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Match: Tigres UANL vs. Club América
Date: Saturday, October 6th
Time: 8:00 PM Eastern, 7:00 PM Central, 5:00 PM Pacific, 1:00 AM UTC
Venue: Estadio Universitario (San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León)
Television: United States - Univision; Mexico - Canal 5 Televisa, TDN, Afizzionados
Streaming: Fanatiz, fuboTV (Free trial + monthly subscription), Sling (Free trial + monthly subscription), Univision NOW
Tigres UANL host Mexico’s most successful professional fútbol team in Club América on Saturday night at the Estadio Universitario, in a match that should serve as a barometer for just how good both teams really are.
Tigres come into Saturday night’s clash on the backs of a five game unbeaten streak in Liga MX action. Over that period of time los Felinos have defeated Atlas, Puebla, and Querétaro, while drawing with Pachuca and arch rivals Rayados de Monterrey.
While this five game Liga MX unbeaten run might look impressive on paper, Tigres hasn’t exactly been playing their best fútbol as of late. Tuca Ferretti’s side have lacked the killer instinct needed to be able to defeat their bigger competition this season. During their five game unbeaten run, none of the teams that Tigres defeated are in a Liguilla classification spot. In their two toughest matches during that span, the star-studded squad from Monterrey struggled and barely escaped with a draw.
In their last match, a Copa MX showdown on the road with Pachuca, los Felinos were beaten 6-5 in a penalty shootout after a match that saw a total of six goals scored in regulation time. Tigres looked disorganized on both the offensive and defensive ends of the game. Had it not been for a miracle goal from Enner Valencia at the end of regulation, los Felinos would have losses 3-2 in regulation time. Perhaps the defining moment of the penalty shootout, and in turn the match, came when goalkeeper Nahuel Guzmán stepped up to take what would have been the match winning penalty and blazed it over the crossbar.
Luckily for Tigres, Club América don’t come into Saturday night’s clash in the best of form either. In their last two matches, las Águilas have struggled mightily against teams that they should have defeated rather handily. Instead, Miguel Herrera’s side suffered an embarrassing exit from the Copa MX at the hands of 2nd division side FC Juárez and drew 1-1 with arch-rivals Chivas after failing to convert a penalty in the final seconds of the match.
In spite of their recent form, Miguel Herrera will be confident that his side will be able to bring all three points back to Mexico City. Star striker Oribe Peralta has been in fine form this season scoring five goals through the first 11 weeks of Liga MX action. On top of this, the team appears to have finally gelled together and begun to play as a cohesive unit. A lack of team Unity was something that many people had criticized Club América for in the first few seasons under Miguel Herrera. With this problem solved, it looks like las Águilas and their fans once again believe that they can beat anyone and everyone in Liga MX action.
If recent matchups between the two teams are any indication, fans and neutrals alike are in for a very exciting matchup. In their last five matchups, all but one have seen multiple goals scored. Of the five matchups, Tigres has won three and drawn two.
A win would be massive for the confidence of Tigres going forward. However, it will take everything that los Felinos have if they are to beat the massively improved Club América from this season.