Tie favors Toluca
Tigres must win on Saturday if they want to reach the final.
▲ The game was rough at times. The felines were unable to maintain their lead. Photo AFP
From the Editorial Staff
La Jornada Newspaper, Thursday, May 15, 2025, p. a29
Alexis Vega became the crucial player Toluca needed in the Mexican soccer playoffs. The Mexican forward led the Diablos Rojos yesterday in their difficult visit to the UANL University Stadium to salvage a 1-1 draw against Tigres in the first leg of the 2025 Clausura semifinals.
The feline team started the match with an offensive approach, characterized by ball possession and distribution throughout the field.
In the 19th minute, this attacking drive bore fruit, with Argentine striker Nicolás Ibáñez scoring the first goal of the night by finishing off a cross from Ozziel Herrera from the left wing in the six-yard box.
Finding themselves at a disadvantage, the Devils showed off their offensive prowess and created several dangerous plays that threatened Nahuel Guzmán's goal, who made several saves.
Vega was the unbalancing player for Antonio Mohamed's team, dribbling, making passes, and shooting at goal every time he had the ball in his boots.
Before the end of the first half, his efforts paid off and after a counterattack, the former Chivas player made a change of play in the middle of the field to Marcel Ruiz, who assisted with a pumped cross to the Portuguese Paulinho so that with a header he beat Patón Guzmán (45+1).
In the second half, the dynamics of the game remained unchanged, and both teams generated several chances, albeit with less intensity, as temperatures exceeded 30 degrees Celsius.
Near the end, Mexican midfielder Héctor Herrera had a chance to turn the score around, but failed to control the ball near the opponent's goal.
With this result, Toluca needs a draw or a win by any score to advance to the final, while Tigres must win the second leg, which will be played on Saturday at the Nemesio Díez Stadium at 7:00 PM. The other semifinal, between América and Cruz Azul, will be played today at 8:00 PM at the Estadio Olímpico Universitario.
Vianney Carrera
Correspondent
La Jornada Newspaper, Thursday, May 15, 2025, p. a29
Monterrey, NL., One person was injured after a fire broke out at a street vendor located outside the University Stadium.
The incident, before Tigres' game against Toluca, left 54-year-old Benito Pérez Coronado with second-degree burns. Liga MX confirmed the incident on social media.
Nuevo León Civil Protection reported that the person suffered burns to his arms and face, and was transferred to IMSS Hospital 21, located in downtown Monterrey.
Several power outages were also reported at the stadium, but it was not confirmed whether these failures were related to the accident.
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