Tigres will meet America in their third final

This weekend America and Tigres finished the job and will face each other for the third time in history. Each team has won a final each with Antonio Mohamed leading America team in the Apertura 2014 and Tuca Ferreti doing the same for Tigres on Christmas day in the Apertura 2016 final.

Unlike the America series, Tigres had a much more seasoned rival in front, boasting some players such as Cesar Huerta and the Uruguayan Gabriel ‘Toro’ Fernandez that positioned themselves as some of the tournament’s best players, while also having perhaps the best keeper of the season, Julio Gonzalez.

Pumas in fact began attacking Tigres from the beginning of the game, as the defending champions struggled to settle in their own field. Pumas fans began to dream when a penalty was called after Chino’ Huerta cut through the left and sent his cross to Javier Aquino’s hand. Huerta himself took the penalty, and despite the strength and good direction put into the shot, Nahuel Guzman once again showed why he is a living legend at Tigres and stopped the ball.

A few moments later however the visitors scored the first goal when Pablo Bennevendo crossed from the right and found Toro’s head in the small box. An impressive header by the Uruguayan was the first goal for Pumas. The Mexico City team began to dream as only one goal separated them from the final.

Tigres however began playing better and, guided by Sebastian Córdova’s educated touch, began to get closer and closer in their attempts to pierce Pumas’ net. It was the former America attacker who began a beautiful play in the midfield and took a shot, the rebound found Juan Vigon, who took an impressive shot from outside the box that made the Volcán Stadium explode.

The remainder of the game saw Tigres getting closer to a second goal, and an offensive Pumas that despite never renouncing to attack, couldn’t decipher Tigres’ defense. Added to this, Bennevendo fouled Diego Lainez unnecessarily thus turning a hard mission into an impossible one for Pumas when he got red carded. Just as in the first game at home, pumas sabotaged themselves with a foolish red card.

Tigres managed the advantage until the final whistle and with that left behind a Pumas team that had an impressive tournament. With that Robert Dante Siboldi’s team will look to get their second tournament in a row, but in front they will have the tournament’s leader America. A great final awaits.