Effectiveness and Consistency Have Leon FC on the Verge of Another Historic Run
Leon is currently on an impressive 11-game unbeaten streak, rolling through Liga MX since an early-season loss to Cruz Azul. La Fiera is no stranger to this, having gone through a 12-game winning streak in the 2019 Clausura that got them all the way to the Final, where they, unfortunately, lost to Tigres. Here is why Los Panzas Verdes are the team to beat in this year’s Liga MX Guard1anes 2020 tournament.
@ClubLeonEN on Twitter gave El Tri Online their perspective on the current team’s success, “The 2019 team had the highest effectiveness in our team’s history (liguilla era) at 80.39% – this season we are set to beat that number if we maintain this pace. The team is confident and believes in the coach’s ideas.” Leon currently boasts an effectiveness rate of 80% and with their remaining games being against lowly Puebla, Santos, and Toluca they may top themselves.
In this current run, Los Esmeraldas have five clean sheets and has only allowed 8 goals in 11 games or .7 goals per game. Leon’s stingy defense is led by their two defensive pillars, Tesillo and Barreiro. Tesillo is averaging 68% of his tackles won with 10 blocked shots and 21 interceptions this campaign. Barreiro has won 77% of his tackles, 52% of his duels and boasts 11 interceptions and seven blocked shots. If the ball does get past the defensive line, they are met with a resurgent Cota, who has Leon’s five clean sheets and is averaging 3.2 saves a game.
Along with this @ClubLeonEN gives an honorable mention to Yairo Moreno. “He began playing left-back for us in 2019 and has grown to become one of the most important pieces in our squad. I would argue that he is now the best left-back in the league with the most promising future (25 years old). He’s a natural left-winger that was used as a left-back by Nacho Ambriz in 2019 and has worked perfectly.”
Los Panza’s Verdes have been real road warriors this season taking 14 of 21 possible away points, with a road record of four wins, two draws, and only one loss. Leon has scored 8 goals and only conceded two in those games. They have also made a fortress out of Camp Nou and now the Estadio Victoria, only letting two points get away, winning six of their seven home games and drawing once with a plus-seven goal differential.
A great deal of Leon’s success has to be attributed to Coach Ignacio Ambriz and Sporting Director Rodrigo Fernandez for building a team that has been among the most consistent the past two years, and they will both be hoping this is the year their project results in a championship.
The team from Guanajuato is positioning itself as the team to beat this tournament with a great home record, the league’s stingiest defense, a style of play that can win at any stadium, and an array of players that can score or assist. Watch out for La Fiera this postseason.
