May 5 – Tigres UANL go into the deciding leg of their Champions Cup semi-final tonight against Nashville SC a goal up and with the intimidation and expectation of their home crown at the Estadio Universitario behind them.
Tigres have been an unstoppable force at home in El Volcan.
They put four goals past Forge FC in round 1, scored a massive 5-1 win against FC Cincinnati in the second leg to overturn a three-goal deficit from the first, and comfortably dispatched Seattle Sounders 2-0 at home, though almost stumbled in Seattle, losing the match 3-1 but going through on away goals.
Tigres start as the bookies’ favourite by some margin, but against Nashville they have a wily opponents who has already advanced twice in the season’s Champions Cup in second-leg road matches.
First they unexpectedly beat Inter Miami in the Round of 16 on away goals with a 1-1 draw in Miami, they then followed that up by becoming the first MLS club side to be Club América in their Azteca stadium.
Tigres have the goal advantage but Nashville have a competitive resolve that makes them dangerous to underestimate.
Because Tigres have the away goal, Nashville will have to soccer twice to win against a Tigres’ team that has had no trouble scoring, but is prone to defensive lapses. In their last last five games in all competitions Tigres have score 10 goals, but have also conceded seven.
A lot is likely to hinge on Juan Brunetta for Tigres who drives their attack and to date has scored three goals and provided two assists in five games. Argentine Ángel Correa provide real quality to challenge a grizzled and parsimonious Nashville defense.
Nashville will be without top scorer Sam Surridge and midfield engine Eddi Tagseth who both collected knocks in the first leg and haven’t travelled to Mexico.
The attacking expectation for Nashville falls squarely on Hany Mukhtar and Cristian Espinoza, supported by the speed of Ahmed Qasem and Warren Madrigal on the wings.
However Nashville’s strength is in their ability to defend a one-goal advantage. Brian Schwake in goal, with Maxwell Woledzi and Jession Palaciaos in front, have proved to the defensive kings of this Champions Cup.
Nashville will be looking for an early surprise against Tigres and then they will likely shut up shop behind their uncompromising defense. If they do get that lead, the inevitable eruption of El Volcan might not be enough to tilt the balance back in Tigres’ favour.
Concacaf Champions Cup, Semi-final second leg
Tigres UANL (2) vs Nashville SC (1), Tuesday, May 5, Estadio Universitario, San Nicolás de los Garza