In the blink of an eye, we have already reached the second half of this opening tournament of the Liga MX 2022 and in each matchday, we have had several surprises that have changed the course of the tournament completely.
The first pleasant surprise is that Toluca is leading the standings, los Diablos Rojos have been able to demonstrate consistency in their level of play since the beginning of the tournament and have overcome every obstacle and every opponent, whether strong or weak, so far in the tournament.
Another surprise, not so pleasant for many, is that Pachuca and Puebla, after a devastating start to the season, where it seemed that they would be the main candidates for the championship title, have lowered their level so much that they now find themselves in the middle of the standings, in danger of not remaining in the top 12 that will advance to the next Liguilla.
Big teams in Mexican soccer such as Atlas, Cruz Azul, and Guadalajara have not been able to find the ideal formula to lead them to victory and, as a result, they are in the basement of the general classification table.
The following is a summary of the most important matches to be played on the 10th day of the Liga MX Apertura Tournament.
Liga MX Matchday 10: Tigres UANL vs. Monterrey
When: Saturday, August 20 at 08:05 pm ET
Moneyline odds: Tigres +285 / Monterrey -102 (Source: MyBookie.ag)
Draw Offs: +255
Where Can I Watch? Fox Sports
This Saturday, August 20, 2022, is the ideal scenario for the Regio classic between Monterrey and Tigres, which corresponds to matchday 10 of the Apertura Tournament.
Monterrey is in an excellent moment for this matchday 10, they are in second place in the table, with a very good record of 6 wins, 2 draws and 1 loss and, most importantly, they are coming into this game with a very good streak of 8 consecutive matches without defeat.
This confirms that Monterrey is very likely to improve on last season, where they were eliminated in the first game of the playoffs.
On the other hand, Tigres UANL has also had a fantastic tournament, they are in third place in the table, with a very good record of 6 wins and 2 losses. They have played one less match, so they have an advantage over their closest rivals.
Everything seems to indicate that Tigres will be one of the 4 direct qualifiers for the quarterfinals of the Playoffs.
Tigres UANL vs. Monterrey Betting Pick: Draw
Liga MX Matchday 10: Atlas vs. Puebla
When: Saturday, August 20 at 08:05 pm ET
Moneyline odds: Atlas -112 / Puebla +320 (Source: MyBookie.ag)
Draw Offs: +255
Where Can I Watch? Fox Sports
An interesting and, above all, entertaining match will be played this weekend when Atlas hosts Puebla at the Jalisco Stadium, specifically this Saturday, August 20 at 8:05 pm ET.
Both teams come into this matchday with many doubts regarding their level of play, given that, before the start of this opening tournament, they were expected to fight for the top of the standings and were clear favorites for the championship title.
Atlas has not had a good opening tournament, they are currently ranked #15 in the table, with a record of 2 wins, 2 ties, and 5 losses. If Atlas wants to defend its two-time championship, it must make a drastic change in its approach to the game.
The good news for Atlas is that Luis Reyes will be back for this match. The left-back was sent off in the match against Chivas and, with his reappearance, they could generate better sensations on the field.
On the other hand, Puebla is in a very similar situation to Atlas, with the difference that they started very well in this opening tournament, but as the matchdays have gone by, their level has dropped a lot.
The most worrying thing for Puebla is that they do not have the necessary effectiveness to beat their rivals, they have accumulated 4 consecutive ties and 6 so far this tournament and, right now, their permanence among the top 12 in the table is in danger.
Atlas vs. Puebla Betting Pick: Draw
Liga MX Matchday 10: Cruz Azul vs. América
When: Saturday, August 20 at 08:05 pm ET
Moneyline odds: Cruz Azul +440 / América -151 (Source: MyBookie.ag)
Draw Offs: +280
Where Can I Watch? ESPN / Fox Sports / TUDN / DAZN
As if that were not enough, in addition to the Clasico Regio that will be on matchday 10, we will have the so-called Clasico Jóven between two of the most successful teams in Mexican and international soccer, Cruz Azul and América. This match will be played at the Azteca Stadium.
This game is one of the most anticipated by Mexican soccer fans since both teams are from Mexico City and are two of the most popular in the country.
Cruz Azul arrives at this match without being able to raise its head, with a very deplorable level of play and with a lot of decadence in different parts of the field. This Wednesday, it lost for the third consecutive time against Tijuana and, this blow sent them to the #16 position in the general classification table.
La Maquina Cementera must improve many aspects of their game if they want to dream of entering the top 12 of the table and thus be able to qualify for the playoffs.
On the other hand, their historical rival, Club America is in a glorious awakening this season. After a very bad start and with many doubts, las Aguílas have managed to find the formula that will lead them to victory and, most importantly, the way these victories have been.
America is one of the most convincing teams at this moment of the opening tournament and is becoming one of the candidates to fight for the championship title.
Cruz Azul vs. América Betting Pick: América
Liga MX Matchday 10: Pachuca vs. León
When: Sunday, August 21 at 08:05 pm ET
Moneyline odds: Pachuca -111 / León +290 (Source: MyBookie.ag)
Draw Offs: +275
Where Can I Watch? ESPN / Fox Sports
The closing match of the 10th round of the Liga MX opening tournament will be between Pachuca and León, this Sunday, August 21, 2022, at the Miguel Hidalgo “Huracán” Stadium.
Two teams that arrive at this round 10 with the firm conviction of obtaining the 3 points that will help them climb positions in the table and thus be able to fight to be in the next playoffs.
Both teams can still fight to be among the 4 best teams in the tournament and get a direct pass to the quarterfinals of the Liguilla, but to do so, they must turn their game around and get as many points as possible.
León had started the season with a very good rhythm, scoring a lot of points in the first few rounds, but in recent weeks they have shown different problems when facing the matches and, as a result, they have dropped many places in the table.
On the other hand, we have Pachuca, a team that, like Puebla, has had a terrible drop in its level of play and, as a result, has lost the possibility of fighting for the top.
Right now, Pachuca is in eighth place in the overall standings, with a record of 3 wins, 3 draws, and 2 losses. The most worrying thing for Pachuca so far in the opening tournament is that they are one of the teams that have managed to score the fewest goals with a total of 7.
Pachuca vs. León Betting Pick: Pachuca
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Eduardo Perozo: Author
Eduardo Perez is a Gambyl sports betting staff writer. He is based in South America and is an expert in all things Football especially when it comes to Ecuardorian and Brazilian league soccer.
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