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Liga MX: 2018 Apertura so far – Santos Laguna

By Garett Kerber

TORREON, MEXICO - AUGUST 19: Jonathan Rodriguez of Santos celebrates after scoring the second goal of his team during the fifth round match between Santos Laguna and Tigres UANL as part of the Torneo Apertura 2018 Liga MX at Corona Stadium on August 5, 2018 in Torreon, Mexico. (Photo by Armando Marin/Jam Media/Getty Images)
TORREON, MEXICO - AUGUST 19: Jonathan Rodriguez of Santos celebrates after scoring the second goal of his team during the fifth round match between Santos Laguna and Tigres UANL as part of the Torneo Apertura 2018 Liga MX at Corona Stadium on August 5, 2018 in Torreon, Mexico. (Photo by Armando Marin/Jam Media/Getty Images) /
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Heading into a new Liga MX season without several key players, Santos Laguna fans had reason to wonder if they were in for a rough ride.

Coming off a championship season, Los Guerreros entered the 2018 Liga MX Apertura with an air of excitement and lowered expectations. After adding a star to the crest, the fan base had to be feeling a bit less desperate for success. With 6 titles in 35 years of existence, 30 years in Liga MX, Santos Laguna has developed an appetite for such a status, however.

How They Got Where They Are

Santos opened their 2018 Apertura with a 2-1 victory over Lobos BUAP, but  then fell to Monarcas 3-1 on the road. They bounced back from the defeat to a 2-0 victory over Puebla but after a Copa MX draw with Celaya FC, head coach Robert Siboldi and center back Gerardo Alcoba  were at the center of an altercation that ended with SIboldi and his staff resigning.

Regardless, under interim manager Salvador Reyes, Santos was able to get a winning streak going with a 2-1 defeat of Chiva Guadalajara. Jonathan Rodriguez and Doria providing the goals to put Chivas away.

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After a brief break for Copa MX, Santos Laguna returned to Liga MX play to take on Tigres UANL in a matchup that was sure to test the strength of the side after the most recent shake-up. After Andre-Pierre Gignac missed a penalty in the 9th minute, Julio Furch was able to slot the first goal of the match home in the 34th. Eduardo Vargas would equalize from the spot in the 52nd minute, but Jonathan Rodriguez took over the match. With markers in the 59th and 65th, the Uruguayan put the match out of the reach of Tigres, but not before the 2017 Apertura champs missed another penalty kick.

They would draw Tijuana and table-leading Cruz Azul, next. Accomplishing the Cruz Azul draw without leading scorer, Julio Furch.

Their 2-1 loss at the hands of Toluca led them into the FIFA international break sitting 5th in the Liga MX table with 14 pts. They currently sit 6 points behind the top spot and are tied with Pumas for 2nd most goals with 14, behind Cruz Azul and America, who have scored 15.

A Young, Promising Roster

Led by 29 year-old Furch with 5 goals and 4 assists, Santos boasts a roster full of young talent. The team can point to their defenders recently called up to the Mexican Men’s National Team as proof they are in good hands. Jose Abella, Jesus Angulo, and Gerardo Arteaga were all picked to represent El Tri in the friendlies against Uruguay and the United States, despite being 24, 20, and 19 respectively.

Up front, the 25-year-old Rodriguez provides a creative and dynamic complement to Furch. Brian Lozano plays well on the left side of the offense in the midfield, and is just 24.

Aside from Jose Vazquez (30) and Osvaldo Martinez (32), Furch is the oldest in the starting XI, which provides a level of optimism for the remainder of the Apertura and the 2019 Clausura, that these players will only improve with time.

Insights from the 1st half of the 2018 Apertura

Santos has been excellent at home, with three wins and one draw. In those four matches at home they’ve allowed just three goals, while scoring eight. On the road, they haven’t faired quite as well, but still have accumulated four points of a possible 12 in a win, a draw, and two losses.

Its worth noting that Santos has been taking advantage of teams at the end of the halves and right after halftime. Through the eight matches so far in Liga MX, three of Santos’ 14 goals have come in the final 15′ of the 1st half, five in the first 15′ of the 2nd half, and four goals in the final 15′ of matches.  They’ve yet to concede a goal in the 15 minutes before halftime, but are averaging a little more than two goals conceded per 15 minutes outside of the end of the 1st half. They’ve been most leaky in the final 30 minutes, conceding six goals in that time slot.

In a forthcoming article, we’ll look ahead to Santos’ upcoming schedule and what they might try to improve. There are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about Santos’ season so far, though. The youth of their core, along with their overcoming of multiple obstacles, should set them up for success, not only for the remainder of 2018, but in seasons to come.

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