Apertura MX 2024: Matchday 5 Roundup

Things have been interesting at the start of this Apertura season, as we have not had the results expected when you look back to previous seasons of the Liga MX. However, things continue to become more and more entertaining as we go.

Now that the Apertura MX 2024 matchday 5 has wrapped up, we can break down a little of what is going on at the top, where the teams placed from the first to the 7th spot are all fighting it out to take over and try to jump ahead from the flock.

Cruz Azul is the new leader, as their latest victory helped them draw on points with Monterrey. Notwithstanding, they jumped to the front due to an outstanding goal differential which is going to be pretty hard to follow.

Toluca, Tigres, Atlas, and Tijuana all achieved points, and are on the current leaders’ tracks, and even though Pumas didn’t manage to get a point, they are right behind on this hunt.

Apertura MX Matchday 5 Roundup – Querétaro 0 – 2 Cruz Azul

Martín Anselmi’s Cruz Azul showed that their journey through the Leagues Cup does not seem to have affected their ability to achieve results in Liga MX, and as proof is the 2-0 victory against Gallos de Querétaro, who are still in free-fall after not winning a single match this season.

From minute 3, Cruz Azul showed that it did not want surprises in its return to league activity, and did so with a goal from Faravelli that was disallowed for a handball. That didn’t matter to La Maquina, who, at least in the first 45 minutes, was overwhelming and gave the Gallos no respite. The team could only witness how the ball was passed around them.

Cruz Azul seems to have suffered no consequences after the Leagues Cup and returned to achieve its fourth victory of the tournament and maintain the lead, just a week before facing América in the Clásico Joven.

Apertura MX 2024: Matchday 5 Roundup – Tijuana 2 – 2 Monterrey

The era of Martín Demichelis as coach of Rayados began with a bittersweet taste, and when it seemed that they would take the three points after a good game against Tijuana, in the last play of the game they took the equalizer. Now, they will have to share the leadership of the competition with Cruz Azul, but with one more game on their account.

The Monterrey team with Demichelis was brave,dangerous, and only needed to be more forceful to take home the victory. Either way, as the weeks go by this team should have great performances in the remainder of Apertura 2024.

In the end, the Tijuana team did get the scare and the tie out of Rayados, as Jesús Vega made an outstanding play, getting rid of rivals to give the ball to Zúñiga who ended up pushing the ball into the net to score both teams 1 point.

Apertura MX 2024: Matchday 5 Roundup – Tigres 1 – 1 Chivas

The best actions of the first half at the Universitario Stadium occurred near halftime when Ozziel Herrera was knocked down in the area by Érick Gutiérrez, and the referee did not hesitate to award the penalty.

André-Perre Gignac stepped up from 11 steps to increase his streak as the Flock’s executioner, but “Tala” Rangel guessed the trajectory of the shot, which lacked power and placement.

For the second half, Chivas did not take long to open the scoring, because in just two minutes “Piojo” Alvarado took advantage of Tigres’ weak marking in the area and crossed his shot with his left foot to make it 0-1 on the night.

The University team would find the tie eight minutes later with the redemption of Gignac since the Frenchman first hit a cross coming from Jesús Angulo in the heart of the area for the final 1-1 result.

Apertura MX 2024: Matchday 5 Roundup – América 0 – 1 Puebla

The two-time Liga MX champion doesn’t seem to be having a good time, América simply isn’t working.

In addition to this new defeat, now against Puebla 1-0, another huge hit should be added to the list. Just after being replaced by Ramón Juárez in the second half, Sebastián Cáceres left the stadium directly to a hospital for a possible neck & back injury.

Like déjà vu in its elimination from the Leagues Cup, América fell in a match that it dominated from end to end, where it was unable to open up the Puebla defense or realize the few dangerous opportunities it generated.