert earlier this week held on the stadium grass has left it reeling…
MEXICO CITY – There was drama galore last weekend in Mexico’s top division. Club America and Chivas battled out to a draw in the Clasico Nacional, the only result of its kind last weekend. If not for Matheus Uribe’s missed penalty kick in the 94th minute, there would have been nine winners and nine losers in the latest slate of matches. Needless to say, the results have made changes to the league table — as well as the Power Rankings.
1. CLUB AMERICA
Record: 6W-3D-2L
Week 10 ranking: 2
Coming…
Before we get to this week’s Power Rankings, we would be remiss to omit mention of the violence that overshadowed Sunday’s Tigres vs. Monterrey match.
Such scenes taint our enjoyment of the game, and this latest incident leaves Liga MX — once again — at a crossroads. It simply must act; ignorance is not viable. No fan, regardless of affiliation, should have to fear for his or her safety.
With that, here are the Power Rankings for Week 10:
1. CRUZ AZUL
Record: 7W-2D-1L
Week 9 ranking: 1
The…
Elias Hernandez of Cruz Azul shows his frustration after the defeat.
MEXICO — After nine games, Cruz Azul’s impressive unbeaten streak ended in the Apertura 2018, falling victim to one of the most frustrating and entertaining teams in the tournament: Necaxa.
Returning from international duty, the eight-time Liga MX champions are still in the driver’s seat as the season moves into the second half, however, as they retain a three-point lead over Club America, Pumas and Santos Laguna — all of whom won last weekend.
Here are the Power Rankings after Week 9.
1. CRUZ…
Liga MX action returns to action following the international break and there are plenty of storylines as the 2018 Apertura begins the second half of the season. Here is what we’ll be watching:
Can Necaxa upset undefeated Cruz Azul?
Necaxa was one of the talking points of the first few weeks of the season, mainly due to Marcelo Michel Leano’s presence on the bench. The 31-year-old — a friend of Argentina legend Cesar Luis Menotti — had his team playing attacking football, was shaking journalists’…
MEXICO CITY — As Liga MX breaks for the first FIFA international dates of the budding season, we can mark an informal midpoint to the season with eight games down and nine to go in the Apertura 2018 campaign.
While one team sits head …
Believe it or not, we’re at the halfway point of the 2018 Apertura regular season. With an international break underway after Week 8’s matches, we now have an opportunity to take a step back and analyze what we’ve seen so far in Mexico’s top flight.
After looking at a number of memorable performances, here’s the Liga MX best XI from the first half of the season.
GK: Tiago Volpi, Queretaro
While it’s true that Cruz Azul’s Jesus Corona and Pachuca’s Alfonso Blanco have allowed fewer goals,…
The international break brings a temporary halt to proceedings in Liga MX, but it’s been an exciting weekend in Mexico’s top division. Here are ten talking points from round eight of games in the 2018 Apertura:
1. Cruz Azul, Alvarado continue to impress
The pitch inside the Estadio Azteca may be in an embarrassing state, but Cruz Azul’s fortunes continue to soar.
La Maquina overcame Veracruz 4-1 in the famous stadium on Saturday in what turned out to be a comfortable win over spirited opposition.
Again,…