Liga MX ETO Power Rankings: Clausura 2022 Round 6
Feb. 21, 2022 – The choice for No. 1 was clear. The rest, not so much.
Puebla are still the Super Lideres after a win over Monterrey Friday night, and – spoiler alert – were the unanimous choice for the top spot in this week’s power rankings. However, the top of the table is bunched up – two points separate the top five teams – and it’s after No. 1 where things get murky. Among the remaining teams in our rankings, two received votes ranging from 2nd to 4th – and one not only got votes ranging from 2nd to 5th, but was left off of one ballot.
While the order below is where we arrived after counting up all the votes, you really could make a strong case for any of these teams. And if you want to do so here, leave us a comment below.
1. Puebla (4-2-0, 14 pts., +7 GD, 1st in Liga MX)
Puebla has been making more and more of an impression on our panel by the week. Two weeks ago, they earned just enough first-place votes to get to the top of our rankings; last week, all but one of our panelists voted them number-one; and now, as mentioned above, it’s unanimous. Their Round 6 showing justified the hype: A one-goal win, with ten men for most of the second half, against a Rayados squad reportedly playing with some additional motivation, and staying undefeated even with the lowest market value in the league. As we’ve noted before, La Franja is off to their best start, record-wise, since Apertura 2004 – a season in which they ultimately failed to qualify for Liguilla. Will they meet the same fate this season? Well, the schedule through March sees them playing two teams in the middle of the table (Chivas & Juarez), then at Cruz Azul, then two teams at the bottom (San Luis & Santos).
2. Pachuca (4-1-1, 13 pts., +6 GD, 2nd in Liga MX)
Checking in on someone who was on our radar at the beginning of this season: After dropping off significantly in Apertura 2021 by scoring only twice, Nicolás Ibáñez has now scored in three straight games, bringing his total to a league-leading 5 goals through six games. He’s well on his way to, if not surpassing, at least matching his Liga MX career high of 10 goals in a season – good for second in the league in Guardianes 2021.
3. Cruz Azul (4-1-1, 13 pts., +6 GD, 3rd in Liga MX)
Bounced back nicely from a blown stoppage-time lead in Round 5 and some front office changes, scoring 4 goals at Toluca for the first time since March of 1995 – including a brace from 20-year-old Santiago Gimenez. They’ve got a home game against last-place Santos in Round 7, which should extend their stay at or near the top of the table…at least until the March slate of games: Tigres, Puebla, Pumas, Pachuca. (Oh, and then Atlas the first weekend of April.)
4. Tigres (4-1-1, 13 pts., +3 GD, 4th in Liga MX)
While not the Super Lideres, Tigres are arguably the hottest team in the league, with the hottest player in the league. They overcame an own goal to win their fourth straight game, with André-Pierre Gignac giving them the lead on a header in the 77th minute, extending his goal streak to four games. Coincidentally, the last time both streaks reached five was during the same season, Guardianes 2020.
5. Atlas (3-3-0, 12 pts., +4 GD, 5th in Liga MX)
You could certainly do worse than a draw against another team in the upper tier of the standings – although in this case, Atlas dropped from 2nd to 5th with Tigres, Pachuca and Cruz Azul all winning. Still, Atlas is one of two remaining unbeaten teams (along with Puebla); Apertura 2021 MVP Camilo Vargas posted his third shutout in six games this season; and Los Rojinegros have a good chance of staying near the top when they face 15th-place Tijuana Friday.
Also receiving votes: Pumas, León.
Dropped from last week’s rankings: Pumas.
Be sure to tune in Thursday at 9pm E.T./6pm E.T. for the latest episode of El Mexican Soccer Podcast, as we get you set for Round 7 of Clausura 2022!
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