Monterrey gave Liverpool all it could handle in today’s FIFA Club World Cup semifinal in Qatar. The two sides exchanged early goals through Naby Keïta and Rogelio Funes Mori, but it was the substitute Roberto Firmino who scored the dramatic winner in second half stoppage time to book Liverpool’s place in the final, where they’ll meet Copa Libertadores champion Flamengo.
Monterrey Femenil claimed the 2019 Liga MX Femenil Apertura title with a 2-1 aggregate win over UANL in front of 38,251 fans on Saturday. Las Rayadas had lost in the 2018 and 2019 Clausura finals before finally earning their first-ever title.
But the celebrations were dulled this week when it became apparent Monterrey would only reward players with iPads instead of a verbally promised financial bonus. Last I checked, you can’t pay rent with a tablet.
Monterrey secured a 1-1 draw away to Santos Laguna in the second leg of their Liga MX quarterfinal to advance to the semis 6-3 on aggregate. Santos Laguna suffered the dreaded Curse of the 'Superlider' at the first hurdle after entering the Liguilla as the Apertura’s top team.
Monterrey, however, isn’t a very forgiving eight-seed, as demonstrated by their 5-2 first leg victory at Estadio BBVA Bancomer last Thursday.
The 2019 Liga MX Apertura playoffs begin on Wednesday, Nov. 27, with the first legs of the quarterfinals.
There’s a lot of flavor in this liguilla’s sauce, but the tastiest matchup is certainly a meeting between 2019 Clausura champion Tigres (three seed) and 2018 Apertura winner Club América (six seed). It’s André-Pierre Gignac versus Henry Martín and we couldn’t be more excited.
Despite finishing the 2019 Apertura with three straight victories, Chivas Guadalajara missed out on the playoffs again this season, a streak of liguilla absences that dates back to when the club lifted the 2017 Clausura title.
However, it’s not all doom and gloom for the Goats. The club is through to the Round of 16 in the Copa MX, and they ended the Apertura in fine style on Saturday — the 3-1 victory over Veracruz included a brace from Alan Pulido and a goal at the death from Toño Rodriguez. Rodríguez is Guadalajara’s goalkeeper.
Mexico pushed Brazil to the brink in the final of Sunday's 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup, but late goals from Kaio Jorge and Lázaro sent a raucous crowd of over 15,000 into raptures in Brasília. Inspirational captain Eugenio Pizzuto had provided the assist on Bryan Gonzalez’s opener for El Tri in the 66th minute, but Brazil’s ferocious comeback began in the 84th with Kaio’s VAR-assisted penalty and ended — just before the match was headed straight to a shootout — with Lázaro’s stunning winner with only one minute remaining in stoppage time.
While the U.S. was sent packing after the group stage following its worst-ever showing at a FIFA U-17 World Cup, Mexico is through to the quarterfinals following a 2-0 victory over Japan in Gama, Brazil, on Wednesday. If you were already a little disappointed with U.S. Soccer following the dismal showing, you’ll be pleased to know that Mexico’s success is even further damnation of our bumbling federation.
The latest FIFA World Ranking has been released, and it comes as no surprise that the USMNT has taken a slight tumble. Any good grace that was earned with a 7-0 beatdown of Cuba was subsequently withdrawn following a nightmarishly disjointed performance against Canada, and the U.S. has fallen two places to a global ranking of 23.
Javier Hernandez has opened his account with new club Sevilla. Back with a LaLiga club for the first time since his loan spell with Real Madrid, the first Chicharito Sevilla goal was stunning to all involved.
Whatever you do, don’t show this to Joe Buck. Yesterday, Guadalajara registered a 1-0 victory over Atlas at Estadio Akron thanks to a 63rd-minute crack from Alexis Vega, who then exposed his crack. The 21-year-old Mexican boofed one from over 25 yards out to keep Chivas in the thick of the liguilla race, and then he fought off a strong desire to strip nude before settling for half-naked.