Monterrey falls out of Ligulla at hands of Puebla

Monterrey's Liguilla efforts came to an end as they played Puebla to a 2-2 draw in the second leg of the quarter finals at the Tecnológico.

Despite Monterrey showing strong attacking vision, Alejandro Acosta gave the visitors the lead fourteen minutes in as he headed-in Daniel Osorno free kick. Any chance of coming back ended ten minutes after the restart as Orlando Javier Rincón drove the ball in from the edge of the area after receiving Ramón Núñez' provision to make it 2-0, with the aggregate now 5-1. The Rayados fought back and a few minutes before the hour William Paredes to within one as he sent a powerful drive in from thirty metres. Finally with thirteen minutes remaining Abraham Darío Carreño nodded in Walter Ayoví's corner to level the match but Monterrey could not make up lost ground and their campaign came to an unsatisfying end.

Puebla eases to 3-1 victory over Monterrey

Monterrey's hopes in the Liguilla took a poor turn as they were trounced by Puebla 3-1. Víctor Manuel Vucetich's side have now been ravaged for nine goals in the last three matches and far from the disciplined defensive unit at the start of the campaign.

From the start Los Camoteros took control of the match and took the lead four minutes in as El Tri honoured Daniel Osorno's free-kick from the left was sent into the near post via an unfortunate own-goal by Gerardo Galindo. Only two minutes later Ramón Núñez sent a corner in from the left with Alejandro Acosta heading the ball in. Shell shocked by two early goals, Monterrey brought the match to within one a few minutes after the break as Chupete, Humberto Suazo sent a powerful left-footed drive from roughly twenty-five metres in. However the one goal margin was as close as it would get as four minutes before the hour Sergio Pérez sent in a rebound five metres beyond the outside of the area to bring the match to its final 3-1 scoreline. In the final fifteen minutes Humberto Suazo left the match with an apparent injury and three minutes later Diego Ordaz received his second yellow of the night.

Monterrey heads to Liguilla despite loss to Pumas

After last weeks disappointing loss to América, via Salvador Cabañas two late goals, the Rayados swoon continued with a 3-0 loss to the Pumas in the final match day of the Clausura. Despite the loss Víctor Manuel Vucetich's side book their place in the Liguilla with fourth place finish in the overall table, second in Group 1.

The Pumas controlled the run of play and got off to a early lead as David Toledo's cross from the left was headed-in by Juan Carlos Cacho from close range eleven minutes into the match. Two minutes before the half-hour Pablo Barrera and David Toledo linked up before the latter provided Jehu Chiapas the ball to finish from twelve metres to make it 2-0. Scoring chances were sparse for Monterrey with efforts speculative for the most part. With fourteen minutes remaining Diego Ordaz was adjudged to fouling Israel Castro in the area and with the spot pointed to Francisco Palencia calmly made it 3-0.

Rayados win in Cancún

Following last weeks 1-0 victory of San Luis, Monterrey went forward against troubled Atlante knowing that a positive result would put them on the cusp of the Liguilla. While it may not have been an overwhelming performance, the Rayados accomplished their goals with a straight-forward 1-0 triumph. The result pushes Monterrey to third in the overall table and only four points shy of their goal for the Clausura with two matches to play.

It's difficult to call this match "exciting" or even "energetic" because in-truth chances were few and it rarely seemed like either side was desperate for the three points. The Cancún side suffering through a painful campaign supplied few attacking advances and offered their supporters little hope. After a dreary opening forty-five minutes Monterrey took greater initiative and after few efforts fell short including a shocking denial of a penalty after Chupete was brought down in the area, they found the needed goal five minutes past the hour. Collecting the ball at the top of the box Humberto Suazo drove the ball towards the goal but it took a high deflection to the left only to be volleyed in by Abraham Darío Carreño from ten metres. After a late modest chance by the match concluded with Monterrey winning 1-0.

Rayados defeat San Luis 1-0

Monterrey continued towards their thirty-point goal in the Clausura with a close 1-0 victory over San Luis at the Tecnológico. Without the services of Felipe Baloy and Humberto Suazo still under suspension Víctor Manuel Vucetich utilized Aldo de Nigris as his lone striker.

The Rayados first serious scoring threat resulted in the matches lone goal as eleven minutes in Luis Ernesto Pérez provision to Walter Ayoví resulted in the Ecuadorian international driving the ball to the back of the net. Chances for the most part were well under control for much of the match and of the few threats both 'keepers proved up to the challenge. While Christian Martínez only had to deal with a few realistic chances his stop of José Rodolfo Reyes's effort at the seventeenth minute saved the win for the Rayados. Following the break Víctor Manuel Vucetich displayed absolute defending prowess and didn't allow a single menacing attack in route to a 1-0 victory.

With three matches remaining in the campaign, Monterrey returns to action next Sunday against Atlante.

Clásico Regio at Volcán fails to deliver

The Clásico Regio between Monterrey and Tigres failed to live up to its heated rivalry as both sides wandered through ninety minutes of often listless play at the the Volcán before the match came to a scoreless conclusion. Hampered with the loss of Humberto Suazo and Felipe Baloy to suspension, Víctor Manuel Vucetich's Monterrey side looked at a tactical loss unable to unlock the mystery of attacking without their Chilean goal-scorer. José Pekerman had his own problems with Mauricio Romero taking the place of Omar Bravo and took much of the match to get even moderately threatening.

After a dreary opening Monterrey thought it had the lead ten minutes before the half with Aldo de Nigris' close range strike but it was ruled off-side. Opportunities were rare but in the final fifteen minutes it looked like the Tigres would come away with the victory but El Tri capped Francisco Fonseca effort rang off the crossbar to safety. Finally as time wound down Alonso Sandoval had a point-blank chance to bring the three points back to Monterrey put his attempt was denied and the match ended as a scoreless draw.

Clásico Regiomontano

In considering matches of the Clásico Regiomontano magnitude it is usually the best course to cast aside a number of the normal pre-determining factors. However after last weeks come from behind draw against Atlas its hard to ignore the Rayados overwhelming surge of momentum as they lead into the match against the Tigres.

Confidence billows with Víctor Manuel Vucetich's Monterrey side as they look to upend UANL's recent dominance in the derby. However the numbers don't lie as the Rayados haven't won at the Estadio Universitario since the spring of 1996. However the celebratory mood following Atlas match was quickly dampened with the realization that both Humberto Suazo and Felipe Baloy will miss due to their red-cards.

Argentine genius José Pekerman hasn't had much success with the Tigres yet but in-time with the right mix I expect his club to climb the table. Omar Bravo is still out for his side but ex Gimnasia man Lucas Lobos is a consistent threat and always comes up big in the Clásico.

Rayados draw with Atlas despite two man disadvantage

The much anticipated return of Ricardo La Volpe, now in-charge of Atlas, to the Tecnológico did not disappoint as the clubs played to 2-2 draw with the Rayados fighting back despite a two man disadvantage.

The match started at a break neck pace with Atlas looking like they were going to run Monterrey out of their home grounds. Only twelve minutes in Atlas took the lead as Jose Maria Basanta was dispossessed of the ball by Edgar Iván Pacheco who then played the ball to Darío Botinelli. A quick run in and he fired the ball over a diving Christian Martínez. Two minutes later in looked bleak for the Rayados as Edgar Iván Pacheco added his name to the score sheet with a weak effort from the top of the box. The disastrous half continued as with eleven minutes remaining Felipe Baloy was red carded for a harsh challenge on Hugo Ayala. Tempers flared and showing signs of losing discipline, Humberto Suazo challenge of the referee seven minutes later resulted in him being sent off and Monterrey now down to nine men. With the match seemingly in control for Atlas and with a two man advantage they should have easily killed the match off with controlled tempo. However with eighteen minutes remaining a simple long ball was flicked on by Jesús Eduardo Zavala to Jesús Arellano in the box and after bringing the ball down he turned and half-volleyed into the top corner of the net. Now 2-1, Monterrey had the much needed lifeline and with nine minutes remaining José María Basanta headed in Luis Ernesto Pérez in swinging corner to level the match. Atlas poured forward for the winner and although coming close they couldn't find a way through and the match ended in a 2-2 draw.

Ricardo La Volpe returns to Tecnológico

The Rayados return to Primera División action as Atlas visits the Tecnológico. The irony of the situation runs thick as Ricardo La Volpe now in-charge of Atlas effectively goes against a side that he greatly developed. Yet the week would in complete without recognizing that the man who should be at the helm of El Tri, watched the letting go of Sven-Göran Eriksson by the Federación Mexicana de Fútbol Asociación (F.M.F.) and surely must have wondered how fortunes for México would have been under his leadership.

That aside Los Rojinegros have shot up the table under the genius of La Volpe and are riding a seven match unbeaten streak, including a defeat of Chivas in the Guadalajara derby. With the vision of a championship in Atlas fan's eyes the experienced leader put the quest in perspective and urged calm:

"The people at Atlas don't want words, they want the championship. Just because you want the title doesn't mean to say you're going to win it. The man upstairs has enough to worry about without people asking him for the championship. With all the problems there are in the world, there's not much point in asking."

For the match Monterrey will be without the services of Gerardo Galindo while Atlas will miss Eduardo Rergis and Jorge Torres Nilo. There is some concern over match fitness of Walter Ayoví and Humberto Suazo returning from international duty but both should be fine.

Jaguares defeat Monterrey 1-0

Monterrey returned to action after last weeks victory over Pachuca with 1-0 loss to Jaguares at Estadio Victor Manuel Reyna. With the loss Monterrey falls to third in Group 1 and fifth in the overall table. For the match Víctor Manuel Vucetich made no changes to last weeks lineup as the Rayados looked to continue their winning ways with a strong defensive intent. The hosts created a multitude of scoring chances throughout the match, however each time the final touch was either slightly off-course or Rayados 'keeper Christian Martínez denied them with a brilliant display. Alternatively the attack force of Aldo de Nigris and Humberto "Chupete" Suazo was effectively nullified by the host tenacious defending and limited to a few random chances. Unfortunately after a brilliant display Monterrey 'keeper Christian Martínez erred with five minutes left as he mishandled Neri Cardozo long cross and the ball fell to Danilinho who then sent the ball into the net to give the Jaguares the 1-0 victory.

Photo Credit: Mexsport/Miguel Abarca © Derechos Reservados

late goal gives Morelia 2-2 draw to Rayados

Following last weeks difficult 3-3 draw to Toluca, Víctor Manuel Vucetich were within a whisper of sealing a victory Saturday evening before Miguel Sabah scored deep into added time to give Morelia a 2-2 draw to Rayados

From the start Monarcas controlled the match and took the 1-0 lead eleven minutes after the opening whistle after a good linkup of play Andrés Mendoza. The home side laid down a picture-perfect defending side and whilst the Rayados probed for the needed equalizer they were well quaranteened and the match went to the break without a further mark. However after the restart the Rayados attacking vision improved and they found the leveler six minutes in with Aldo de Nigris linking up to Luis Pérez for an exemplary finish from outside the area. The home side fell behind with thirteen minutes remaining as Abraham Carreño sent the ball past Moisés Muñoz. Down by one Miguel Sabah brought the home supporters to their feet as he headed in Elías Hernández' provision in the third minute of added time.


Photo Source: Media Tiempo (I. Ortiz/MEXSPORT)

Rayados play Toluca to 3-3 draw

Following last weeks 2-0 loss to Santos, the Rayados responded with a hard fought 3-3 draw to Toluca at the Tecnológico. The major change to Víctor Manuel Vucetich's lineup was the rightful return of Humberto Suazo and Osvaldo Martínez to the starting eleven.

The match started fast as expected with both sides throwing aside caution on going on the prowl for goals. However after a number of advances, Monterrey finally broke through ten minutes before the break when Humberto Suazo put the ball behind Hernán Cristante to make it 1-0. Only four minutes later Aldo de Nigris brought the Tecnológico to its feet as he made it 2-0. A mental lapse before the break allowed Toluca to draw one back with only a minute remaining as Carlos Esquivel found the back of the net. The one goal margin only lasted to the hour when Héctor Raúl Mancilla received Carlos Esquivel's provision and made no mistake. With twenty-one minutes remaining Aldo de Nigris is brought down in the area Edgar Dueñas and the spot is pointed to giving Monterrey another chance at victory. Confidently Chupete stepped up and buried the ball into the netting to give the Rayados the lead but. However in a maddening lose of concentration the lead only last three minutes when
Zinha's provision is headed-in by Sergio Santana, bringing the match to its final 3-3 scoreline.

Santos defeats Monterrey 2-0

Monterrey's winning streak came to an end as they fell 2-0 to Santos. In a surprise move Víctor Manuel Vucetich left Osvaldo Martínez and Humberto Suazo on the bench at the start with William Paredes and Luis Sandoval in their place.

It didn't take long before the home side took the lead as Fernando Arce drove the ball past Jonathan Orozco five minutes in. The attacking trio of Walter Ayoví, Luis Sandoval and Aldo De Nigris created a series of opportunities through to the break however all efforts fell short. At the break Osvaldo Martínez entered the match but Santos doubled the lead nine minutes in with Juan Pablo Santiago capitalizing on Daniel Emmanuel Ludueña's provision. Chupete was called upon on three minutes before the hour in an effort to bring the Rayados back into the match but they fell short with a 2-0 defeat.

Unfortunately the match was marred with a series of unsavoury fan disturbances that is likely to draw action by by the Federación Mexicana de Fútbol Asociación (FMF).

Monterrey keeps rolling with 3-0 defeat of Necaxa

The Rayados kept their winning ways rolling with 3-0 defeat of Necaxa at the Tecnológico in Monterrey. While the taste of victory is one that all Monterrey supporters can enjoy, the match was marred with the dubious work of referee Marco Antonio Rodríguez who showed sent off three members of Necaxa and effectively decided the match.

From the start the home side were the aggressor with Humberto Suazo's header from just outside the six yard box seventeen minutes in, saved by Rayos 'keeper Jorge Bernal. Five minutes later Walter Ayoví's free-kick stung the cross-bar and the match remained deadlocked into the break. Without question the match took a major turn as Necaxa was a man down at the break when Chícharo González was shown two yellow cards within a few seconds.

After the break the Rayados couldn't break through the staunch defending of the visitors and on the hour Luis Alonso Sandoval came in for Octavio Valdéz Martínez look to spark the attack. Six minutes later Monterrey finally broke through when Aldo De Nigris accepted the ball from the mid-spot of the area turned and fired a powerful left footed shot against the post and in. The match was effectively decided with nine minutes remaining when Germán Villa was sent off with his second yellow and Necaxa was down two men. Taking advantage of the situation Humberto Suazo made it 2-0 when he volleyed in Aldo De Nigris laser cross with ten minutes remaining before Marco Antonio Rodríguez brought the visitors down to eight man two minutes later with a straight red-card to Luis Francisco García. Monterrey exploited the situation as the time wound down with Aldo De Nigris adding his second of the day when he headed in Diego Martínez's cross.

Monterrey returns to action action Santos next Sunday.

Monterrey defeats Cruz Azul 3-1

Monterrey continued its winning form with a 3-1 victory over Cruz Azul at the Tecnológico. With the victory the Rayados are second in Group 1 with ten points and fourth in the combined table.

After the scoreless half The Rayados took the lead with Humberto Suazo scoring from Luis Pérez's long ball provision seven minutes after the restart. Chupete was the beneficiary of a very opportunistic bounce as the lobbing pass over his head stopped dead and he was able to catch up to it before sending it into the net. Five minutes later Monterrey doubled the margin when Luis Pérez' free-kick from the edge of the area struck off the crossbar but a surging Diego Ordaz headed the rebound directly in. With twenty one minutes remaining Aldo De Nigris was played in by Octavio Valdez and while Cruz Azul waited for the what appeared to be an obvious offside call, he continued on and drove the ball into the back of the net. With seven minutes remaining Gabino Velasco scored a consolation goal for the visitors but it was too little, too late and the match ended with a 3-1 scoreline.

Monterrey returns to action next Thursday against Necaxa.

Monterrey defeats Tecos 3-2

In a shocking conclusion, Monterrey defeated Tecos 3-2. The home side took the lead only six minutes in as ClaudioGraf outdistanced Diego Martinez and drove the ball in. However after taking the lead, Monterrey came storming back but Humberto Suazo, uncharacteristically missed two glorious chances. Four minutes pass the half hour Walter Ayovi brought the match level beating Mario Rodríguez. Two minutes after the break Elgabry Rangel slid a beautiful pass to Claudio Graf just beyond the six yard box for the go-ahead goal and he did not disappoint. After three solid misses Chupete drew the match level five minutes past the hour with a long range volley just beyond the keepers reach and under the cross bar. However things took a turn for the worse for the home side as only four minutes later Tecos were a man down as Diego Jiménez was red-carded in what looked like a poor challenge that nonetheless that had little or no contact. Humberto Suazo turned provider and he dispatched the ball to Darío Carreño just inside the box, who subsequently drove the ball in with his left foot with sixteen minutes remaining to bring the match to 3-2. With twelve minutes remaining José María Basanta was called for a hand ball and the spot was pointed to. Fredy José Bareiro stepped up and his effort rang off the post and the Rayados held on to a 3-2 victory.

Monterrey v Chivas match preview

Of the many matches in the year, Chivas' visit of the Tecnológico is one of the highlights in the Primera División de México. The great Guadalajara based side, led by Efraín Flores, is in the midst of a resurgence of sorts, where talented returns "home" after playing abroad. While only the tip of the iceberg of what is to come this summer,Aarón Galindo formerly of German Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt will debut for Chivas today and will have an immediate impact.

Under Víctor Manuel Vucetich the Rayados, started off with a thunderous victory over Puebla before grinding to a draw against Indios de Ciudad Juárez. While their once counter attacking flourish has been muted, they now exude confident defending in a 4-4-1-1. For today's match they will be without Felipe Baloy, David Stringel and Ernesto Serrato.

Chivas feature an assortment of weapons including Carlos Ochoa and Jared Borgetti, ready to provide La Adicción a reminder of their abilities. They will be without the services of Jonny Magallón and Omar Arellano for the match.

Indios de Ciudad Juárez holds Monterrey to 1-1 draw

After a surprising 4-0 victory over Puebla in the first week of the Clausura season, Monterrey met a tough Indios de Ciudad Juárez side who fought to a 1-1 draw. The Rayados under Víctor Manuel Vucetich are without a doubt a more defensive based unit and scoring opportunities were rare on both ends of the pitch. While there were a few chances before the break, they were modest at best. Finally in a strange two minute burst with sixteen minutes remaining Monterrey took the lead when Walter Ayovi's cross from the left edge of the box swung into a surging Darío Carreño who headed into the the back of the net from the six. Only two minutes later, in a rare attacking mode Juárez leveled the match with Javier Saavedra's extraordinary cross to Ricardo Esqueda who soared high to head the ball in. Without further attack the match ended in a 1-1 draw.

Ricardo La Volpe and Rayados part ways

In what is possibly the worst piece of news I could give Rayados supporters, Ricardo La Volpe and Monterrey have parted ways.

With his contract set to expire on January 10, an agreement was thought to be close but at the last minute the situation derailed and Monterrey lost a great leader.

In a simply worded statement the club said noted that the professional relationship between the Club de Futbol Monterrey and Ricardo Antonio La Volpe has ended because of financial differences and after thanking him for his work wished him the best of luck in the future.

If and when additional informational is available I will make it available. However make no mistake about it, this is likely the worst possible situation for the club.

Rayado President Jorge Urdiales sets 30 point target

In a highly commendable manner, Rayado President Jorge Urdiales has admitted the clubs performance during the Apertura 2008 season was a "complete failure" Quite frankly during the recent problems, this type of recognition of the issue was sorely needed and along with dealing with the situation head-on they have brought in six players to ensure the success of the club. Eschewing a sense of confidence and direction, Mr. Urdiales noted the club is going to fight for points, be aggressive with a firm target of winning thirty points in the Clausura season, which represents a twelve increase from the Apertura.