We are now essentially halfway through the 2017 Clausura, and are in the midst of an extraordinarily open year. With just nine games to play, literally any of the 18 teams in the league could end up in the liguilla, including bottom feeders León, who cannot be taken lightly. There were an astounding 31 goals scored this weekend, the most of any jornada this season. Relegation candidates performed well, Monterrey finally lost a game, and of course, there were golazos. Here are the best five stories from Jornada 8:
5 Unreal Comeback From Jaguares
Chivas seemed to be on their way to a comfortable victory over Jaguares on Sunday evening, and entered the tunnel at halftime with a 2-0 lead. They were in complete control of the game, but something must have happened in the Chiapas dressing room at halftime, because the Jaguares came out on fire, and in a 4 minute span turned a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 lead. Chivas were left stunned, and fell 4-3 when the final whistle blew. The victory continues the trend for Jaguares of winning against the big teams and losing against the poor ones. They now have wins over Chivas, Toluca, Tigres, and América, but still are outside the playoff zone.
4 Santos Remain Unbeaten
Rayados fell on Friday, which meant Santos entered their jornada 8 match against Necaxa as the only undefeated team in Liga MX. They tied Los Rayos 2-2, courtesy of an incredible team goal in the first half and a marvelous Djaniny strike from long range in the second half. Despite their “perfect” record, the Laguneros are only in 7th place, because they’ve only managed two wins this season. Santos currently hold the rather odd record of 2W-6D-0L. That might make you think that this team are defensive stalwarts who struggle to score, but that’s not really the case. Santos have 12 goals in 8 games played this season, and have only conceded 9.
3 Querétaro Continue to Surprise
It wasn’t long ago that Querétaro were the laughing stock of the league, unable to score, unable to win, and buried near the bottom of the table. But things can change very quickly in Liga MX, as Los Gallos have demonstrated. After a thrilling 4-3 victory over Pumas this weekend, which Querétaro nearly choked away, Los Gallos are in 8th place with 12 points, and have 3 wins to their name. The team is riding a three-match winning streak, and they’ve scored 10 goals during that streak. Clearly the offense has figured things out.
2 Fuera Jémez?
That’s what many Cruz Azul fans are asking for after another loss for La Maquina this weekend. Personally, I would give the man more time, but I understand the frustration. Cruz Azul fell 2-0 to América in a pitiful performance at Estadio Azteca, continuing their run of bad form in the Clásico Joven of late. La Maquina looked tough to beat on opening day, when they secured a 1-0 victory over Necaxa. Since then, they have not won a single game in league play, though they have likely secured passage to the Copa MX knockout stage. Even there, though, a record that includes a loss to pre-hot streak Querétaro and two draws with Alebrijes is hardly something to write home about.
1 Relegation Battle Looms
Arguably the biggest game of the regular season will take place next week, and no, Chivas and América are not involved. Morelia will be hosting Veracruz, in a match that will have a massive impact on the relegation table. Morelia are currently two points behind Los Tiburones, and can jump out of the cellar with a win. Likewise, Veracruz can really begin to bury Monarcas if they come home with a victory. Jaguares and Puebla are both beginning to escape the relegation fight, and it is fair to say that it is a two horse race at this point. This weekend, Veracruz lost their third game in a row by a score of 1-0, and they have not picked up any points since their huge win against Jaguares a few weeks ago. Morelia tied Tigres at home, scoring in the 30th minute via a Raul Ruidiaz spot kick.
