Tigres UANL: Top of the table with doubts
After a controversial 2-1 win at home against Queretaro, Tigres secured five straight wins and found themselves at the top of the table after six weeks of the Liga MX Apertura. Five wins do not come with luck.
Instead, they are earned by key performances, especially in the defense. The once debated Tigres backline has only received four goals this season, tied for the fewest amount by any team in the league. Being at the top of the table after one month of play is always a good sign, but with discipline issues and a tough schedule, it might be too early to put Tigres as the title favorite.
Tigres UANL
Last Saturday, Tigres defeated a last-place side, Queretaro. The game saw key performances from Rafael Carioca, who found himself in the starting XI after being put on the bench for multiple weeks. This tactical change proved to be beneficial to Guido Pizarro, the Tigres center back, who played more freely and found himself contesting for each ball in the attacking third.
Another key performance came from Raymundo Fulgencio, who barely saw any playing time in past seasons but has now found himself as a regular in Miguel Herrera’s starting XI. Fulgencio has impressed the manager and the fans but has opened eyes around the league. His ability to take players on 1v1, his passing and his active role when the team is defending have been key contributions to Tigres’ success.
Rafael Carioca
The game was also the second week in a row we have seen Tigres unable to finish the game with their XI on the field. Jordy Caicedo, who scored the match’s second goal, was sent off for a hard tackle in the 71st minute of the game. Miguel Herrera, in a post-match interview, shared that he has had personal conversations with the Ecuadorian international about sliding as a forward in Mexico. He stated that it usually does not go well for forwards when they do so and that he got the prime example that night.
Juan Pablo Vigon was also shown a straight red in the game for his hard tackle on a Queretaro player. Unfortunately, his night was short-lived as he came on as a sub in the 77th minute and was only a factor for seven minutes before the referee sent him off. Whether this be a discipline issue or not, Tigres can not afford to keep having suspensions for following games, especially with a difficult schedule coming in August.
While Tigres has been producing results and getting shutouts, there are still many doubters. Whether it be the fans or the press, many believe July was not a real test for the team, and with a difficult schedule coming this month in August, the real Tigres will be presented.
Los Felinos played six matches in July. They faced Cruz Azul, Mazatlan, Tijuana, Atlas, FC Juarez, and Queretaro. Of these six teams, only two currently reside in the top 10 table positions in the league (Tijuana fourth, Cruz Azul 10th.) Three of these six teams currently hold the last three spots in the table (Atlas, Mazatlan, and Queretaro.) This is where the critics come in. Many believe that Tigres have not been challenged and that their top-of-the-table position does not mean anything. In the post-match interview, Miguel Herrera stated, “these are points we have to win, and they are on the table.”
The month of August will prove to be a challenging test for Tigres as they will face four top-10 teams, including Monterrey, who sit right behind Tigres in second place in El Clasico Regio. Pachuca, Pumas, Santos, and Necaxa will also be on the schedule for Tigres is August. I believe it is too early to call this team a title favorite, especially only after six games.
So many things can happen, but after August, we will see who the real Tigres are and whether they truly need to make changes or roll with the team that got them five straight victories in July.