Liga MX: Pumas take on Toluca with home field at stake
The pesky Pumas pay a visit to Toluca in a Liga MX match with major playoff implications.
Coming off a tough home loss to Cruz Azul, the Pumas must travel to always unfriendly Toluca. If the playoffs were to start today, this would be a first-round match-up and Sunday’s game is a battle for 4th place. Toluca is 6-1-1 at home, outscoring opponents at Estadio Nemesio Díez 1908. UNAM is the league’s best road team (5-2-1, 12 goals for, 5 goals against), so this has all the makings of an entertaining 90 minutes of futbol.
Last match
Toluca: 1-1 tie at América
The Diablos started out fast at Estadio Azteca, scoring only 2 minutes in, then hitting the post shortly thereafter. The Diablos also saw a goal annulled (properly) for offside. Young striker Alexis Vega got the opener off a nifty through pass from William. Veteran goalie Alfredo Talavera was big between the pipes for the visitors too.
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UNAM: 2-1 loss vs Cruz Azul
The Pumas lost a chance to battle for the top seed, going down to defeat at the hands of the new league leaders. Carlos González had 3 first-half chances but was denied by Jesús Corona and the physical Cementero defense. UNAM enjoyed 55% possession and forced Corona to make 4 saves, but Cruz Azul’s offense often had them on their heels.
Possible line-ups
Toluca: 4-4-2
Talavera
Salinas – González – Tobio – Borja
Mendoza – Rios – William – Sambueza
Barrientos – Vega
Captain Rubens Sambueza came off the bench last week, but this game requires 90-minutes from the nettlesome Argentine. Fullbacks Rodolfo Salinas and Cristian Borja (or Santiago García) will have to be on their games since the Pumas like to attack down the flanks. Young Alexis Vega has gotten better as the season progress, but he must continue to produce. Much is expected of him.
UNAM: 4-4-2
Saldívar
Mozo – Arribas – Quintana – Mendoza
Barrera – Iniestra – Malcorra – Rodríguez
González – Mora
Andrés Iniestra and Víctor Malcorra will have their hands full in the middle of the field against Toluca’s rough-and-tumble midfield. Skipper Pablo Barrera has experienced a career resurgence this season and he will be called upon to send centering passes toward the strike tandem of Carlos González and Felipe Mora.
Key players
UNAM: Alan Mozo could see a lot of Rubens Sambueza on the defensive right flank. He will have to be disciplined and avoid the confrontations that seem to follow Sambueza around. HE is also tasked with linking up with Barrera in attack, so his performance will be critical to the outcome for the Pumas.
Toluca: William da Silva has been a key part of Toluca’s transition attack, moving the ball through midfield and following the play into the offensive third. He plays well off the defensive-minded Antonio Rios and the creative Rubens Sambueza. If Da Silva can assert himself and find space, the Diablos offense could cause the UNAM defense fits.
Prediction
This could be one of the more entertaining matches of the weekend and the winner would move into 3rd place since the current #3 (Santos) plays at #2 América later Sunday. A tie would not hurt either team though it could cost a chance at home-field advantage in the first round. I expect this to be a fast-pace, physical game so let’s hope ref Fernando Guerrero is on his toes.