A banquet: America no rush, Leon no letup
MEXICO CITY -- 2-0. A scoreline that the unforgettable Fernando Marcos damned by calling it: "The most deceptive scoreline of all."
It could turn out to be America´s epitaph and Leon´s badge of triumph. Or it could be, if Don Fernando was right: the genesis of America´s comeback and Leon´s mirage.
And any of these combinations could easily happen.
Luckily, the end result will depend on an untouchable precept: good soccer, of the positive type that both teams deploy, and using different methods.
There will be unpredictable additions to the substantial contribution of good soccer provided by both teams. These include:
1. A moment of decisiveness or weakness from some player.
It could happen that Luis Montes adds to his dynamism the lethal finishing ability that he lacked in two plays that were right up his alley.
Or it could be that Luis Gabriel Rey decides, at last, to stop being a part of the furniture and rather more of an obstacle than a contributor for the Aguilas.
2. The focus on the referee, already cruelly assigned to play a major role.
Miguel Herrera has taken a dangerous step. "I hope that in Azteca Stadium we get [a referee] as timid and cowardly as this one (Cesar Ramos), that he gets cold feet and that the fans get on top of him."
Herrera confronted Decio De María at the end of the game in Leon and reproached him for Ramos´ errors. It is true that Ramos did make mistakes, but almost in a King Solomon-like manner. In other words, his errors were evenly distributed.
And it can happen, because it has happened before, that the appointed referee, unexpectedly and to heal the wounds of suspicious, ends up going to the extreme of being very strict with America, so that no one accuses him of being their puppet and the puppet of the America fans in the Oval Office of Chapultepec 18.
3.The Azteca Stadium itself. Even though it has a field with the same dimensions as the Leon Stadium (105 x 68), at the end of the day the only real variable will be the ability of America to make the venue wield its curse.
Even the most experienced coaches can neither explain nor fight nor evict the fear factor of being a visiting team, something that seems, evidently, to be a more hormonal than neuronal reaction: we fear what we think exists.
America, during the regular season, was unplayable on its own field. They finished unbeaten. They scored 18 goals and let in four.
By contrast, as visitor, Leon managed to claim 12 of 24 possible points, in other words 50%, and scored eight goals letting in seven.
But be careful, because the playoffs show a different attitude and composure. Leon mauled Morelia and Santos, while America eliminated Tigres in a more conventional fashion, and did just enough to overcome Toluca.
Let´s consider one example: Leon´s Mauro Boselli, who scored the spectacular goal and the one that made it 2-0, 11 of his 15 goals were scored at home.
By contrast, and this was evident on Thursday night in Leon, of the nine goals scored by America´s defensive unit, only three of them were at home, the rest while playing away, but it turns out that William Yarbrough canceled that element of surprise on Thursday. However, the Raul Jimenez-Rubens Sambueza combination has scored nine of their 13 goals in Azteca Stadium.
Sure, the numbers do not play, but they show tendencies.
4. Tactical slyness: the contrasts between intensity and desperation.
Herrera knows that he cannot change his style. It would be suicidal. But he also knows that even while maintaining his way of playing, without undue haste, he should adjust it to be able to draw even at least in the overall scoreline, although it is tricky to ignore the fierce pressure of the 2-0.
Leon do not know how to play a speculative game, as their talents lie in a merciless attack. They are no doubt hoping that America will leave spaces that they can exploit, but they also know that America have 90 minutes to be able to manage their anguish before allowing Leon to make them feel desperate.
Will Herrera dare to make changes? Rey once again showed his ineffectiveness. Narciso Mina and Luis Angel Mendoza gave a greater impression of commitment, spirit, and danger than the Colombian and Oswaldito, who is not rising to the challenge because of timidity and distractedness.
In the end, because of the generous threat from Gustavo Matosas ("win, just win in the Azteca") and because of America´s urgency, we can expect a game of greater quality and spectacle than last Thursday´s.
Another intense game, which will depend on those 22 out on the field, on their talent, their desire, and their commitment.
And again I have to implore: that both teams go after each other, tear each other to pieces with the supreme argument of good soccer and its magnificent weapon, the goal.
MEXICO CITY -- 2-0. A scoreline that the unforgettable Fernando Marcos damned by calling it: "The most deceptive scoreline of all."
It could turn out to be America´s epitaph and Leon´s badge of triumph. Or it could be, if Don Fernando was right: the genesis of America´s comeback and Leon´s mirage.
And any of these combinations could easily happen.
Luckily, the end result will depend on an untouchable precept: good soccer, of the positive type that both teams deploy, and using different methods.
There will be unpredictable additions to the substantial contribution of good soccer provided by both teams. These include:
1. A moment of decisiveness or weakness from some player.
It could happen that Luis Montes adds to his dynamism the lethal finishing ability that he lacked in two plays that were right up his alley.
Or it could be that Luis Gabriel Rey decides, at last, to stop being a part of the furniture and rather more of an obstacle than a contributor for the Aguilas.
2. The focus on the referee, already cruelly assigned to play a major role.
Miguel Herrera has taken a dangerous step. "I hope that in Azteca Stadium we get [a referee] as timid and cowardly as this one (Cesar Ramos), that he gets cold feet and that the fans get on top of him."
Herrera confronted Decio De María at the end of the game in Leon and reproached him for Ramos´ errors. It is true that Ramos did make mistakes, but almost in a King Solomon-like manner. In other words, his errors were evenly distributed.
And it can happen, because it has happened before, that the appointed referee, unexpectedly and to heal the wounds of suspicious, ends up going to the extreme of being very strict with America, so that no one accuses him of being their puppet and the puppet of the America fans in the Oval Office of Chapultepec 18.
3.The Azteca Stadium itself. Even though it has a field with the same dimensions as the Leon Stadium (105 x 68), at the end of the day the only real variable will be the ability of America to make the venue wield its curse.
Even the most experienced coaches can neither explain nor fight nor evict the fear factor of being a visiting team, something that seems, evidently, to be a more hormonal than neuronal reaction: we fear what we think exists.
America, during the regular season, was unplayable on its own field. They finished unbeaten. They scored 18 goals and let in four.
By contrast, as visitor, Leon managed to claim 12 of 24 possible points, in other words 50%, and scored eight goals letting in seven.
But be careful, because the playoffs show a different attitude and composure. Leon mauled Morelia and Santos, while America eliminated Tigres in a more conventional fashion, and did just enough to overcome Toluca.
Let´s consider one example: Leon´s Mauro Boselli, who scored the spectacular goal and the one that made it 2-0, 11 of his 15 goals were scored at home.
By contrast, and this was evident on Thursday night in Leon, of the nine goals scored by America´s defensive unit, only three of them were at home, the rest while playing away, but it turns out that William Yarbrough canceled that element of surprise on Thursday. However, the Raul Jimenez-Rubens Sambueza combination has scored nine of their 13 goals in Azteca Stadium.
Sure, the numbers do not play, but they show tendencies.
4. Tactical slyness: the contrasts between intensity and desperation.
Herrera knows that he cannot change his style. It would be suicidal. But he also knows that even while maintaining his way of playing, without undue haste, he should adjust it to be able to draw even at least in the overall scoreline, although it is tricky to ignore the fierce pressure of the 2-0.
Leon do not know how to play a speculative game, as their talents lie in a merciless attack. They are no doubt hoping that America will leave spaces that they can exploit, but they also know that America have 90 minutes to be able to manage their anguish before allowing Leon to make them feel desperate.
Will Herrera dare to make changes? Rey once again showed his ineffectiveness. Narciso Mina and Luis Angel Mendoza gave a greater impression of commitment, spirit, and danger than the Colombian and Oswaldito, who is not rising to the challenge because of timidity and distractedness.
In the end, because of the generous threat from Gustavo Matosas ("win, just win in the Azteca") and because of America´s urgency, we can expect a game of greater quality and spectacle than last Thursday´s.
Another intense game, which will depend on those 22 out on the field, on their talent, their desire, and their commitment.
And again I have to implore: that both teams go after each other, tear each other to pieces with the supreme argument of good soccer and its magnificent weapon, the goal.
Brasil: Flamengo, Vasco, Fluminense, Botafogo (100% Carioca) Rio > Säo Paulo
MENGÃO TRI DA AMÈRICA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RlVt8zJhXQ