Cruz Azul vs Tigres UANL Liga MX 2018 Apertura – Match Preview, Prediction, TV Schedule

August 4, 2018 9:12 pm Modified date: August 4, 2018 9:12 pm

This Saturday, August 4, 2018 (7:00 PM Pacific) Cruz Azul will host Tigres UANL at the Estadio Azteca for a game in the third round of matches in the Liga MX 2018 Apertura. Both teams are among the top title contenders in the 2018 Apertura and should provide one of the best matchups this weekend.

Cruz Azul has won its first two games and is still yet to concede any goals as it defeated Puebla 3-0 in Week 1 and also beat Chivas de Guadalajara 1-0 in Week 2. La Maquina is a very different team from last season as new sporting director Ricardo Pelaez came in and built a very competitive team. New signings like Pablo Aguilar, Elias Hernandez, Ivan Marcone and Roberto Alvarado have been very impressive so far.

Striker Milton Caraglio has left a bit to be desired and has been outplayed by Martin Cauteruccio, who has scored three goals in his last two games in all competitions. The Mexico City team will have the home-field advantage and does have a spectacular roster, but will face arguably the best team in the league.

Tigres UANL has also won its first two games and is also yet to concede any goals in 180 minutes of play to kick off the season. The team from Nuevo Leon is coming off a 1-0 win against Club Tijuana in Week 2 of the 2018 Apertura and also defeated Leon 2-0 in its season-opener. Ricardo Ferretti has a very similar squad to last season, but now has a rock in midfield with the return of Guido Pizarro to the Northern Mexican side.

Andre-Pierre Gignac has scored in both of Tigres’ wins and Lucas Zelayaran, who was rumored to leave the club is now playing a vital role in the midfield. Club captain Juninho was not available in the first game of the season, but did come off the bench against Xolos and will likely start this match. Tigres UANL does have the better team, but are due for an arduous task at the Estadio Azteca against a solid Cruz Azul side.

Prediction

FutnSoccer predicts a 2-1 win for Tigres UANL, which would not be a surprising result, but it would be a very good result for Los Regios. This matchup could really go either way, but Tigres’ strength from the midfield forward seems like it will be a lot for Cruz Azul to handle.