Liga MX Review: Atlas win El Clásico de Tapatio

Friday 4th October 2024

Mazatlán 2 vs 2 Querétaro
Tijuana 2 vs 1 Pachuca

Mazatlán and Los Gallos kicked off the weekend action with an enthralling 2-2 draw at the Estadio El Encanto. Despite taking the lead twice through Raúl Camacho, the Sinaloa side was unable to hold onto all three points as Querétaro scored a second equaliser late into added time in the second half through Rubio Rubin to share the honours.

Los Xolos kept their dreams of a playoff birth alive, but it required some late drama. The first goal of the game came beyond the hour mark through Efrain Alvarez but Pachuca replied through a Jesús Gomez own goal with ten minutes left on the clock. Both games on Friday night were decided in the 94th minute as Emmanuel Reynoso had one last opportunity and was able to take it. The result gives Tijuana a seven-point lead from the chasing pack currently outside of the playoff spots.

Saturday 5th October 2024

San Luís 1 vs 0 Monterrey
Cruz Azul 3 vs 0 Necaxa
Tigres 1 vs 0 Puebla
Toluca 1 vs 1 Pumas
Chivas 2 vs 3 Atlas
León 1 vs 1 Club América

San Luís reduced the gap between themselves and the top four to just one point this weekend with an eye-catching win over Los Rayados. Ricardo Chavez scored the only goal of the game as San Luís continues to impress against the big teams in the league, having already beaten the likes of Cruz Azul, Atlas and Club América. As for Monterrey, it is a third consecutive game without a win as they drop points on all of their rivals at the top of the table.

La Maquiná continued to show why they are at the top of the table with a convincing three-nil victory over Necaxa at the Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes. Alexís Gutiérrez and Rodolfo Rotondi gave the league leaders an early two-goal lead before Lorenzo Faravelli got his second in as many games. Having scored in every game this season, Azul continues to show why they are favourites whilst Necaxa remains a point outside of the playoff spots.

From the capital to Monterrey, Tigres kept the gap between themselves and Cruz Azul to four points with a narrow victory over Puebla. Legendary striker André Pierre-Gignac netted from a long-range freekick to beat the diving Miguel Jiménez, scoring his fifth goal in 11 games this season.

Toluca was stunned within 45 seconds as César Huerta gave Pumas the lead in an important clash at the top of the table. While shocked, Los Diablos Rojos worked their way back into the match and got an important equaliser through Paulinho, striking from outside the box, the former Sporting Lisbon talisman provided his 12-goal contribution in the 11 Liga MX games this season. A 1-1 draw that leaves Pumas two points behind their weekend counterparts.

El Clásico de Tapatio, Chivas vs Atlas. The fixture that everybody in Guadalajara had been waiting for. The two sides came into the encounter with a similar record from the opening 10 Apertura matches, but Chivas had the advantage with the game being held at their Estadio Akron. However, they were left stunned heading into the final 30 minutes of the match. Three-nil down to their city rivals, goals from Jhon Murillo, Jeremy Márquez and José Lozano silenced the Akron. Whilst Chivas provided a late fight with goals from Ricardo Marin and Roberto Alvarado, they were unable to complete the comeback. Now, not only is the club fighting for a spot in the playoffs but manager Fernando Gago is expected to leave Los Rojisblancos for his native Argentina with Boca Juniors.

The final game of the night was another one to forget for Las Águilas. Stiven Mendoza scored his first goal of the season late into the first half but was later cancelled out by Rodrigo Aguirre's leveller. A point apiece leaves América down in 10th place whilst León is a single point behind them in 14th.

Sunday 6th October 2024

Santos Laguna 0 vs 2 Juárez

Santos Laguna fell to the bottom of the league table, level on points with Mazatlán after falling 2-nil to FC Juárez. The goals came early in the second half as Oscar Estupinan and Carlos Salcedo provided the important goals that saw Los Bravos climb off the bottom of the table. Now there has become a tight battle at the bottom with five teams being split by a single point.

Which team impressed you the most this weekend? Let us know!