The Tuzos de Pachuca of the Uruguayan coach Guillermo Almada defeated the Tigres UANL 2-1 this Sunday and eliminated him to access the semifinal of the 2022 Apertura of Mexican soccer.
The Mexicans Víctor Guzmán and Javier López converted for the Tuzos and the Argentine Guido Pizarro discounted for the Tigres coach Miguel Herrera, who maintained his low performance at the head of the felines.
Tigres, 1-0 winner of the first leg, went for more at Pachuca’s home; in the 13th minute Sebastián Córdova created danger with a left-footed pass from Frenchman Florian Thauvin, but the home team adjusted.
In minute 19, Kevin Álvarez escaped down the right wing and gave a ball to Ecuadorian Romario Ibarra, who served Víctor Guzmán, who scored with a right leg kick, making it 1-0.
Pachuca closed the spaces and dried up the offensive of the Tigres, who went on the attack at the start of the second half and in minute 64 tied 1-1 with a headed goal by Pizarro.
Almada sent Colombian Marino Hinestroza and Mexican Javier López onto the field in the 67th minute. The strategy worked like clockwork for him because a minute later the South American beat Javier Aquino and put a cross to López, lethal with the left-footed shot to give the Tuzos the pass to the semifinal.
The duel ended with a great fight. In the 82nd minute Kevin Álvarez was sent off and left Pachuca with one man less on the field, and in the 94th minute the visitors were left with 10 men, due to a red card to the Brazilian Samir.
Pachuca will play the semifinal with Rayados de Monterrey, who eliminated Cruz Azul 3-0, while Toluca, winner of Santos Laguna 1-2 this Sunday, will face América.
With practical football and goals from Chilean Jean Meneses and Colombian Andrés Mosquera, Toluca won the series 6-4 and will challenge América, who thrashed Puebla 1-5 this Saturday.
After winning 1-6 on Wednesday at the Puebla stadium, the Águilas won 1-5 on Saturday, with goals from the Uruguayan Brian Rodríguez, the Mexican Henry Martín, the Colombian Roger Martínez, the Spanish Álvaro Fidalgo and the Mexican Miguel Layun.