Liga MX Weekend Results: Monterrey - Tigres 1:0 Atlas - Pachuca 1:0 The above own-goal in the first leg of the CCL final remains the only goal scored by Pachuca in seven consecutive matches against Liga MX clubs. Tigres also continued their underwhelming league form meaning the 8th and 9th placed teams in the Liga MX table square off on Wednesday for the CONCACAF title. Elsewhere Dallas is the last undefeated side in MLS this season.
https://www.si.com/planet-futbol/20...allocation-money-increase-owners-meetings-tam MLS owners looking to bump up TAM again.
http://www.thescore.com/mls/news/1255571-whitecaps-carl-robinson-admits-to-gap-between-mls-liga-mx Robinson acknowledged the chasm in quality between MLS and Liga MX, saying, according to ESPN FC's Tom Marshall: -"anyone that says there isn't a gap doesn't understand football." There's really no arguments here.
The gap is a chasm and I can't understand why any more. Perhaps its just that the lower salary Mexican players are better than the lower wage American players?
The answer is the confluence of a number of factors. They aren't restricted by a salary cap. MLS is designed to hamper high-income teams. They are in the middle of a season during the playoffs. That's not an excuse that's one factor of many. Their youth movement is a bit more mature than us and they have a more mature soccer culture producing more prospects. They get to keep their youth players in the league. US U-20 YNT will have a good 9 or so players signed in foreign clubs. We have one of those on loan - Brooks Lennon - he's not close to the best but he's been an immediate impact. Imagine Pulisic, McKennie, Wright, Akale, de la Torre, Zelalem and Perez. Constant expansion waters down teams. Too many teams just don't care about CCL. Then again they don't either. So maybe a wash. Each factor is only a 5% to 10% effect. Together it's a lot more.
Grand Final of CCL today @ 10 pm on UDN. Pachuca vs Tigres Aggregate tied 1-1 but Pachuca did get an important away goal.
While Pachuca's scoring problems are documented above they do have the following going for them: - They are unbeaten in 14 consecutive CCL home matches - They have never lost an international final - Tigres has never won an international final (of note)
Major props to the AR for (correctly) calling a 94th-minute equalizer offside. Wonder if he would have done that if they were playing in Monterrey.
Congrats to Los Tuzos. Losing to the eventual champs is becoming something of a habit for FCD: 2015 - Portland 2016 - Seattle 2017 - Pachuca
BTW, after reading all of the "the gap between MLS and Liga MX is as deep and wide as the Grand Canyon" posts in this thread, what lessons are we to take from the final? One could argue that FCD was slightly closer to beating Pachuca than Tigres was. After all, FCD was up 2-1 after their home leg, while Tigres was level 1-1 after theirs. And for both FCD and Tigres, the difference between defeat and extra time was in injury time. FCD's entire defensive unit conspired to go to sleep simultaneously and allow the winning goal, while Tigres' equalizer was offside. I would only say that FCD was slightly closer to defeating Pachuca simply because they still had all 11 men on the field.
Looks like Karma isn't done with Tuca Ferretti. Three lost continental finals in three years. First the Copa Libertadores and now back-to-back CCL tournaments. Tigres managment can't be too happy about this. Serves Ferretti right for disrespecting international competitions previously with B and C rosters (such as the one that traveled to Seattle in 2013). Hats off to Pachuca. They wrestled home this title in a period where they can hardly find the net against Liga MX opposition. Pachuca are now only behind Club America (7) and Cruz Azul (6) in the all-time ranking but unlike these two clubs Pachuca won all their five CONCACAF titles in the new millennium. Impressive. Los Tuzos now get to return to the UAE where they played the 2010 Club World Cup. It is their fourth participation in total and Pachuca must be eager to finally impress after failing to achieve even third place in three attempts. The venues will be: 1. Zayed Sports City Stadium (Abu Dhabi / 43,000) 2. Hazza Bin Zayed Stadiums (Al Ain / 23,000) The 2010 Pachuca side that went out against Tout Puissant Mazembe also had an American on the field. None other than Hercules Gomez. I watched that game live and plan on being back this year as well. Was hoping to see Gignac but am now looking forward to Chucky Lozano.
I wonder if Chucky will still be with them by the time the Club World Cup kicks off... (I hope so, but...)
Kudos to Pachuca and good luck in the Club World Cup. Seems like a long time to December--the team may be very different by that time. That may or may not be a good thing depending on the acquisitions and personnel moves the team makes. It does kill a lot of momentum--having to wait 7 months. Results since the FIFA Club World Cup was instituted: -Liga MX clubs representing CONCACAF have placed fourth in the competition 5 times. Club America (2006,2016) Pachuca (2008) Atlante (2009) Cruz Azul (2014) -Liga MX clubs representing CONCACAF have finished third in the competition twice. Necaxa (2000) Monterrey (2012) It seems to me that Pachuca should aim to make the final. The tournament is for the most part dominated by big Euro and South American teams that start the tournament directly in the semifinals. However the tournament has shown that it is possible for teams outside of UEFA and CONMEBOL to make the final. In 2010 TP Mazembe (CAF) came in second place in 2013 Raja Casablanca (CAF) came in second place in 2016 Kashima Antlers (AFC) came in second place Granted, no one comes into a FIFA tournament lusting after a silver medal, however it would be HUGE for CONCACAF if Pachuca could manage to make the final and somehow eliminate a big Euro or South American club along the way.
Well some crazy rumors started popping up today that Pachuca are looking to sign Falcao.. I think its pure bs but I do believe we have the money to afford him.
It all depends on the CWC draw in October. If Pachuca end up on the UEFA side of the bracket the best they can hope for is third place realistically. Funnily enough Pachuca have been the only CONCACAF club to have played the Libertadores winner in the semis in the current format since 2005. Either because the draw wasn't favorable or because the CONCACAF representative exited in the quarterfinals. Pachuca played against Liga de Quito (Ecuador) in 2008 to be precise: Having won the 2006 Copa Sudamericana I was certain that Pachuca was going to be the first non-UEFA, non-CONMEBOL club in the final but Liga de Quito didn't wilter. Instead we have now had two African clubs in the final as well as one Asian team. Since Saprissa clinched third place in 2005 only Monterrey managed to achieve that finish for CONCACAF in now eleven editions. And really, in a competition with only seven teams anything below third place should be filed as failure. In summary, no pressure tuzos.
In an interview Diego Alonso said that they prepared a whole year for this championship. I think this time it will be different.