It’s one of the most heated rivalry matches in Mexico and in recent years it regularly pits two of the richest clubs and the most star-studded squads in Liga MX: the Monterrey derby between Rayados and Tigres UANL. It’s so big that they count the number of matchups. Sunday’s will be No. 126.
These two clubs are among the contenders for the league title every season and the 2021 Apertura season is no different. Both sides are in a strong position to make the playoffs at the halfway point of the 17-game campaign. Tigres is fifth (3-1-4, 13pts) and Monterrey is ninth (2-1-5, 11pts), but they’re only separated by two points. With a victory on Sunday, Monterrey can overtake their rivals in the standings.
These two teams are also among the most competitive in the region: Monterrey this week advanced to the CONCACAF Champions League final, where Rayados will face Club America. Tigres recently advanced to the final of the FIFA Club World Cup, losing in the final against German giant Bayern Munich.
MORE: Updated Liga MX match schedule, TV & streaming
The match will see the showdown of two of the most prolific strikers in the league — the Mexican national team’s Argentine-born forward Rogelio Funes Mori and Tigres UANL forward Andre-Pierre Gignac — and two of the most legendary coaches in Miguel Herrera (Tigres UANL) and Javier Aguirre (Monterrey).
Monterrey will have the home-field advantage this season with the match being played at the BBVA Stadium, which was opened in 2015. Not to be outdone, Tigres is also planning a new stadium of their own.
MORE: Liga MX results & standings
Monterrey vs. Tigres live score
| 1H | 2H | Final | |
| Monterrey | 1 | — | — |
| Tigres UANL | 0 | — | — |
Goals:
MON – Arturo “Ponchito” Gonzalez (Maxi Meza) – 14th min.
(All times Eastern)
Halftime: Rayados 1, Tigres 0
Halftime: Skirmish erupts between the teams after the halftime whistle. That last disallowed goal seems to have ignited the nerves. We’ll see if there are any cards handed out.
49th min.: Monterrey scores! Maxi Meza strips the ball from Luis Quinones and then launches the counter and serves Funes Mori who scores. But the goal is scratched after the refs judge Meza to have fouled Quinones. It’s the right call by the VAR.
47th min.: Gignac blast from distance and it’s saved off the bar by Monterrey’s Andrada! Then on the following play Thauvin with a flying volley cross, but he fails to connect with a teammate.
45th min.: Four minutes of stoppage time.
44th min.: Javier Aquino fires a right-footed shot from distance that goes over the bar. Good idea from the Tigres left (wing)back.
34th min.: Monterrey wins a ball in the Tigres half and takes it right down their throat. Duvan Vergara fires a shot that deflects off Tigres defender Pizarro and forces a save from Nahuel Guzman. Tigres might be strong in attack, but they’re porous in the back.
32nd min.: Another dangerous cross from Monterrey’s Maxi Meza on the right and Charly Rodriguez can’t direct his header on goal. Monterrey continue to be dangerous in transition and the home team is exposing the holes in the Tigres 5-man back line.
28th min.: Play resumes and Tigres are back at it.
26th min.: Hydration break ordered by the referee.
24th min.: Thauvin hits the right post! But the play is dead after Thauvin was ruled offside. Tigres has been the most dangerous team, but Monterrey has been the most efficient.
23rd min.: Thauvin finds Gignac in the box, but his shot is deflected for a corner and nothing comes of it.
20th min.: Quinones lets fly from outside the box and Monterrey ‘keeper Andrada needs two tries to bring the ball under control.
18th min.: Monterrey chance! Long ball over the top of the Tigres back line and Funes Mori controls, Pizarro blocks his first attempt and then Funes Mori gets another shot off that hits the side netting.
14th min.: Goal Monterrey! Rayados are lethal in transition and proved it there. Cesar Montes fed Maxi Meza down the right flank and he sent a perfectly weighted ball to an onrushing Ponchito Gonzalez, who heads it home.
12th min.: Thauvin tries to surprised Monterrey ‘keeper Esteban Andrada, but he reads it well and snags the ball. Thauvin is eager early.
12th min.: It’s been all Tigres early on. Monterrey finally have its first corner kick, but it’s right at Tigres ‘keeper Nauel Guzman.
8th min.: Tigres forward Luis Quinones is active early on, chasing and challenging for balls. He also gets a talking to from the ref after a clash with Charly Rodriguez.
3rd min.: Tigres score! But Florian Thauvin, who ran onto the pass from the right flank, is offside and the replays prove it.
1st min.: We’re off. Elaborate tifo from the home fans for this one:
7:47 p.m.: Tigres have won the last four matchups and they have a slightly better record, but they’re not the favorites tonight:
Monterrey vs Tigres UANL: Starting lineups
Javier Aguirre will be fielding the same team that starred in midweek against Cruz Azul in the CONCACAF Champions League semifinal:
Monterrey starting lineup (4-3-4, left to right): 31-Esteban Andrada-GK — 17-Jesus Gallardo, 20-Sebastian Vegas, 3-Cesar “Cachorro” Montes, 33-Stefan Medina — 21-Arturo “Ponchito” Gonzalez, 16-Celso Ortiz, 29-Carlos “Charly” Rodriguez — 13-Duvan Vergara, 7-Rogelio Funes Mori, 11-Maxi Meza
Tigres manager Miguel Herrera has his big names in the starting lineup, led by Frenchmen Andre-Pierre Gignac and Florian Thauvin.
Tigres starting lineup (5-2-3, right to left): 1-Nahuel Guzman-GK — 20-Javier Aquino, 3-Carlos Salcedo, 19-Guido Pizarro, 13-Diego Reyes, 28-Luis “Chaka” Rodriguez — 5-Rafael Carioca, 6-Juan Vigon — 23-Luis Quinones, 10-Andre-Pierre Gignac, 26-Florian Thavin
How to watch Monterrey vs. Tigres
- Date: Sunday, Sept. 19
- Time: 8 p.m. ET
- TV channel: FS2
- Spanish-language TV: Fox Deportes
- Live stream: fuboTV
The match will be broadcast on FS2 (English) and Fox Deportes (Spanish), both of which can be streamed on fuboTV (free 7-day trial) .
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