Veracruz suffers a shameful defeat against Tigers

In one of the most embarrassing moments in league history, Brazilian coach Ricardo Ferretti's "Tigers" won with goals from Luis Rodríguez, Frenchman André Pierre Gignac, and Chilean Eduardo Vargas. Veracruz scored a last-minute goal with a strike from Englishman Colin Kazim Richards.

Midweek, the players of the Veracruz team promised not to play, but were obligated by the National Federation in order to avoid relegation. They took the pitch but didn't offer any resistance in the early minutes and conceded goals from Luis Rodríguez (m.3) and Frenchman André Pierre Gignac (m.4) from shots from behind.

In a situation halfway between pain and scandal, the Sharks barely reached the halfway line in the fifth minute, but they remained defeated and in the eighth minute received the third blow, a right-footed shot from the Chilean Eduardo Vargas.

The Veracruz players had agreed with their opponents not to touch the ball for several minutes and were angry with the two goals conceded, which they interpreted as betrayal from the opposition, which led the local players to make rough tackles.

Tigers came close to increasing their lead with a chance for Vargas assisted by Gignac in the 20th minute. Goalkeeper Sebastián Jurado saved the ball in the first outstanding action of the home team.

In the 27th minute, Jesús Dueñas stepped on Argentine Daniel Villalba and was sent off, leaving Tigers with one less player on the field.

The Veracruz substitutes insulted Gignac and Vargas as they passed by the bench, which made the already pitiful spectacle even more lamentable.

In the second half, both teams had opportunities and it was Veracruz who pulled one back in the 90th minute with a goal from Englishman Colin Kazim Richards assisted by Jesús Henestrosa.

At the end, some Veracruz players refused to shake hands with the Tigers' players, an unhappy ending for one of the most controversial matches in the history of Mexican football.

With the result, Tigres UANL jumped to third place with six wins, five draws, two losses, and 23 points, while Veracruz, who reached 40 matches without a win, confirmed their position at the bottom with four draws and nine losses.