Monarcas Morelia have not made life easy on themselves heading into the final night of group play in Interliga.
After two games, Morelia have managed to earn just one point and score just three goals. They currently sit at the bottom of the table in Group A, but still have a chance to advance to Sunday's final.
The quality of the teams in the tournament has made for a very closely fought tournament and has provided Morelia with the window of opportunity they need to earn a spot in the Copa Libertadores. If Morelia can manage a two-goal win over Veracruz on Wednesday night at The Home Depot Center, they will guarantee their advancement in the tournament.
"We know (The Copa Libertadores) is a very important tournament, and that is why we are doing all we can to get a berth in this tournament," said head coach Sergio Bueno.
Morelia came into the tournament with an offensive-minded coach in Bueno but have struggled to find the back of the net in what has become a very tightly contested Group A. Thanks in large part to the fact that no team has dominated the group, hope remains afloat, and Bueno and the rest of his team welcome the pressure of being in a must win situation.
"It should be a good pressure for us," Bueno said. "It should be us going out looking for a result and that's the important thing."
For a team that is already thin on the defensive line, having to win by two goals is an unenviable task to say the least. But Morelia would not be in this tournament if they weren't capable of producing big wins. They will be taking on a Veracruz side that will also be looking for a win to lock up advancement in the tournament.</p>
Striking early will most likely be the key to victory in this case. If Morelia can take an early lead over Veracruz it will force Veracruz to open in the back line. That just might be the opening that an offense as explosive as Morelia's needs to rack up the goals. </p>
Taking an early lead is the first priority for Bueno. As the game wears on Morelia will get more concerned about goal differential, but most important is getting off to a good start in Wednesday's contest.</p>
"The most important thing is getting the advantage," Bueno said. "We'll worry later about the aggregate score. The most important thing is to get the victory."
Should the Morelia offense show up to play on Wednesday night it will turn Group A upside down. Morelia plays in the first game of a doubleheader on Wednesday, and a victory will vault them from last place to first place in the group with a win. Whether they stay there depends on the result of the final game of the night between Pachuca and Monterrey, but there is still hope in the minds of Morelia's players and coaches.
Greg Daurio is a contributor to InterLiga.com. This story was not subject to the approval of the league or its clubs.
