As usual, "Clásico Capitalino" was the highlight of the week. Although the team is going through a difficult period, they seem to have found another means of confrontation. However, it looks like they will give it their all, as they have only won one of the last 12 matches played in the Mexican Superliga.
The Cougars were more motivated in their duel vs. On Wednesday, they defeated Saprissa 4-1 at home in the second leg of the Round of 16 of the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League. Juan Ignacio Dineno scored twice in an outstanding performance. Ortiz also contributed, with a header from Rogerio Deoli and a last-minute goal putting them in the top eight.
Now, they are in a battle with defending champions S
Returning to the Mexican Premier League in sixth place after tying and beating the runners-up. A win this Saturday could take them all the way into the top three, pending other results.
The Auriazules also have fond memories of victories over their rivals, just last season, when they not only beat the top-seeded Amerks, but also knocked them out in the quarterfinals. This is their first win over the Aggies since February 2019
As mentioned above, the Amerks are coming off one of the worst tournament starts in their history as they scored just four of a possible 18 points. This season, the Aggies have one win (over the bottom of the table) and a tie in their first game of the year. Those results ranked 16th. While it's true that this isn't the club's worst ever performance, if they don't pick up the pace, they could be heading in that direction.
The Cougars are looking forward to this game so they can start making their home a place where the Cougars don't want to be. So far, they seem to prefer playing felines over Azteca on CU.
Dating back to December of 2015, both teams have played 10 games at CU. The Pumas have an impressive 4-5-1 record and are coming off a 1-4 loss in the 2018 quarterfinals and a 1-3 loss to the Cougars in the 2015 semifinals. The Pumas have failed to beat the Cougars at home in "Liguilla" since 2014, and their last regular season win came three years ago.
The Amerks also face the challenge of a defeat that could lead to the firing of head coach Santiago. It wouldn't be the first coach to be kicked out after the Capital One Derby, but it could be the first for the Pumas. The Pumas fired four head coaches directly after the loss to the Amerks: Hugo Sanchez, Mario Carrillo, O. Selwin and David Patino were all victims. This time, the Cats have a chance to avenge their coaches.
