Hi, I’m Mariel with The18, and this is Hablaliga MX.
The stage is set for the 2018 Clausura Final between Toluca and Santos Laguna, and all eyes will be on dueling strikers Fernando Uribe and Djaniny Tavares.
Uribe accounted for four of the five goals Toluca scored against Tijuana, whereas Djaniny was kept off the scoresheet by America. However, Julio Furch and Jonathan Rodriguez showed that they are truly warriors by coming through in the clutch.
To the Eurocentric soccer fan, the competition format for Liga MX is alien, weird and perhaps even unnatural. The Mexican soccer league has two tournaments (the Apertura and Clausura) per season, each with its own playoffs (la liguilla). Two champions are crowned each season. It’s all a bit confusing to outsiders — and even some Liga MX fans.
Why does Liga MX use the Apertura and Clausura split-season format? Forgive us if this sounds a bit cynical, but as with most things in sports, it’s mostly about money.
It’s go time. The 2018 Clausura championship begins Thursday, May 17, with Santos Laguna hosting Toluca at Estadio Corona in Torreon. That match is slated to begin at 9 p.m. ET on Univision. The return leg in Toluca kicks off at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 20. In the end, we’ll see if Toluca can capture its 11th title — and first since 2010 — or if Santos can draw level with Pachuca and Tigres on six.
Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez has had an interesting career so far and it could indeed come full circle this summer if a mooted move back to Mexico is completed by Chivas Guadalajara this offseason.
But how exactly did we get here? Wasn’t it only a few years ago Chicharito was terrorizing defenses with Wayne Rooney, scoring important goals and winning Premier League titles? He even scored some important goals during a loan stint shortly after for Real Madrid, netting the decider in a Champions League quarterfinal versus Atletico Madrid.
Hi I'm Giselle Cesin with The18 and this is Hablaliga MX.
The Liguilla semifinals are set: the Mexican powerhouse vs. the Clausura's top scorer in one, the quarterfinals' upset special vs. the runaway table-toppers in the other.
Club America have more money than god, but will that be enough to keep Djaniny Tavarez and Santos Laguna's rugged midfield in check? Maybe.
Will Club Tijuana catch lightning in a bottle again vs. a Toluca side that always seems to find a way to win? Possibly.
Yes, it turns out, a Clásico Capitalino in the quarterfinals of the Clausura playoffs is quite lit. A 38-minute brace from Mateus Uribe and controversial penalty converted by Jeremy Menez put Club America up three at Estadio Olimpico Universitario, but a Pumas penalty, converted by Nicolas Castillo, has given life to the underdogs at halftime.
Hi, I’m Giselle Cesin with The18, and this is HablaligaMX.
The Liga MX Clausura playoffs are now set, and the highlight of the quarterfinal round is definitely the "Clasico Capitalino" between Mexico City sides Club America and UNAM. As second-place finishers in the regular season, Las Aguilas will be the favorites against seventh-place Pumas, but the difference between the sides was only five points.
La primera temporada de Landon Donovan en la Liga MX terminó el sábado con el Club León derrotando al Guadalajara 2-0 en un partido entre dos clubes ya eliminados de la contienda de playoffs. Donovan jugó los últimos 15 minutos del partido, lo que le dio un total de solo 112 minutos de la Liga MX en solo seis apariciones en la temporada Clausura.
Hi, I'm Giselle Cesin with The18, and this is Hablaliga MX.
Pour one out for Lobos, who after just two seasons in Mexico's top division are being sent back down.
Lobos just couldn't hack it in Liga MX, which is common among recently-promoted teams in Mexico. Three of the last four teams promoted into the top division have dropped right back down.
Just a few short months ago it looked like Veracruz were certain of relegation, but they managed to save themselves just in time for Liga MX to move to suspend promotion/relegation.
Toronto FC just finished the best Concacaf Champions League run in MLS history. They didn't win, but they came as close to winning the thing as possible. A lot of blame will fall at the feet of Michael Bradley, both because his miss was so bad aesthetically and because of the USMNT's recent failings.