Another edition of the “Clasico Regio” is in the books. Monterrey defeated Tigres 2-1 in the first leg of the quarterfinals of the Liga MX playoffs. The weather conditions were not ideal at all, with temperatures at 96 degrees at kick-off at 9:05 PM local time.
It was close to 110 degrees during the day as a record-breaking heat wave swept the area the entire week. Soccer is not a sport that can be played at full strength when it gets this hot and it showed. Both teams had to struggle with the weather all night as it only dropped one degree for the second half. Humidity was also high as well.
This is a historic rivalry in Liga MX and having them play each other again in the “liguilla” is always fun to watch. Monterrey took a big step in eliminating their rival by taking this lead. Can Monterrey close the series?
Monterrey Found Energy In the First Half
It seemed like Monterrey knew conditions were only going to worsen so they went out to try and take the lead early. Germán Berterame started the match well for Monterrey creating chances for Brandon Vazquez and Sergio Canales.
Tigres was on the defensive trying to contain Monterrey but couldn’t seem to keep up. A through ball from Vazquez to Canales led to the goal and he scored to make it 1-0 in the 28th minute. Tigres fans were shocked as silence was heard in the sold-out Universitario.
Diego Lainez was the best player for Tigres and he sealed his performance with an amazing goal near the end of the first half. With not much happening for his team, Lainez was able to make a deep shot from outside of the box, an impossible save for Monterrey goalkeeper Esteban Andrada as the shot went in the corner.
Also Read: 1-1 Draw to America a Massive Slip-up For Pachuca To Put Series Away
Monterrey Went For the Kill in the Second Half
Monterrey made it 2-1 in the 48th minute with a goal from Maxi Meza on a counterattack. Taking the lead early in the half helped Monterrey sit back and play conservatively for the rest of the match. Tigres looked extremely fatigued and affected by the weather and never got going.
André-Pierre Gignac who has been a legend for Tigres, winning 5 league titles in his 9 years with the club showed his age in this match. At 38 years old, it’s difficult for a veteran to play in this extreme heat. Not having Gignac be a factor slowed the Tigres offense to a standstill.
Héctor Moreno and Víctor Guzmán had strong defensive efforts for Monterrey. Moreno, who has played in 4 World Cups for the Mexican National Team was an important piece to the team’s success in the second half. Monterrey will host their cross-town rivals Sunday night to close out the series with a big advantage.
About the Author
Mike Nelson lives and breathes sports. Ever since he was very young he has also dreamed of covering sports. Mike graduated from CSULA in 2018 with a Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism. He has been very lucky to cover sports and be on the radio for the last few years with different organizations including a stint with the LA Galaxy where he was one of the announcers for the LA Galaxy 2 team for two seasons.
Mike loves music, he hosts his radio show/podcast “The Mike Nelson Show” where he has gotten to interview the biggest names in rock and metal including Les Claypool, David Ellefson, and others.
Follow Mike on Instagram- @themikenelsonshow
Follow Mike on Youtube- @mikenelsonshow
Check out all the great content Total Apex Sports has to offer. Check us out on X @TotalApexSports and our other sites: Total Apex Sports Bets and Total Apex Fantasy Sports.
