Stadium: Azteca

Referee: Mauricio Morales Ovalle

Serie: 22GP - 5 Wins for America - 9 Draws - 9 Wins for Pachuca

Regular season:Pachuca 1 - 0 America

America

Last match repeat the dosis to Chivas Guadalajara 0-1 this time on away to accumulate three consecutive matches beating Chivas Guadalajara with a 1-0 scoreline. This match was heavily influence by the expulsion of Chivas MF Gonzalo Pineda, what gave the advantage to America, which continue with their effective playsystem, defensive and counterattacking, basing their attacks on the habilities of MF Cuauthemoc Blanco together with FW Salvador Cabañas. A great hability of Fw Salvador Cabañas to make a pass when he was backed to Chivas net, leave MF Ismael Rodriguez who make a shoot, that rebound to the GK but lift and the same player hit it with the face to score the decisive goal that kill Chivas Guadalajara chances.

The team has evolve from a insecure team that was severe question on all the forms, still was effective and was able to get trough the hard times, to a estable team with a good starting lineup that are establish with a system 5-3-2, solid defending leaded by GK Guillermo Ochoa, which great capabilities are showed with frecuency, his downsize is that relays to much on his jumping skills and sometimes against long distance shoots this isn't enough. The defense is working together and deliverin a good performance, one of the good revelations that has consolidate this tournament is DF Alvin Mendoza, in the right side DF Castro.

A strong middlefield which knows how to build the plays and use speed with Fw Salvador Cabañas. Starts with MF German Villa which has become fundamental for the good offensive working of the team as he starts the attacks of the team and MF Argüello that has taken a defensive position more than attacking but doing a fine work.

At front the team relays on MF/FW Cuauthemoc Blanco which is in great shape and is making crucial passes and controls the ball with excellence, together with FW Salvador Cabañas which is back to his best level, both aided by FW Santiago Fernandez which has showed capable of opening spaces for them and also scoring when needed on stopped ball plays.

The team played on midweek against Santos on Brazil, send an alternative team which had the lead 0-1 to halftime, but on the second half Santos make the necessary to score twice and kill the hopes of the alternative squad. The first team is rested as didn't make the trip and is focus on this final against Pachuca.

The team has dispute 12 finals since the playoffs have been established, winning 10 and lossing 2, in this decade, the team has dispute 2 and won both of them, one to Tecos UAG and the other to Necaxa.

Pachuca

After the first leg against Cruz Azul, which Pachuca won 1-3, it was discover that Cruz Azul DF Salvador Carmona was banned from life from soccer practice by TAS days before the match, but despite this executives of Cruz Azul field him. Mexico Football Federation took action as the player shouldn't have been field as he was banned and eliminate Cruz Azul from playoffs, this lead to Pachuca not playing the second leg match and rested.

The team was the best during the whole tournament and due to this should be mark favorites, but in a intelligent movement president of Pachuca claimed that as America has more titles than them, then America should be the favorite, to free some pressure from Pachuca. Pachuca continues as champion of sudamericana cup and recently won to Chivas Guadalajara the CONCACAF Champions Cup to booked a place to FIFA Club Worl Cup. The team playes also with a 5-3-2 with a lot of ball movement that can traslate to a 4-4-2 o 4-3-3 to be more offensive.

The team has an atonished regularity with coach Enrique Meza, has six matches without defeat, and in last 19 matches the team has just one defeat to Tigres on away, since the beggining of the tournament had played 20 matches for just two defeats. The team is solid and very dynamic, their defense is leaded by GK Miguel Calero which continues to demostrate their quality is helped by a tight defense commanded by DF Aquivaldo Mosquera, which sometimes goes to attack like on corner kicks because of his hight height he is very good on those. DF Marvin Cabrera, DF Leobardo Lopez and DF Fausto Pinto rounds up a very solid defense, where this players are doing very good work, even DF Fausto Pinto grants a National team callup.



On the middlefield the team have one that is very experience with MF Gabriel Caballero, MF Andres Chitiva, MF Jaime Correr and youth sensation MF Carlos Gerardo Rodriguez which silently and cover by players with great qualities is making very good things in crucial moments, his goal passes have been important.

In front the team have the best foreiner of the tournament FW Christian "Chaco" Gimenez, which has a very good long distance shoot and a very good field vision. Togeter in the offenisve with FW Landin or FW Cacho the team provoke many goal chances. The team has a great substitute in MF Damian Alvarez which has been used to change the speed of the matches to benefit Pachuca, is so much his quality than media are pressing for him to be on the starting lineup. But if something have coach Meza learn is to be the one in charge.

His counterattack is very effective but as facing a defensive team it would be hard to score this way. The team has dispute five finals, winning four and lossing one.

Match:

The match is a sellout, tickets are only available with the resellers. Two different styles clash against, America defensive with good attack and Pachuca with ball control and offensive. Both teams have almost the same qualitites, I expect a tight match with a very dispute middlefield, the individual capabilities are going to be key to take the victory.

Prediction:

For O/U I sense that both teams tight defense would hold and more due to America effective gameplay where defense is overattack still not as Toluca than get one goal and forget to attack, more of be careful on defense but continue generating danger, but as I see a lot of quality for me Under 2.5 contains the value.

Pick : Under 2.5
Odds : 1.92
Stake : 8 / 10
Bookmaker :
Date : 2007-05-26
Match Result :
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