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Liguilla Preview: Sunday
The first half of Saturday’s quarterfinal series are in the past and after days of speculation during the week, the decisive encounter has approached which will determine who continues to the next stage in the finals of the Torneo Apertura 2008. Both Tecos and Cruz Azul need to get on the scoreboard to have any chance of advancing in the postseason.
Nov 29, 2008 11:56:14 AM
Second Leg
Sunday, 30 of November
12:00 Toluca - Tecos
17:00 Pumas - Cruz Azul
Cruz Azul - Pumas
(Aggregate Score 0-0)
The first leg saw Cruz Azul attack time and again with no results. Pumas looked rather disorganized at times and that will have to change if they expect to advance to the next round.
Cruz Azul
The Cementeros will definitely have to take risks to reap benefits in this match. The away goal does not apply, instead whoever finished higher in the general table will advance in the event of a tie. Meaning any sort of tie will put the felines in the semifinal.
In the first leg, the blues always looked more dangerous on the pitch clearly outshooting their opponent. It was quite clear that manager Benjamín Galindo knew he had to score to move on to the next round.
The need for the Cementeros to push the envelope up front could leave them extremely vulnerable at the back.
They are adequately prepared for transition into the counterattack, while shielding themselves from a Pumas counterattack with the use of the two experienced defensive midfielders in Captain, Gerardo Torrado, and Paraguayan national, Cristian Riveros. It will be up to these men to set the tone for La Máquina.
There has been a title drought in "La Noria" since the winter of '97, so the fans are aching to put another blue cross on that trophy.
Pumas
Ricardo Ferretti will have the felines playing a more conservative game at home, to preserve the score as the clock runs out and ensure his squad a ticket to the next round.
'El Tuca' Ferreti has the upper hand on relative new manager Galindo as he has been managing in the top flight since 1996. Ferretti will look to the supreme record he owns with Pumas in the postseason at home in Ciudad Universitaria.
The felines may still yet have a sour taste in their mouth from the defeat they suffered in the final at the hands of Atlante in the final of the Torneo Apertura 2007 final.
The Match
Cruz Azul is faced with the problem of being forced to score, and judging by their strikers' inability to capitalize in the first leg, they have an uphill battle at C.U.
Pumas want to return to the final this season and erase recent memories of being unable to win the big one since Hugo Sánchez left the club. They will be looking to midfielder Leandro Augusto for leadership and experience to see this game through.
U.A.G. Tecos - Toluca
(Aggregate Score 0-0)
Tecos manager, Miguel Herrera, fully acknowledged that his squad did not play up to expectations in the first leg. However, he is confident that Tecos will come out on top. Tecos played a very offensive game while maintaining order in the back and middle lines, but the woeful finishing up front was made very obvious.
Toluca were very much on their heels for 90 minutes, it was only at the hands of veteran goalkeeper, Hernán Cristante that the clean sheet was maintained giving the Choriceros hope of qualifying for the semis.
Tecos
Since the manager made it clear that the squad did not play up to par, expect a few adjustments. Perhaps in the lineup itself, or in the tactical formation on the pitch.
They have the difficult task of having to beat Toluca at home and will need more firepower than they displayed in Zapopan a few days ago.
Failure to build an adequate cushion at home puts the Tecolotes under pressure to perform in hostile territory. They will have to put the Red Devils backline to the sword if they expect to continue in this tournament.
Toluca
Cristante frustrated the Tecos frontline all night in the first leg and if he puts on a similar display, we should be seeing Toluca through on Sunday.
The negative side to that is that Tecos were clearly the more offensive team in the previous encounter and produced at least eight quality shots on goal. While it says a lot for Cristante, it does not bode well for the Toluca defense.
Toluca will have to play a more organized match if they expect to move on from here. They cannot afford to sit back and hope that the Tecos offense is as off as they were in the first leg. Their best strategy would be to put one in early and absorb the counterattacks the owls will send their way.
Any sort of tie will put the Red Devils through, due to their better regular season record.
The Match
Tecos will have to refine their finishing up top and put at least one on the scoreboard if they have hopes of staying alive in the postseason.
Toluca can either sit back and rely on their backline and Cristante to put them through, or take the full advantage they posses at the Estadio Nemesio Diez, "La Bombonera," and test the opposing defense.
-- José E Morales, Goal.com
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