LIGA MX (Primera División de México)

[epjr]

MEXICO CITY - The Mexican football league will change its regular-season format and playoff structure beginning with the fall Apertura season, abandoning its three-group method for a single table and replacing the knockout "Liguilla" with a second league phase

The moves, announced Monday, will extend the playoffs from 14 games to 26.

With the three regular-season groups or divisions molded into a single table, eight teams will continue to qualify for the playoffs. But instead of two teams from each group plus the next two sides with the best records qualifying, the top eight will advance.
Instead of a two-leg, knockout quarterfinals, semifinals and finals formula, the eight teams will be divided into two, four-team groups for a second league phase with each team playing the others in the group home and away.

The two group winners will then meet in the finals.

www.concacaf.com/page/AssociationNewsDetail/0,,12813~2362533,00.html

[epjr]

American Exports:
Tijuana trio falls in Liga MX semifinals


GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Tijuana’s Yanks look to be heading out of the Liga MX playoffs at the semifinal stage after losing 2-0 at León in the first leg on Thursday.

Edgar Castillo started as usual at left back, while Joe Corona was a last-minute inclusion in the 11 after Leandro Augusto injured himself in the warm-up.

Tijuana held their own for most the game, probably shading the first half in terms of chances, but Othoniel Arce and Carlos Peña struck for León in the 56th and 57th minutes, leaving Xolos facing an uphill task in Sunday’s return fixture at Estadio Caliente (7:30 pm ET, Univision Deportes).

Castillo played a few dangerous through balls in the first half and looked solid defensively in a game that was a midfield battle for large periods.

The 26-year-old also broke past two defenders in the 81st minute, but the resulting shot from the edge of the penalty area was straight down goalkeeper Christian Martínez’s throat.

Corona went 66 minutes but was quiet in midfield, his most noticeable moment coming in the 25th when he was booked for a late, and high, tackle.

Greg Garza was an unused substitute.

In the other Liga MX semifinal, Toluca defeated América 2-0 at Estadio Azteca.

www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/11/23/american-exports-club-tijuana-trio-falls-liga-mx-semifinals


Liga MX Liguilla playoffs

Semifinals
2nd leg - Sunday
Club America vs. Toluca (noon)
Club Leon vs. Tijuana Xolos (4:30)

msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/mexico

[epjr]

Liga MX Liguilla playoffs

Semifinals

1st leg - Club America 0:2 Toluca
2nd leg - Club America 2:1 Toluca
Agg: Club America 2:3 Toluca

1st leg - Club Leon 2:0 Tijuana Xolos
2nd leg - Club Leon 0:3 Tijuana Xolos
Agg: Club Leon 2:3 Tijuana Xolos

msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/mexico

[epjr]

Tijuana defeated Toluca 2-1 on Thursday in the first leg of Mexico's first division final and has the edge going into Sunday's deciding match in Toluca.

Fidel Martinez and Paraguayan Pablo Aguilar scored in the first half for Tijuana, with the second goal allowed despite replays suggesting he was offside. Edgar Benitez scored for Toluca.

Tijuana is a newcomer to Mexico's first division and was promoted only last year, while Toluca is attempting to win its 11th title to equal Guadalajara Chivas as Mexico's most successful club.


msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/mexico/story/club-tijuana-2-1-toluca-liga-mx-apertura-final-first-leg-fidel-martinez-pablo-aguilar-match-report-112912

[epjr]

Tijuana reach top, claim Liga MX title


GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Four years ago, they weren’t even in the top flight. But on Sunday, Club Tijuana became champions.

American trio Edgar Castillo, Joe Corona and Greg Garza all picked up Liga MX winners medals on Sunday night after the Xolos defeated Toluca 2-0 in the Estadio Nemesio Díez to claim the 2012 Apertura title.

The victory handed Tijuana a 4-1 aggregate lead in the final series and secured the border club’s first ever league title after an historic season. The club only formed in 2007 and has since gained support from both sides of the border.

Castillo (above, right) won his second Mexican first-division title – the other coming in the Clausura 2008 with Santos Laguna – and went the full 90 minutes in the second leg of the final, and all 180 for the home-and-home series.

The Las Cruces, N.M., native was much more solid at left back than in the first leg and commentators on Mexican TV praised his performance, as well as the revival of a floundering career since he joined Tijuana a little less than a year ago


www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/12/02/american-exports-xolos-reach-top-claim-liga-mx-title

[epjr]

Three teams to move in Liga MX


There were huge changes announced at Monday evening’s Liga MX owners’ meeting, with three teams set to move location.

The first announcement was Jaguares de Chiapas being sold to Queretaro – a city where that saw its team relegated last season after battling over the final few weeks.

San Luis has also asked the Liga MX for a change of site, with owner Carlos Lopez Chargoy stating that lack of support within the community was the reason for petitioning for the move.

Irapuato Veracruz, Acapulco and Puebla have been rumored to be possible destinations for the team that has struggled to make an impact on Mexico’s top division.

Perhaps the most incredible news coming out of the meeting was La Piedad also asking for permission to move.

sports.yahoo.com/news/three-teams-move-liga-mx-144600415--sow.html

[epjr]

Liga MX Apertura 2013
Liguilla Playoffs TV Schedule

The Liga MX Apertura 2013 ‘Liguilla’ (Playoffs), are set to begin this Saturday, November 23, 2013 after a two week halt following Mexico’s participation in the FIFA World Cup Intercontinental Playoffs against New Zealand. Now that ‘el tri’ is qualified into Brazil 2014, the focus has once again shifted into the Liga MX, as the league’s top 8 teams will compete for the championship. People say that the playoffs is a whole new tournament, but the reality is that there are three teams favored to be crowned champions. Club America, Santos, and Leon will see to compete for greatness, while the fans will have to await for any ‘dark’horses’.

Toluca 3:0 Cruz Azul
Cruz Azul 1:1 Toluca
Aggregate: Toluca 4:1 Cruz Azul

Morelia 3:3 Leon
Leon 4:0 Morelia
Aggregate: Leon 7:3 Morelia

Tigres UANL 2:2 Club America
Club America 1:1 UANL Tigres
Aggregate: Club America 3:3 UANL Tigres

Queretaro 1:3 Santos Laguna
Santos Laguna 3:2 Queretaro
Aggregate: Queretaro 3:6 Santos Laguna


www.scoresway.com/?sport=soccer&page=competition&id=155

[epjr]

SEMI FINALS

Thu 12/05/13 Toluca 2:1 América
Sun 12/08/13 América 2:0 Toluca
Aggregate: América 3:2 Toluca

Thu 12/05/13 León 3:1 Santos Laguna
Sun 12/08/13 Santos Laguna 2:2 León
Aggregate: León 5:3 Santos Laguna

FINAL
Tue 12/10/13 León @américa
Sat 12/14/13 América @león

[epjr]

FINAL
Leg One: León 2:0 América
Leg Two: América 1:3 León
Aggregate: León 5:1 América

[epjr]

Mexican-American GK William Yarbrough leads León to win over Club América & Liga MX title


Club León are the campeones of Mexico thanks in large part to a big, blond goalkeeper with roots in Texas and a US passport to his name.

William Yarbrough, who was born in Aguascalientes, Mexico, after his parents emigrated from Texas in the 1980s, turned in a tremendous performance on Sunday night in the second leg of the Liga MX Apertura final against Club América, as León won the match, 3-1, and the series, 5-1 on aggregate.

Yarbrough, 24, has not represented either Mexico or the US at any level; however, he was on the roster for Mexico's U-23 team at the 2012 Olympic qualifying tournament.

On Sunday, he need to be sharp. He faced 11 shots on goal from a desparate América side urged on by their fans at the Estadio Azteca. But only one got through, and León's attack got the job done at the other end, with Mauro Boselli, Nacho Gonzalez, and Edwin Hernandez notching a goal each.

The victory is León's sixth domestic championship and their first since 1992.

www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2013/12/15/mexican-american-gk-william-yarbrough-leads-leon-win-over-club-america-liga-

[epjr]

With the Clausura playoffs set,
there are a number of intriguing matchups to follow in Liga MX.

Cruz Azul vs. Leon

Late goals from Rogelio Chavez and Mauro Formica proved enough for Cruz Azul to overcome Pumas on Saturday and end the regular season in first place.

Will the curse of the Superlider strike again or can Cruz Azul build on last week’s CONCACAF Champions League triumph and go on to claim a ninth league title, its first since 1997?

Luis Fernando Tena would probably have felt more confident of his side’s chances had Chivas crept into la Liguilla at Leon’s expense on Sunday. But Chivas’ loss to Monterrey means Cruz Azul will face 2013 Apertura champion Leon, whose 2-1 win over Tijuana on Friday eventually proved enough to seal the final berth in the playoffs.

Although recent performances have been underwhelming, Leon’s midweek exit from the Copa Libertadores means its domestic form will no longer suffer as a result of the distractions of continental cup football.

With the experience of Rafa Marquez and the offensive threat of Carlos Peña and Luis Montes, Leon has the potential to hurt Tena’s side, and it will undoubtedly prove a more dangerous opponent than the lightweight Guadalajara side that Cruz Azul might have hoped to face.

Toluca vs. Tijuana

Once Cruz Azul sealed the top spot the night before, Toluca knew there was nothing at stake in Sunday’s 1-1 draw with America as a second-place finish was already guaranteed.

The Diablos Rojos will now face Tijuana, which could have gone third and secured a more favorable draw in the playoffs were it not for Friday’s rare home defeat to Leon.

Still, Xolos will go into the tie with confidence, having beaten Toluca 3-1 at the Estadio Caliente just three weeks ago. Tijuana also boasts a superior head-to-head record, with four wins and just one defeat from the eight games contested by the two sides.

Pumas vs. Pachuca

Pachuca set the tone for an exciting weekend with a stunning comeback against Queretaro on Friday night.

Leading 3-0 up until the 75th minute, Gallos Blancos looked certain to earn the victory they needed to keep their playoff hopes alive. But the troubled home side capitulated as Los Tuzos pulled off the most unlikely of recoveries with Enrique Esqueda and Dario Carreño each netting twice in an unbelievable final 15 minutes.

Pachuca will now face Pumas, who finished ahead of Santos and America on goal difference, despite that defeat to Cruz Azul.

The last game between the two was a goalless draw in early March. Neither side is in great form but Pumas will enjoy the advantage of playing the decisive second leg at home.

Santos vs. America

Santos had the chance to leapfrog Pumas into third place on Saturday but could only manage a 2-2 draw with lowly Veracruz. That result, coupled with America’s tie with Toluca, meant both clubs finished on 25 points with a goal difference of plus four.

Santos’ superior scoring record (the Torreon side has netted a league-high 33 goals this season; America has only scored 21) proved the only difference between them, ensuring the former has the advantage of playing the second leg at home.

Last week’s Copa Libertadores defeat means Santos – like Leon – is now free to concentrate fully on the playoffs.

Santos may also enjoy a psychological advantage over America, having triumphed in the last three matchups, and pulling off an impressive comeback in coming from 2-0 down to win 4-2 at the Estadio Azteca in March.

www.goal.com/en-us/news/114/mexico/2014/04/27/4780640/cruz-azul-finishes-top-as-liga-mx-playoffs-are-finalized

[epjr]

Liga Bancomer MX Quarter Finals First Leg
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
América 5:3 Santos
León 1:1 Cruz Azul

Thursday, May 1, 2014
Pachuca 1:1 Pumas
Tijuana 0:0 Toluca



Liga Bancomer MX Quarter Finals Second Leg
Saturday, May 3, 2014
Cruz Azul 2:2 Leon
Santos 3:1 América

Sunday, May 4, 2014
Toluca 3:1 Tijuana
Pumas 2:4 Pachuca


Read More: sports.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soccerfront.asp?lg=fmf&eref=sinav#ixzz30EuZ7UCt

[epjr]

Liga Bancomer MX Semi Finals First Leg

Wednesday, May 7, 2014
Pachuca v. Santos

Thursday, May 8, 2014
León v. Toluca

Liga Bancomer MX Semi Finals Second Leg

Saturday, May 3, 2014
Santos v. Pachuca

Sunday, May 4, 2014
Toluca v. León

[epjr]

Liga Bancomer MX Semi Finals
1st Leg: Pachuca 2:0 Santos
2nd Leg: Santos v. Pachuca
Saturday, May 10, 2014

[epjr]

Liga Bancomer MX Semi Finals
1st Leg: Leon 1:0 Toluca
2nd Leg: Toluca vs. Leon
Sunday, May 11, 2014