Week 6: League-leading Queretaro takes on Leon
Los Gallos Blancos aim to do what Leon did last season – earn the No. 1 seed for the playoffs.
Queretaro sits atop the table of the Apertura 2019 through five weeks, a big surprise to Liga MX pundits. The 4-1-0 start to the season is the best for the Gallos Blancos since the 1940s and they were No. 1 in our latest Power Rankings.
Skeptics will argue that this is a fluke, awaiting a stumble to pronounce their “I told you so’s”, but coach Victor Manuel Vucetich has his team playing very, very well.
Next up for Queretaro is Leon and Estadio Corregidora will be rocking-and-rolling on Saturday evening and is definitely one of the best games on the Matchday 6 schedule. The Esmeraldas – last season’s top seed and losing finalist – will try to break down the Gallos Blancos and hand them their first loss of the tournament.
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Los Gallos Blancos took over the top spot in the standings by wearing down 10-man FC Juarez last Sunday, as forwards Enrique Triverio and Ayron del Valle scored in the final 10 minutes to earn a hard-fought 2-0 win. Juarez forward Angelo Sagal was shown a red card in minute 6, but the host Bravos could not hold on in the face of sustained pressure. Queretaro leaped past America in the standings with the result, ahead of the Aguilas on goal differential.
Vucetich is making use of a deep roster and getting production across the board. There is not one name that stands out as the main playmaker or primary scorer. The Gallos Blancos are playing a very solid team game.
Leon has enjoyed more success than Queretaro over the years (seven league championships, including back-to-back titles earlier this decade) and the Esmeraldas have a star-studded roster. Leon is currently in 10th place (2-1-1) but has already had its bye week.
Last weekend, the Esmeraldas showed some of the offensive explosiveness they frequently flashed last season, opening a 4-1 lead against the Chivas. But then their defense let up a bit, allowing Guadalajara to narrow the gap to 4-3 before holding on for the win.
The home victory will have given Leon a confidence boost ahead of their clash with Queretaro. No doubt, Leon will need their stars – especially Jose Juan Macias and Angel Mena – to show up if they hope to snag their third win of the Apertura.
Prediction
Leon is seen as the better team, but after their late-game negligence last week against the Chivas, I see flaws in their back line. Queretaro has been opportunistic this season and the Gallos will take advantage of the carelessness to pull off a mild upset.