Here are all the facts you need to know about Toluca before the semifinals against America.
Toluca and America will face each other this Wednesday in the first leg of the Apertura 2022 Tournament semifinals. The 'Choricero' team comes from eliminating Santos in the quarterfinals, and their level in recent games has sparked hope among their fans that they can defeat America, the best team in the regular season.
ESPN invites you to discover everything you need to know about Toluca under 'Nacho' Ambriz, who dreams of winning his second Liga MX title.
Regular Season
The Diablos Rojos finished in sixth place in the general standings with 27 points. The team led by 'Nacho' Ambriz was strong at the Nemesio Diez, losing only one of the nine games they played at home, while as visitors, they won three out of the eight matches they played.
Toluca had an extraordinary first half of the Apertura 2022, winning six out of nine matches. However, in the second half, the team failed to maintain their level and went on a streak of eight consecutive winless games. In terms of goals scored and conceded, the team scored 27 goals and allowed 23.
How was their first match against America?
America and Diablos faced each other in the regular season on July 14th, and the Eagles were the ones to end Toluca's positive streak, which had started the tournament with two consecutive victories. The match took place at the Azteca Stadium, and the blue and yellow team won in the last seconds of the game with an extraordinary shot by Richard Sánchez.
The match against Toluca marked America's first victory in the Apertura 2022.
Key Player for Toluca
Chilean player Jean Meneses has become one of the most important figures for Toluca in the Apertura 2022. The midfielder from Chile joined the club from the State of Mexico last summer, coming from León, and quickly gained the trust of Ambriz, with whom he had previously worked at La Fiera. Meneses, 29 years old, scored seven goals in the regular season and also found the net in the second leg of the quarterfinals against Santos.
Another important player for Toluca is Brazilian Camilo Sanvezzo, who has played a key role in the playoffs and also shone in the repechaje.
Main Strength and Weakness of Toluca
One of Toluca's biggest strengths is their offensive ability. The team led by 'Nacho' Ambriz finished the regular season as the fifth team with the most goals scored (27) in the Apertura, and in the playoffs, they have already scored six goals (only America has scored more goals than the Diablos).
However, one of the main weaknesses of 'Nacho' Ambriz's team is their lack of attention in defensive actions. In fact, Toluca finished the regular season as one of the worst defensive teams, allowing more than 20 goals. It's worth noting that Toluca did not concede any goals in only two matches in the regular season.
Nacho Ambriz's Experience
Ignacio Ambriz is playing his seventh Liga MX playoffs and the coach can boast of being the last Mexican coach to win the Mexican championship, achieving it with León in the Guard1anes 2020, the first tournament of Mexican football during the COVID-19 pandemic.
'Nacho' has positioned himself as one of the most important managers in recent years, and his quality on the bench led him to coach Huesca in the Spanish Second Division in 2021. However, his first solo experience in Europe did not turn out as expected, and he returned to the Liga MX at the beginning of this year. In Mexican football, Ambriz has coached San Luis, Chivas, Querétaro, America, Necaxa, and León. So far, Nacho has reached two finals of the Mexican soccer.