By DANIEL PRICE
After a slow start to 2014, last week saw 23 goals scored across the Liga MX. Fans will be hoping Round 9 proves to be just as entertaining.
The highlight of the weekend comes on Saturday evening, as second-place Toluca travel to Mexico City to face league leaders Cruz Azul. The game could go one of two ways – the sides are currently the top two scorers in the division, having netted a combined 30 goals in just eight games, yet also boast the country’s two meanest defenses, conceding just seven goals between them.
Elsewhere, a fortuitous piece of symmetry also sees the third- and fourth-place teams face each other this weekend as Pumas UNAM host Pachuca. Pumas recent form has seen them collect 13 of 15 possible points, though Martin Bravo has failed to score in either of the last two games. Conversely, Pachuca’s early season form has faded, as they’ve lost two of their last four. The losses came via 1-0 home defeats to Atlas and Atlante, two teams battling to avoid relegation.
Lower down the table, Tigres UANL will attempt to follow up last weekend’s win with their second victory of the season when they visit inconsistent Chivas de Guadalajara. The league is so tight that only four points separate fourth and fourteenth place, meaning a win for either side would go a long way to helping their push for a place in the Liguilla.
Here’s a full rundown of this weekend’s Liga MX schedule, complete with TV listings:
FRIDAY
8:30pm – Morelia vs. Atlante – Azteca America/ESPN Deportes
10:30pm – Santos Laguna vs. Atlas – Univision Deportes
SATURDAY
6pm – Cruz Azul vs. Toluca – Univision
6pm – Veracruz vs. Club Tijuana – Univision Deportes
8pm – Monterrey vs. Club America – Univision Deportes
10pm – Chiapas vs. Club Leon – Univision Deportes
SUNDAY
1pm – Puebla vs. Queretaro – Azteca America/ESPN Deportes
1pm – Pumas UNAM vs. Pachuca – Univision Deportes/Univision
6pm – Chivas de Guadalajara vs. Tigres UANL – Univision Deportes/UniMás
+1 On this coverage SBI.
This Cruz Azul vs Toluca match will be a small taste of the CCL final, both teams are playing really good football
What happened to ESPN showing some Liga MX games in English? Am I mistaken or were they doing that some last year?
No you were not mistaken, those were boss. I hope they do it again
If you have access to the “El Rey Network” channel you can see Pumas home matches with English pbp