Pachuca crowned Liga MX champions after beating Toluca

Updated: May 17, 2023, 04:53 am
Pachuca celebrates
Pachuca celebrates
Mauricio Salas/Jam Media/Getty Images

Pachuca secured Liga MX's 2022 Apertura title on Sunday night, defeating Toluca 3-1 and winning 8-2 on aggregate.

Heading in with a 5-1 deficit from the first leg, Toluca first took the lead at Pachuca's packed Estadio Hidalgo. In the 21st minute, right-back Raul "Dedos" Lopez pounced on a headed pass from Carlos Gonzalez and scored from distance to put the Diablos Rojos up 1-0.

Pachuca eventually gained more momentum in the first half, and although Tuzos forward Nicolas Ibanez had a penalty saved by Toluca goalkeeper Tiago Volpi in the 48th minute, midfielder Victor Guzman responded seconds later to level the scoreline at 1-1 and 6-2 on aggregate.

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Shortly after half-time, Pachuca would find the net once again. Through a clever set-piece, midfielder Luis Chavez sent a pass over to a sprinting Ibanez, who then rocketed the ball into the back of the net. Hungry for more and pushed by the home crowd, Los Tuzos continued their pressure in the final third, eventually gaining another penalty in their favor during the second half.

Defender Gustavo Cabral stepped up to the spot in the 75th minute and slotted another shot past Volpi to make it 3-1.

With no injury time added, the Estadio Hidalgo erupted at the 90th minute when the final whistle confirmed Pachuca's championship through the 8-2 aggregate scoreline.

With another Liga MX title in hand, Pachuca now have a total of seven in the league and are tied at sixth (with Pumas and Tigres) in the all-time table for Mexico's top flight. All seven of Los Tuzos' Liga MX trophies have been earned since 1999.

Both Pachuca and Toluca have qualified for the 2024 CONCACAF Champions League, while Pachuca have also automatically earned a spot in the knockout round of next summer's expanded Leagues Cup that will feature all Liga MX and MLS clubs.

Pachuca finished with 70 points across 2022 while Clausura champions Atlas earned 40, meaning Los Tuzos will enter the 2023 Leagues Cup in the knockout round.