Tigres claw back to tie Rayados in Clásico Regio with late goal

Luis Quiñones slipped home the equalizer from an impossible angle in minute 81 to help the Tigres split the points after Monterrey had gone into a shell in hopes of protecting its 1-0 lead.

Monterrey appeared set to win the Clásico Regio and move into first place ahead of crosstown rivals Tigres, but coach Diego Alonso opted to switch to a prevent defense in the second half and it backfired.

Despite playing without injured striker André-Pierre Gignac, the Tigres came out determined to attack. Their first approach on net should have been a goal, but Edu Vargas fired high from right in front in minute 11.

Shortly thereafter, Rayados striker Rogelio Funes Mori was denied by Tigres goalie Nahuel Guzmán as the game began to feature true end-to-end action, as both teams chased back to help on defense before turning and pushing forward on their own.

In minute 34, Rogelio Funes Mori scored with a brilliant back-heel, sending the home crowd in Estadio BBVA Bancomer into ecstasy.

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Funes Mori executed a nice give-and-go with left back Leonel Vangioni to spring him free into the box. Funes Mori’s man left him to try and block Vangioni’s shot, but the left-footed back instead squared to Funes Mori who trapped with his back to goal then smacked a back-heel through a crowd into the net. The goal was Funes Mori’s 8th of the season.

Three minutes later, the Tigres received a break when defender Francisco Meza got away with a hard foul. If it had been judged correctly, he probably should have been shown his second yellow card.

Just before halftime, Monterrey defender Nico Sánchez headed inches wide off a corner kick.

Defender Hugo Ayala replaced Meza for the second half as coach Ricardo Ferretti wished to avoid going a man down.

Jesús Gallardo was a constant threat for Monterrey, finding room on the left flank and Funes Mori was constantly creating space, but the Rayados were unable to pad their lead.

For the Tigres, Enner Valencia was testing César Montes in an entertaining battle, while Luis Quiñones and Julián Quiñones were probing the Monterrey defense on the flanks.

By the midway point of the second half, the Tigres had grabbed control of the match (they ended the game with 59% possession) and were taking aim at Marcelo Barovero.

In minute 76, Monterrey coach Alonso removed winger Dorlan Pabón and sent in a third central defender, Johan Vázquez, and switched to a 5-man back line, effectively ceding possession to the Tigres. The shots kept coming for the visitors and the Rayados seemed content to sit back and absorb pressure.

In minute 80, Luis Quiñones found Rafael Carioca in the box but Carioca’s shot just missed wide left. A minute later, Quiñones got loose down the left flank, circled the defense and just a few meters from the touch line surveyed his options as he dribbled toward the net. Barovero strayed off his line a bit in anticipation of a centering pass, but Quiñones fired behind him and the goalie dived to recover only to knock the ball into his own net.

It was a disappointing outcome for the Rayados, as they allowed the short-handed Tigres to steal a point and stay in first place. The Tigres are now 7-2-1 with 23 points and Monterrey – the league’s lone undefeated team – is right behind them with 22 points (6-4-0).

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