Match Recap: Tigres UANL 1, Club América 1

La Sultana del Norte played host to the most anticipated matchip of Jornada 6 in Liga MX as Club América travelled to take on Tigres UANL. From the very start of the highly anticipated match to its end the energy inside of Estadio Universitario was simply electric. The action on the field was just as electric; if not more. Hard challenges, yellow card, goals, and controversy reigned throughout the highly entertaining match.

It was the visiting Club América who looked the more dangerous side early on in the match. Las Águilas came out of the gates with an extremely aggressive style of play that pinned Tigres back into their own half for much of the first half. Miguel Herrera’s decision to have his team aggressively press the Tigres backline was rewarded with a penalty in favor of his squad in the 32nd minute.

Cecilio Domínguez, after recovering the ball from an errant Tigres pass, slipped past two defenders before being taken down in the box by Chaka Rodríguez. After a few moments of deliberation it was Mateus Uribe who stepped up to take the penalty. Uribe preceded to miss the penalty after poorly striking the ball wide of the target. Tigres keeper Nahuel Guzmán was awarded a yellow card directly after the missed penalty for taunting Uribe.

Just under 10 minutes after Uribe’s penalty, las Águilas found themselves on the losing end of the scoreline. Chaka Rondríguez, after easily tearing down the right hand side of the pitch, crossed a ball into the center of the area that was easily headed into the bottom left corner of the goal by an unmarked André-Pierre Gignac. The match momentum massively swung in favor of Tigres following the goal.

Shortly after the halftime break, Tigres had a chance to go up by two goals. Following a defensive breakdown by Club América, Edu Vargas was able to find André-Pierre Gignac in the center of the area. Gignac, however, wasn’t able to control the ball with much success and errantly attempted to back heel the ball into the net instead of passing it to a completely unmarked Jesús Dueñas for what surely would have been an easy goal. One couldn't help but feel as though the missed chance would come back to haunt Tigres as the match wore on.

In the 66th minute, a controversial penalty was awarded in favor of Club América after one of the most unusual sequences of play in the 2018 Clausura tournament. Guido Rodríguez managed to get on the end of an expertly placed corner kick launching the ball into the top corner of there net past a helpless Nahuel Guzmán. Everyone except the assistant referee (who signaled a foul) reacted as though Guido had just scored the equalizing goal. After deliberating with the head referee the goal was called off. Club América players and coaches were enraged at the fact that their equalizing goal had been called off. However, the controversy wasn’t over yet.

The referees met together once more and in a completely bizarre turn of events awarded las Águilas with a penalty. Upon replay review it didn’t appear as though there was any foul to speak of. Guido’s goal should have stood. Instead, it was Jérémy Ménez (who had just come into the match) stripping up to take a penalty to equalize the game. Club América’s new frenchman stepped up and and cannoned the shot into the back of the net to tie the game.

The remaining portion of the match was a cagey affair with neither team really being able to break down the oppositions defense with the exception of one moment in the 77th minute. Oribe Peralta found himself with space inside of the box, but instead of shooting from a tight angle, passed the ball back to a totally unmarked Ménez who fired the ball well over the goal and into the heavens.

With the result, Tigres extended their unbeaten streak against las Águilas to 10 consecutive matches and their home unbeaten streak to 20 consecutive matches.