Andre-Pierre Gignac Leads UANL to 1-0 Win over Leon in Leg 1 of Liga MX Final
May 23, 2019
MONTERREY, MEXICO - MAY 23: Andre-Pierre Gignac, #10 of Tigres, kicks the ball towards Andrés Mosquera, #4 of León, during the Final first leg match between Tigres UANL and Leon as part of the Torneo Clausura 2019 Liga MX at Universitario Stadium on May 23, 2019 in Monterrey, Mexico. (Photo by Azael Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Tigres UANL held home field, and now all the pressure is on Leon to make a comeback in the 2019 Liga MX Final.
Andre-Pierre Gignac scored in the 21st minute and Nahuel Guzman held things together in net as Tigres earned a 1-0 victory over Leon in the first leg of their matchup. Leon will need to win the second leg by at least one goal to take home the league championship.
If the first match of the series is any indication, Leon will have a tough time making that happen. Tigres were the aggressors throughout, holding possession for 55 percent of the match while outshooting Leon 20-9. While only six of those shots were on goal, the ball consistently seemed to stay in the attacking zone, even when Leon was attempting to mount a comeback.
Angel Mena, who spearheaded the Leon attack, was kept almost completely quiet by the home defense.
Guzman, while not faced with much action in front of the net, made all four stops that came his way. He has recorded two straight shutouts to set up Tigres for a potential championship.
His squad will look to avoid coming home empty-handed for the season after losing in the CONCACAF Champions League Finals to Monterrey.
Leon, meanwhile, will have to pick things up at home to cap off their storybook season with a league championship. Not picked as a threat during the preseason, Leon sat atop the regular-season table by dominating on both ends of the field.
Giving up just one goal Thursday was a testament to the team's continued defensive brilliance. Rodolfo Cota was again strong in goal, and the defensive unit has to feel like they did enough to win the game given Tigres' aggression.
The victor's defense was just a little bit better in the first leg.
Monterrey vs. Tigres: 2017 Apertura Championship Preview, Live Stream, TV Info
Nov 18, 2017
Tigres' Enner Valencia (R) celebrates with his teammate Andre Pierre Gignac after scoring against Necaxa during the 2017 Mexican Apertura tournament football match, at Universitario stadium in Monterrey, Mexico on November 5, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / JULIO AGUILAR (Photo credit should read JULIO AGUILAR/AFP/Getty Images)
Monterrey take on Tigres in the final round of fixtures in Liga MX's Apertura on Saturday.
The hosts go into the Clasico Regiomontano top of the table with 34 points, while Tigres are two points further back in second.
Both teams have already qualified for the play-offs, but Tigres have the chance to finish top with victory at the home of their local rivals.
Here is how you can watch the game in Guadalupe, Mexico:
Monterrey and Tigres will renew their rivalry on Saturday with both teams going into the game having lost just two of 16 league games so far this season.
Tigres narrowly beat Necaxa 1-0 on Sunday night thanks to an Enner Valencia penalty.
The former West Ham United man has a good record since joining the club in the summer, as highlighted by Football.London's Sam Inkersole:
Just doing some research for a story to be published very soon - Former #WHUFC striker Enner Valencia has scored 11 goals in 16 games in all comps this season. Fair play.
The visitors certainly possess plenty of firepower with Andre-Pierre Gignac, who has four league goals this season, and Eduardo Vargas, who has five.
Tigres will certainly need to be more clinical if they are to beat Monterrey, who go into the game without a win in their last three games in all competitions.
They did, however, manage to book their place in the Copa MX final, beating Club America on penalties after a goalless draw on Thursday.
The win came at a cost, with starlet Jonathan Gonzalez stretchered off in the second half and now a doubt for the game, per Soccer America.
The 18-year-old is one of the United States' most promising youngsters, per football writer Brian Sciaretta:
Biggest surprise for me is that Monterrey’s Jonathan Gonzalez is not on the team. He is one of the best American teenage players right now, period.
It promises to be a dramatic ending to the Apertura, although Monterrey will be favourites to get the result they require, particularly with home advantage and only needing a draw to clinch first place.
