Monterrey Defeats Tigres in the First Leg of the Quarterfinals

Rayados advances in the Quarterfinal series after beating Tigres in a vibrant match played at the University Stadium. The Monterrey squad took a valuable advantage by winning 2-1 as a visitor, leaving the cats in the difficult position of needing a two-goal victory in the second leg if they wish to advance in the Liguilla.

The match was marked by moments of intensity and controversy, especially around a controversial situation inside the area involving Samir Caetano, whose hand was not signalled by referee Marco Antonio Ortiz, despite the VAR reviews. This incident sparked debate and added an element of tension to the confrontation between the two rival teams.

Monterrey Defeats Tigres in the First Leg of the Quarterfinals.

From the beginning, Rayados showed determination and surprised Tigres by taking the lead on the scoreboard. It was in the 28th minute when Jorge Rodríguez served a filtered pass to Sergio Canales, who with a cross shot beat goalkeeper Carlos Rodríguez and put his team in the lead. However, Tigres’ response was immediate and, just three minutes later, Diego Laínez took advantage of his speed to leave the rival defense behind and, with a powerful shot from the edge of the area, provisionally equalized the score.

Also Read: Schalke Rescue as Holstein Motivation

In the second half, Rayados continued to show their danger in attack and managed to take the lead once again early. In the 48th minute, Brandon Vázquez overflowed the wing and sent a low cross into the area, which found Canales. Although his shot hit a post, the rebound was taken advantage of by Maxi Meza to send the ball to the back of the net, thus putting his team ahead again.

With this result, Rayados is positioned as a favorite to advance to the Liguilla Semifinals, while Tigres faces a considerable challenge in the second leg, where it will need an outstanding performance if it wants to reverse the score and continue in the title race.