I've been following Mexico's premier professional soccer league, commonly known as Liga MX, for two years now. That means four actual "seasons", for each year is divided into two parts: fall's Apertura mini-season and winter/spring's Clausura...each one has its own league championship series. Out of Liga MX's 18 teams, 8 make the championship tournament, known as "Liguilla". The paired-up teams play each round with two matches, one at home and one on their opponent's field, with the team accumulating the most aggregate two-game goals advancing (there is a tie-breaker system, too). Tonight the 2016 Clausura season will come to an end with the closing game of the championship round between the Liguilla's two surviving teams: Pachuca and Monterrey...
In last week's first game between the two, Pachuca won at home 1-0 against Monterrey. Tonight the Rayados, who had the best league record during the regular season, will be the hosts. I watched the Apertura finale back in December between UNAM Pumas and UANL Tigres...it was a heart-stopping match! I can't wait to see what happens tonight. Regardless who wins, it will mark the fourth different team to win the title in each of the seasons from the last couple of years (I've previously witnessed Club America, Santos Laguno, and Tigres walk away with the Liguilla championship). In other words, I've never seen a league in any sport that is so distinguished by the parity between the teams that comprise it as Liga MX. The game starts around 9:30 pm Eastern Time and is being shown on the Univision and UnivisionDeportes channels in Spanish. Unilike the previous finale, which had me pulling for Tigres, I'm not taking sides this time around...I just want to enjoy the high caliber of play. I hope it's a close match!