Tigres top Atlas in match-up of 2023 SCCL teams in Liga MX

MIAMI, Florida – The four teams from Liga MX set to play next month in the 2023 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League Round of 16 – Club Leon, Tigres, Atlas and Pachuca -- were all in action over the weekend in domestic play.

It all started on Friday night in a 0-0 draw for Club Leon at FC Juarez. There were few chances in attack for either side, and then things got even more difficult for Club Leon in the 52’ when Paul Bellon was sent off.

Club Leon’s defense did not waver and managed to keep the FC Juarez attack in check until the final whistle to secure a point and improve to 3W-2D-2L on the season and seventh place in the table.

Saturday saw an all-2023 SCCL meeting between Atlas and Tigres in Guadalajara and it was the visitors from Monterrey who came away with the three points in a 1-0 final.

Atlas came out firing and had a bevy of chances to score in the first half, but came up against a wall in Tigres GK Nahuel Guzman. The same thing could be said for Guzman’s counterpart, Camilo Vargas, as the Atlas shot-stopper made a pair of superb saves to keep things scoreless toward the end of the first half.

But the third time proved to be a charm for Tigres, as Nicolas Ibanez steered a header home in the 45+2’ to deliver a 1-0 lead to Tigres.

Tigres had a golden opportunity to double their advantage to 2-0 in the 72’ via the penalty spot, only to see Vargas guess correctly and save Sebastian Cordova’s penalty kick. In the end though, the Felinos kept the home side at bay the rest of the way to remain unbeaten on the season.

Tigres currently sit second in the Liga MX table with a 5W-3D-0L mark, while Atlas are 14^th at 1W-4D-2L.

The weekend for SCCL teams in Liga MX was capped off by Pachuca, who fell 2-1 at home to Toluca.

Edgar Ivan Lopez handed Toluca an early 1-0 lead in the 11’ that held deep into the second half before Javier Lopez pulled the Tuzos even 1-1 in the 79’ with a stinging left-footed shot from outside the area.

Just when it looked like things would end in a 1-1 draw and a share of the spoils, Toluca’s Camilo Sanvezzo struck in the 90+2’ with a flying header to earn the visitors the victory.

Pachuca are now fourth in the table with a 5W-1D-2L mark.