Leon is the new No. 1, Queretaro escapes basement
Quite a bit of shuffling with León rising to the top, Pachuca climbing, Toluca sinking and Necaxa plummeting.
Leon completed the Mexico City trifecta, adding the Pumas to its list of victims after earlier conquering América and Cruz Azul. The dominating win at UNAM earns the Esmeraldas the top spot since neither of the Monterrey teams impressed.
Querétaro climbed out of the basement by smashing Morelia which led to the dismissal of Monarcas coach Roberto Hernández. Meanwhile, Toluca coach Hernán Cristante is hanging on by a thread.
Here’s a look at our Power Rankings after Matchday 8:
1. León (+2)
The Esmeraldas have an explosive offense sparked by Angel Mena and their defense is very solid.
2. Tigres (-)
Coach Tuca Ferretti is tinkering with the many parts he has at his disposal (in part due to injuries). Like last season, their conservative style helps their defense, but the offense is not clicking.
2. Monterrey (-2)
Perhaps not fair to drop them two spots, but the Rayados offense is getting predictable and they suffered without Rogelio Funes Mori on Saturday.
More from Viva Liga MX
- Guillermo Ochoa is out 4-6 weeks
- The Clásico Regiomontano is Heating Up
- Pumas: In Search of Regaining a Top Spot
- Why the United States Is Set to Overtake Mexico on the World Stage
- Erick Gutierrez is out once again
4. América (+3)
This leap up has more to do with reputation than with performance. But as new striker Nico Castillo gets more comfortable, the Aguilas will be feared.
5. Pachuca (+6)
The biggest riser this week, the Tuzos looked impressive against the Chivas. But can they be consistent? If not, they will yo-yo in the rankings all season long.
6. Santos (-)
An impressive 4-0 win on paper, but Toluca is a mess. Still, Javier Correa (3 goals on the season) seems capable of replacing Jona Rodríguez and forming a good partnership with Julio Furch up front.
7. Tijuana (+2)
Coach Oscar Pareja has the Xolos playing very well. An impressive late-game fightback at Necaxa has them solidly in the playoff hunt.
8. Guadalajara (-4)
Did the Chivas spend too much time reading their press clippings last week? Not every team will roll over like Atlas did the previous week.
9. UNAM (-1)
The first loss under new coach Bruno Marioni was not pretty. The Pumas are now 1-2-2 at home on the season.
10. Atlas (+2)
The final result (0-1 loss to Tigres) looked better than the game stats. That’s now three losses in a row and a trip to Tijuana awaits.
11. Puebla (+4)
Despite ceding possession to Monterrey (64% to 36%), the visiting Camoteros came close to stealing 3 points.
12. Cruz Azul (+1)
There’s little chance coach Pedro Caixinha finishes the season if he doesn’t fix the Cementeros offense. Necaxa is next and their defense has holes in it. If Cruz Azul doesn’t win, it could be time for a new coach.
13. Lobos BUAP (-3)
Never really had a chance against América. Can they rebound against the Pumas?
14. Necaxa (-9)
A terrible late-game collapse suggests the Rayos’ early-season success was a mirage.
15. Veracruz (+2)
A gritty performance against Cruz Azul earned another tie for the Tiburones. And they finally scored a goal. Could their first win of the season come next week at Toluca?
16. Querétaro (+2)
Coach Victor Manuel Vucetich has the golden touch. No sooner does “King Midas” arrive than the Gallos Blancos earn their first points of the season.
17. Toluca (-3)
This team is a complete mess. Outscored 10-0 in their past three games and shut out in 6 of their past 7 games.
18. Morelia (-2)
The only reason Morelia is below Toluca is I think Toluca has a slightly better roster and has a better chance of turning things around this season. And now, the Monarcas are looking for a new coach.