Liga MX playoff field set with Clasico Joven likely taking place in quarterfinals

BetOdds Liga MX Tijuana Cruz Azul Monterrey LeÃ³n Toluca Puebla Lobos BUAP Tigres UANL Atlas Santos Laguna Morelia Pumas UNAM Necaxa QuerÃ©taro Veracruz Pachuca Guadalajara AmÃ©rica Atlas v Monterrey Cruz Azul v Morelia LeÃ³n v Pachuca Tigres UANL v Guadalajara Veracruz v AmÃ©rica Necaxa v QuerÃ©taro Toluca v Lobos BUAP Tijuana v Puebla Santos Laguna v Pumas UNAM

Xolos locked up the final place in the Liguilla and will face Superlider Leon while a title rematch from last season is in the cards

The Liga MX Liguilla is set after Tijuana thumped Puebla 4-0 on Saturday to lock up the final place in the postseason.Â

Puebla had the ball in the back of the net in the first half, butÂ the goal was ruled out by VAR because it hit Lucas Cavalini's arm before he brought it down and finished. The teams went into the break level.Â

The home side was able to find its way through in the second half after Vladimir Lorona was sent off in the 53rd minute for a tackle on Tijuana forward Ariel Nahuelpan. Four minutes later Tijuana went in front thanks to a goal fromÂ Diego Braghieri. Miller Bolanos added a second two minutes later, and the rout was on with Xolos finding two more goals against Puebla.Â

That clinched the eighth and final seed in the playoffs for Tijuana, coached by Oscar Pareja. The former FC Dallas manager arrived at the border club in the winter after Diego Cocca failed to make the playoffs in the Apertura.Â

"I'm really happy to be able to give Tijuana, the club, the fans, this first Liguilla. We're really proud, the players are happy. We played a really tough game with the whole context of the game, but I think we did a good job, especially in the second half," Pareja said after the contest.Â

Leon and Tigres entered the final weekend of the regular season knowing they were locked in to the first and second spots, respectively. Monterrey came into the weekend as the third-place team and likely will sew up that spot Sunday. Monterrey is in action against Atlas.Â

As long as Rayados don't lose by four goals or more, their spot in third will be secure. That would mean a first-round matchup against sixth-placed Necaxa.Â

That also would set up a Clasico Joven in the quarterfinals between Cruz Azul and Club America. The two Mexico City sides played in the Liga MX final in the previous tournament.Â

Should Rayados avoid a rout from Atlas, the playoffs will look like this:Â

(1) Leon vs. (8) TijuanaÂ

(2) Tigres UANL vs. (7) PachucaÂ

(3) Monterrey vs. (6) NecaxaÂ

(4) Cruz Azul vs. (5) Club AmericaÂ

The better-seeded team hosts the second leg of the series with away goals the first tiebreaker and the second tiebreaker better regular season finish.Â

The league will announce the dates and times for each series Monday.Â

2019-05-05 10:00:06

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