Football
Tom Marshall, Mexico correspondent 8y

Unbeaten Tigres remain cream of Liga MX crop; Chivas momentum building

Club Tijuana remains top of the league and Tigres are in second place after an interesting round eight of matches in the Liga MX's Apertura 2016.

Here's are five storylines from the weekend that you need to know:

1. Pulido debuts as Chivas build on momentum

Chivas needed to prove that the 3-0 victory over Club America before the international break was not a fluke performance and did so with a comfortable 2-0 win against struggling Chiapas in Estadio Chivas on Saturday.

The margin of victory should've been even greater for Chivas after a goal each for Carlos Cisneros and Isaac Brizuela had Guadalajara 2-0 up within 27 minutes. The team went on to record a total of 27 shots (12 of which were on target) in a match Chivas dominated from start to finish.

Even with the makeshift central defensive partnership of Hedgardo Marin and Miguel Basulto -- with Jair Pereira and Carlos Salcido ruled out due to injury -- Chivas looked at ease against a Chiapas team that was put together haphazardly in the offseason and is now anchored to the bottom of the Liga MX table.

New Chivas signing Alan Pulido debuted and though he will need time to adapt after a couple of years without regular minutes, Chivas' strength-in-depth this season is ever-more impressive with his participation.

The likes of Brizuela, Orbelin Pineda and Michael Perez -- who provided a memorable assist -- are finding form and the immediate future at Chivas look as bright as it has been for at least a few years.

2. America's comeback can't hide problems

What else can be said about Club America going 3-0 down to Cruz Azul and then coming back to win 4-3?

It was a Liga MX classic and there were unlikely many more exciting games of soccer this weekend anywhere in the world.

But it was also a match that should set the alarm bells ringing for both clubs. How on earth was Cruz Azul not able to hold on to a 3-0 lead? Yes, Aldo Leao was sent off in the 52nd minute, but the way La Maquina crumbled was spectacular.

Coach Tomas Boy said that the referee had a big impact on the result: "We know America play with 12," he said, in a statement Liga MX will surely punish him for, but then contradicted himself by saying Cruz Azul actually dropped the ball.

"America didn't win, Cruz Azul lost the game," added Boy. "It is incredible that with four crosses into the box they beat us, even with us having three central defenders."

From the Club America point of view, the spirit to come back in the second half cannot be denied, although an analysis of the first half shows that Nacho Ambriz's Las Aguilas were played off the pitch when a reaction was expected following the Super Clasico loss to Chivas.

Less fragile teams than Cruz Azul won't let Club America get away with such a poor 45 minutes.

3. Tigres remain only unbeaten side

Eight matches in and only Tigres are yet to taste defeat this Apertura. Saturday's 2-0 victory against Morelia -- in which French striker Andy Delort came on for his debut -- was very impressive.

Much will be made about the Tigres attack, with Andre-Pierre Gignac, Lucas Zelarayan, Javier Aquino, Ismael Sosa, Jurgen Damm and Damian Alvarez all vying for places, but it is at the other end of the pitch that the side has been most impressive. The team has only conceded three goals all season.

The Hugo Ayala-Juninho partnership is ably shielded by Argentina Guido Pizarro, which makes Tigres a very difficult side to break down, not least because they tend to dominate possession.

4. Good signs for Torrente at Leon

Argentine head coach Javier Torrente started his Leon career in perfect fashion by watching his side defeat Atlas 4-1 on Saturday.

Formerly part of Marcelo Bielsa's coaching staff, Torrente would've been especially pleased that Leon's first two goals came as a result of his team's high pressing leading to mistakes from the opposition.

Leon fans endured a miserable start to the season under Luis Fernando Tena, but the team is good enough to reach the playoffs and the early signs are good for Torrente at a club still longing for the glory days of Gustavo Matosas.

Atlas coach Jose Cruz was given the vote of confidence by the club president after the defeat, with a reaction required next weekend at home to Necaxa.

5. Palencia bests Vucetich

If you were to define the predominant style of play in Liga MX -- and for Mexican football in general -- it would be possession-based, with short intricate passing a priority.

There is an irony, therefore, that two Mexican coaches -- inexperienced Pumas coach Francisco Palencia and the vastly experienced Queretaro manager Victor Manuel Vucetich -- met Sunday in a game pitting the two clubs with the least completed passes in the Apertura.

The long ball percentage and average pass distance point to both Palencia and Vucetich introducing a more direct style than we are accustomed to in the Liga MX this season and it was the former who won out on Sunday.

Two late goals from Pumas painted the 4-1 result in slightly flattering terms, but the Mexico City university team moved up into fourth with the victory and things are coming together nicely for rookie coach Palencia.

The real key for Pumas moving forward is how to replicate this kind of form away from home, while Vucetich and Queretaro have now lost their last three and are without a win in five.

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