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Liga MX: All eyes on Estadio Azteca for Apertura 2018 Final

By Thomas Buckley

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - DECEMBER 13: Victor Aguilera of America fights for the ball with Martin Cauteruccio of Cruz Azul during the final first leg match between America and Cruz Azul as part of the Torneo Apertura 2018 Liga MX at Azteca Stadium on December 13, 2018 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Mauricio Salas/Jam Media/Getty Images)
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - DECEMBER 13: Victor Aguilera of America fights for the ball with Martin Cauteruccio of Cruz Azul during the final first leg match between America and Cruz Azul as part of the Torneo Apertura 2018 Liga MX at Azteca Stadium on December 13, 2018 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Mauricio Salas/Jam Media/Getty Images) /
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The winner of tonight’s Clásico Joven will be crowned Liga MX champion.

The Grand Final is all set as Cruz Azul aims to end its 21-year Liga MX title drought and América hopes to claim its league-record 13th championship. A sell-out crowd at Estadio Azteca and millions across the country (across North America, for that matter) will watch the Mexico City derby play out.

The responsibility of calling the match will rest upon César Ramos and we hope he does a better job than Fernando Guerrero did in the first leg of the Final (more on that later).

It appears that América coach Miguel Herrera is expected to have his entire roster at his disposal after striker Roger Martínez and midfielder Mateus Uribe passed fitness tests, but they might be up to a full 90 minutes.

Pedro Caixinha had no such personnel concerns after Thursday’s first leg – a 0-0 draw – although he might have been short a player or two if ref Guerrero had been up to his task

Three significant plays from the first match – all involving América defender Bruno Valdez – have received considerable attention and Guerrero has been criticized for failing to consult the VAR (video assistant referee).

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Just 7 minutes in, Cruz Azul defender Igor Lichnovsky kicked opponent Bruno Valdez inside the box. It was a clear penalty and although a red card would have been rather harsh, it would have been defensible.

In minute 18, Cruz Azul striker Milton Caraglio stamped on Valdez’s foot. Caraglio was shown a yellow, but a VAR consult might have increased it to a red card.

In the second half of the match, Valdez whacked Iván Marcone in the face – a clear red card foul – that went completely unpunished. And since it occurred inside the box, it also should have resulted in a penalty kick.

In each instance, either the VAR officials were napping or Guerrero ignored their signals to look at video replay. Either way, Liga MX refs again get a black eye.

Kickoff is at 6:30 pm, Mexico City time.

Odds & Ends

– It has been 11 seasons since a Mexican coach has led his team to the Liga MX title and that man was Miguel Herrera. He was América’s manager when the Aguilas defeated Cruz Azul to claim the Clausura 2013 trophy.

Since then, 10 foreign coaches have been crowned champions, including Pedro Caixinha who led Santos to the title after the Clausura 2015 season. Brazilian Tuca Ferretti led Tigres to three titles (Apertura 2015, 2016 and 2017), Uruguayan Gustavo Matosas led León to back-to-back crowns (Apertura 2013, Clausura 2014), Argentine Antonio Mohamed coached América to the Apertura 2014 title), current Monterrey coach Diego Alonso, a Uruguayan, led Pachuca to the Clausura 2016 championship, Argentina Matías Almeyda lifted the Clausura 2017 trophy with the Chivas and Uruguayan Robert Siboldi was the coach of Santos last season.

– Cruz Azul is undefeated at the Estadio Azteca this season, posting a 9-3-0 record (including playoffs) with a 20-4 goal differential. América is also undefeated at the Colossus de Santo Ursula this season, with a 7-4-0 record and a 28-9 goal differential.

– América was the league’s top-scoring team during the Apertura 2018 but they have been shut out by Cruz Azul twice this season, though both games ended in scoreless draws. Cruz Azul was the league’s top defense this season, giving up only 13 goals during the 17-game regular season and conceding only 2 goals in 5 playoff matches.

Ivan Marcone of Cruz Azul chases Mateus Uribe during Thursday’s scoreless draw at Estadio Azteca. (Photo by Mauricio Salas/Jam Media/Getty Images)
Ivan Marcone of Cruz Azul chases Mateus Uribe during Thursday’s scoreless draw at Estadio Azteca. (Photo by Mauricio Salas/Jam Media/Getty Images) /

– Two players for América have played every single minute (1,980 minutes) for the Aguilas this season: goalie Agustín Marchesín and midfielder Guido Rodríguez. Nobody cam make that same claim for Cruz Azul. Goalie Jesús Corona was rested in the final game of the regular season but did not miss any time in the rest of the Cementeros’ games for a total of 1,890 minutes. Midfielder Iván Marcone logged 1,889 minutes and defender Julio César Domínguez led the team with 1,892 minutes played.

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