Toluca and Tigres went the distance in the Liga MX Apertura 2025 final with the title decided via a penalty shootout.
Ángel Correa's first-leg strike gave the Northern side the advantage heading into the second-leg, but with the decider taking place at Toluca's Estadio Nemesio Diez, Los Rojos Diablos remained confident that they could retain the Liga MX title.
Hopes of back-to-back trophies took a dent when Andre Pierre-Gignac's deflected free-kick left Luis Garcia stranded. A later review showed that the last touch came off Fernando Gorriaran, silencing the home supporters.
Toluca knocked on the door but failed to create any significant chances, until a moment of pure brillance from Helinho brought the game to the left as the Brazilian cut inside to curl a left-footed strike beyond Nahuel Guzman, off the inside of the post.
The game came right before half-time, handing the hosts a much needed lifeline, and within ten minutes of the second half, they had managed to capitalise once again. Helinho turned from scorer to provider with an inch-perfect cross, met by Paulinho, who caught the Tigres defence napping to dispatch from close range.
With more than half an hour left on the clock, the teams were left deadlocked, unable to find a breakthrough as the game headed to extra-time, and eventually penalties.
A final decided from the spot
Tigres and Nicólas Ibáñez went first, but the Argentine fired his effort over the bar as Alexis Vega calmly slotted his home. Converted penalties followed for both sides until Federico Pereira failed to hit the target, taking the shootout to sudden death.
Five rounds of successful penalties brought the game to a nail-bitting finish, knowing that one wrong move would decide the season.
The next to blink was Tigres' Joaquim, but Juan Domínguez failed to end the shootout, having missed his spot kick for Toluca. Next was the turn of the goalkeepers, with both failing to outsmart the other.
In a set of five missed spot kicks, Ángel Correa stepped up for his second penalty of the shootout, but saw his effort denied by Garcia, handing Toluca a third straight match point.
Looking to make no mistakes, Alexis Vega stepped up, having missed the last six matches through injury. With the eyes of the nation and the pressure of an entire stadium on him, Vega once again slotted his effort beyond the diving Tigres 'keeping, making Toluca champions once again.
At the dispair of Tigres, Toluca became Mexican champions for the 12th time, matching Chivas as the joint-second most successful team in Liga MX history.
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