Tigres – Rayados: a passionate classic
In one of the most passionate Clásicos of Mexican soccer, as is Tigres - Rayados, a double failure cannot be allowed, which Monterrey committed today and it cost them the elimination in the Quarterfinals with a double by Frenchman André Pierre Gignac. 0-2 in the second leg and a resounding 6-1 overall, which keeps the champion in the fight to defend the title.
There were few daredevils who believed in a possible comeback for the albiazul club, which has enough firepower and was not prevented from dreaming of the feat.
In fact, only nine minutes passed for the first warning from the locals, when Cardona headed a good cross from Funes Mori that grazed the outside of Nahuel's net.
The wings became the ally of the team directed by Mohamed, it was clear that they were looking for some breakthrough to cross into the box or look for a vulnerable diagonal for the feline defense.
At 17 minutes, this was evidenced by a great collective play between Castillo and the Colombian Cardona, a wall that ended with Edwin's breakthrough, who was anxious too soon and ended up sending a center without any danger.
What is a Clásico Regio without the flavor that the players put into it from the field, that's what happened in the play where Rogelio Funes Mori fired up the enthusiasm of the team led by 'Tuca', recklessly sliding into Nahuel's right foot; a yellow avalanche of players on referee Fernando Hernández, which resulted in a booking for the Argentinean from Rayados and Jesús Dueñas from Tigres, who pushed him from behind.
Ferretti felt that his team was being attacked more than expected at the start of the game, so he did not hesitate to take Lucas Zelarayán off the field just 26 minutes into the game, replacing him with defender Francisco Meza. To secure the score.
Rayados did enough to go into halftime with a goal that would give them the boost to come out with more momentum in the second half, as evidenced by the cannon shot that Dorlan Pabón hit against the post, a capricious ball that passed close to the goal line but did not want to go in.
Among the few, but sufficient offensive plays that Tigres displayed, a breakthrough from Luis Rodríguez stood out, who entered by the right side of González's area and had the opportunity to serve Gignac, who entered open at the second post; the former Chiapas player chose to shoot at goal without success.
Anyone who had seen the first 20 minutes of the game would not have doubted that Mohamed's men would take the lead into halftime, but anyone who knows Gignac knows that he can eliminate a team at any moment.
The Frenchman had a free kick in the 48th minute, the time for composure also counts for him to unleash the magic he has in his right foot, and so he did, with a powerful shot that opened enough to settle in the right angle of the Rayados' goal, making Hugo González's elegant save impossible.
From then on, the proceedings were all in favor of the champion, who only had to go out in the second half to stifle the opponent and drown their attempts with the interventions of an accurate Nahuel Guzmán.
The party was already complete for the San Nicolás team, because after the rout in the first leg, a victory, even by the minimum, at the home of their eternal rival, feels glorious, especially if it is to eliminate them from the playoffs and settle old scores.
But Gignac's hunger is insatiable, as he demonstrated in the 69th minute, when he took advantage of a slip by young Montes to head straight towards Hugo González and deftly finish with a pass into the net.
There was no lack of effort in Monterrey, who even had their only play in which they could put the ball in the Argentinean goalkeeper's goal invalidated. By then, the cry of goal sounded incomplete, as a large part of the fans had already left the stadium.
Tigres made it to the playoffs with their last effort, but it is an instance that suits them well and where they have already overcome the first -and possibly only- major obstacle they encountered in their quest for the title defense.