Tigres and America clash in the finals of the 2016 Liga MX Apertura playoffs, the two-legged final taking place on Thursday, December 22nd and Sunday, December 25th. America are looking for title number 13 in their centennial season while Tigres seek their fifth championship. Here’s everything you need to know to watch the match, either live streaming online or on TV through your cable provider.
America hold a slender advantage heading into the second leg of their semifinal with Necaxa after scoring a vital away goal and earning a 1-1 draw.
However, if this match was anything to go by, the return leg in Mexico City will feature two evenly matched sides, and Necaxa will still believe that the final is within reach.
Tigres are one slip-up free home game away from the Liga MX finals. They defeated Leon 1-0 in the first leg on the back of an Andre-Pierre Gignac goal.
The Andre Pierre-Gignac goal that has @TigresOficial on top. pic.twitter.com/tBk9DIHqx8
— Jonny Rico Aviles (@Jonyrico) December 1, 2016
The Clasico Nacional is never a game to be taken lightly, but it's especially not to be taken lightly when it's the playoffs and advancement to the Apertura semifinals is on the line.
Chivas came into the second quarterfinal leg ahead on away goals (1-1 aggregate), but Oribe Peralta scored what feels like his one thouandth clutch goal for Club America in the 55th minute.
Queretaro vs. Toluca in the Copa MX semis was a classic goalkeepers' duel, which is a roundabout way of saying it was a 0-0 draw.
So hats off to Alfredo Talavera (Toluca) and Tiago Volpi (Queretaro), and no one else.
Both players earned clean sheets, saved penalties and even both scored penalties in the shootout. In the end, Volpi made one more save than Talavera, and so Queretaro advanced to the final (8-7), where they'll play the winner of tonight's Superclasico.
Jonathan Urretaviscaya excercises. that much we can tell from his long sprint down the field that turned into a golazo against Chivas Sunday. He ran from his own 18 to the Chivas 18 with the ball and still had the energy to neatly chip the keeper. We would have collapsed in a sad heap somewhere near the halfway line, which is one of many reasons we are not a professional soccer player.
For more on Urretaviscaya's goal, let's check in with The18 amazing goals correspondent Surprised Koala. Surprised Koala, what did you think of Urretaviscaya's goal?
Ronaldinho is coming back, at least for one more game. The Brazilian attacking midfielder hasn't retired fro soccer yet, and he says he wants to play one more year. He claims to have offers in MLS and China, but before he goes to either of those places 'Dinho is going to make an appearance for Mexican third-division club Cinco Estrellas in a friendly against Monterrey in December.
He announced his apearance in a video on the Cinco Estrellas facebook page.
Mexico international striker Erick "Cubo" Torres has been loaned from the Houston Dynamo to Cruz Azul, the Dynamo announced Saturday. The 23-year-old will play with the Mexico City-based club for the rest of their season.
Official: Erick "Cubo" Torres will join Cruz Azul on loan this season.
— ESPN FC Mexico (@ESPNFCtri) September 3, 2016
Puebla midfielder Christian "Hobbit" Bermudez is apparently in jail for not paying his child support.
And he's got visitors!
Jugadores del Puebla visitaron al Hobbit Bermúdez en el Reclusorio Norte. pic.twitter.com/iYejqdv2NJ
— Andre Marín (@andremarinpuig) August 30, 2016
America completed a perfect group stage in the Apertura 2016 Copa MX by defeating Zacatecas 2-0 on Wednesday night. The highlight of the match was certainly Ecuadorian attacker Michael Arroyo’s ridiculous scissor kick in the 24th minute.
With qualification for the knockout stage already secured, you could’ve forgiven America for looking ahead to Saturday’s Super Clasico against Chivas. With neither side in particularly inspiring Liga MX form going into the showdown, America’s unblemished record in the Copa could give them some vital momentum.
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