LIGA MX
América vs Tigres: previous meetings in the Liga MX final
This will be the third time that the two clubs have met in the final in the Liga MX since the short tournament format was established.
The Liga MX Apertura 2023 will be defined next week when América and Tigres contest the ultimate prize in Mexican soccer. The two clubs have met in the final on two previous occasions since the short tournament format was introduced, and the balance couldn’t be closer - one championship title each.
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Apertura 2014
The first time that América and Tigres crossed paths in the final was during the Apertura 2014 tournament. The Águilas, who had finished the regular season as leaders, eliminated Pumas and Chivas on their way to the final while Tigres edged past Pachuca and Toluca - drawing both of their ties but qualifying on each occasion for having finished in higher position during the regular phase (joint second)
The first leg was played in San Nicolás de los Garza on 11 December 2014. Ecuadorian winger Joffre Guerrón scored the only goal of the game, rising to head in a Damián Álvarez centre on 63 minutes to give Tigres a slim advantage going into the deciding leg three days later. The Águilas proved too strong in the return, turning the tables at the own stadium with Michael Arroyo, Pablo Aguilar and Oribe Peralta finding the target. The Coapa-based club won 3-1 on aggregate to lift their 12th Liga MX championship title.
Apertura 2016
Two years later, América and Tigres met again in what turned out to be a tense tactical battle between the two coaches Ricardo Ferretti and Ricardo Antonio Lavolpe. Both teams advanced via the Liguilla - Tigres had ended the regular phase in third and breezed past Pumas and Leon on their way to the final. The Águilas finished fifth and comfortable won both of their ties, beating Chivas 2-1 in the quarter final and Necaxa 3-1 in the semis.
The final could not have been closer. Both legs ended 1-1. Bruno Valdés and André-Pierre Gignac were the scorers in the first leg at the Azteca while the return leg went to extra-time. Jesús Dueñas cancelled out Edson Álvarez’s opener as it ended level after 120 minutes and was decided from the penalty spot. In the shootout, América missed all of their first three attempts while Tigres converted theirs (Gignac, Juninho and Pizarro) to clinch the club’s fifth title.
This season’s results
In the regular tournament of the current Apertura 2023, both teams played out a 0-0 draw at the Volcán on 11 November.