Football
Tom Marshall, Mexico correspondent 6y

Uribe fires hat trick as Toluca beats Tijuana to reach Clausura final

Three goals from Colombian forward Fernando Uribe helped Toluca secure a 4-1 victory over 9-man Club Tijuana on Sunday and earn a place in the Liga MX 2018 Clausura final for the top seed following a 5-4 aggregate win.

Toluca went into the second leg 2-1 behind from Thursday's first leg, but dominated against a Tijuana team that saw Luis Mendoza sent off in the 37th and Miller Bolanos follow him in the 61st.

Toluca will most likely face Santos Laguna in the final, with Los Guerreros taking a 4-1 lead into the second leg against Club America in Estadio Azteca later Sunday.

Toluca came out flying and Uribe floated a header over Tijuana keeper Gibran Lajud in the 9th, extending the home team's lead 20 minutes later with a fine finish from inside the penalty area.

Mendoza - who had earned a yellow card earlier in the half for an elbow - made a late challenge on Cristian Borja and was sent off.

Xolos needed two goals in the second half, but the task became harder when Bolanos was shown a straight red card for a late and cynical challenge on Rubens Sambueza.

A Luis Chavez strike in the 66th from a free-kick handed Tijuana a life-line in which game that Toluca had 10 shots on goal.

Uribe completed his hat-trick in the 86th and Pablo Barrientos netted the fourth two minutes later, with Tijuana attempting to push for its second and leaving lots of space at the back.

If Toluca wins the title it would take them within one of Club America and Chivas as Mexico's most successful side. Toluca currently has 10 Liga MX titles.

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