GUADALAJARA, Mexico – With MLS opening weekend drawing tantalizingly closer, US soccer fans can still get their short-term fix of action this weekend down in Monterrey.
US national team duo Jose Torres and Herculez Gomez (above) are good friends and both suited up for Pachuca back in 2010-11, but that will all be put to one side for 90 minutes when Tigres UANL and Santos Laguna meet on Saturday evening (8 pm ET, UniMás).
The two teams are going through very different moments, with Torres’ Tigres flying high in first position in the Liga MX and Gomez’s Santos Laguna slowly adapting to a new system under Portuguese coach Pedro Caixinha.
Gomez is set to start as the central striker with Oribe Peralta still injured and is looking forward to the tricky away game in the Estadio Universitario.
“I want the responsibility, it’s the kind of game I like,” Gomez told the Torreón press this week. “I want that pressure.”
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Club Tijuana slipped up last weekend, but could put the pressure on Tigres at the top with an away win Friday against struggling Jaguares (8:30 pm ET, ESPN Deportes).
Edgar Castillo and Joe Corona are in line to feature, while Greg Garza’s return from injury is taking longer than expected and means he will miss out.
On Sunday, DaMarcus Beasley and Michael Orozco Fiscalhave started the season well with Puebla and could make a true statement of intent in the Estadio Cuauhtémoc against Chivas (5 pm ET, ESPN Deportes).
In the Ascenso MX, Marco Vidal’s Lobos BUAP kick off at 5 pm ET against Correcaminos on Friday looking to consolidate themselves in the playoff places.
Sonny Guadarrama’s Mérida need a victory on Saturday against Necaxa (8 pm ET) to move up from ninth place.
In Costa Rica, Moises Hernandez and Saprissa will hope to consolidate second place, but must do so in a massive away game against archrivals Alajuelense (Sunday, 6 pm ET).
