Tigres climb into Liguilla zone after home win against Chivas

Tigres got a very important result with a home win against Chivas by a 2-1 score. Tigres started well however later got outplayed in the second half, but a great performance from Andre-Pierre Gignac was enough for them to get a victory. The win propels them all the way to third place, and with a ticket to the Liguilla should they hold on. Chivas meanwhile sits just in the repechaje zone, but might possibly lose the position depending on various midweek results. Tigres will close out with a home game against FC Juarez, while Chivas travels again, this time to another repechaje zone team in Mazatlan.

The first half started with Tigres hoping to return to their winning ways, while Chivas needed the result to try to get to the Liguilla. Chivas had the first opportunity when they got a ball in the area, but two Chivas attackers crashed into it wasting the opportunity. Then off of a free kick, Andre-Pierre Gignac took an incredible shot and it went past Chivas’ goalkeeper Raul Gudiño for the 1-0 lead from the great goal. Chivas immediately almost answered off of a corner kick when a header by Antonio Briseño was cleared off the line. Chivas could have had another when a pass into the area found Isaac Brizuela, but Luis Rodriguez made a great slide tackle to clear the ball off of his feet. After a run by Nicolas Lopez, it looked like Chivas defender Sergio Flores injured himself and had to receive medial attention. Flores had to be subbed off for Fernando Beltran. Chivas wasted an opportunity when Jesus Ricardo Angulo got into the area, but his shot went well wide. Tigres then wasted a great opportunity when a cross into the area found Gignac, but his shot went well wide. Tigres got another chance when a cross in the area found Juan Pablo Vigon and he headed it to Lopez, but his shot was blocked by a Chivas defender. The halftime whistle blew and although Chivas had tried to answer, Tigres had a deserved lead.

The second half started with Chivas trying to get the tying goal, while Tigres hoped to build on their lead. After a couple of even minutes, it looked like Chivas had gotten the tying when Cesar Huerta got a cross into the area that Jesus Molina headed in. Unfortunately for them, replays showed he was offside and after going to the VAR, it was ruled to be offside and the score remained unchanged. Tigres then subbed out Rafael Carioca for Jesus Dueñas. Carioca didn’t like the substitution and according to reports, left directly for the locker room. Huerta once again hit a cross that Molina got to and volleyed, but his shot was blocked by a Tigres defender. Tigres then subbed out Nicolas Lopez for Leonardo Fernandez. After a great cross from Luis Rodriguez, Gignac jumped and got a great header that forced Guidño to make an incredible save in Tigres best chance of the second half. Chivas subbed out Alejandro Mayorga and Carlos Cisneros for Cristian Calderon and Uriel Antuna. Later Tigres subbed out Luis Quiñones and Juan Pablo Vigon for Carlos Gonzalez and David Ayala. A free kick cross from Chivas was able to find a wide open Antuna, who from close range sent his shot into the post in a close but bad miss for the attacker. Chivas then paid dearly for that miss a minute later when after a great run from Dueñas, he got to the area and made a pass to a wide open Andre-Pierre Gignac, who got a low right footed shot past Gudiño for the 2-0 lead. Brizuela left the French attacker wide open and the goal seemed to have killed off the match for Tigres. Chivas made their last moves by subbing out Jesus Molina and Cesar Huerta for Angel Zaldivar and Ronaldo Cisneros. Jesus Ricardo Angulo then made an incredible pass that found Uriel Antuna I’m the box, and this time he got a right footed shot past Tigres’ goalkeeper Nahuel Guzman to bring Chivas within one late. Tigres responded with a good cross into the area that Carlos Salcedo volleyed, but failed to get a shot on goal in a play where he should’ve done better. Chivas tried in the final minutes but it wasn’t enough, and Tigres got a very important victory.

Tigres gets a solid victory that places them in a prime position to book their ticket to the Liguilla. Although Chivas has been struggling and their level wasn’t very convincing, Tigres was still able to get the victory bouncing back from their loss against Club America last Saturday. Tigres will now hope to clinch their spot at home against FC Juarez where they will have a very special match as it has the return of ex-coach, legendary Ricardo Ferretti, to El Volcan a season after leaving the Tigres’ job. Chivas’ situation meanwhile suffered a big setback as they sit at 12th, the final position but they could be overtaken on Sunday or midweek as Pachuca, San Luis, and Pumas all play make up matches while Chivas will only have one match. To make matters worse, it’s an away match and it’s against Mazatlan FC, another team right in the middle of the repechaje competition. They will need to come out swinging as they play their first “final” of the season, where a positive result might still not be enough.