Javier Aguirre, with the Rayados from Monterrey, and Santiago Solari, with the America, they won their matches on the first day and got off to a good start as coaches in the tournament Closure 2021 of Mexican soccer.
Aguirre returned to Mexico after 18 years out of the country, most of them in Spain, where he led four teams, including Atlético de Madrid; in the first game, his Monterrey beat Atlas 0-2. Although it was the only box that won on someone else's court, the strategist was dissatisfied with the result.
“We lacked audacity with the ball to such a degree that with 10 they played better than us,” he said at the end of the match, decided by two goals from Argentine Rogelio Funes Mori.
Solari returned to Mexican soccer, in which he played for Atlante in 2009, and although he coached in the stands because he does not yet have permission to work in the country, he guided América to a 2-1 victory over San Luis.
Against the Mexican branch of Atlético de Madrid, the Águilas de Solari prevailed with targets from the Mexicans Mauro Lainez and Sebastián Córdova.
In addition to the Rayados and the azulcremas, on the initial date of the championship there were four other winners: Toluca, a 3-1 winner of Querétaro, Tigres UANL, a 2-0 winner of the champion León, Mazatlán, a 3-2 winner of Necaxa and Santos Laguna, who went ahead 1-0 against Cruz Azul.
Led by Argentine Hernán Cristante, Toluca became the first leader, by more goals scored than Monterrey and Tigres with which they have the same goal difference.
Mexican Kevin Castañeda, Argentine Pedro Canelo and Ecuadorian Michael Estrada reflected with goals the superiority of Toluca, which, according to the video, was benefited by two controversial arbitration decisions that could have been goals from the rival.
More clear was the Saturday triumph of the Tigres over the monarch León, who suffered his short preseason and was overtaken by the Concacaf champions with goals from Frenchman André Pierre Gignac and Paraguayan Carlos González.
On Friday, Mazatlán defeated Necaxa with a decisive goal from Brazilian Camilo Sanvezzo and on Sunday, Santos Laguna beat the Azules with an elegant goal from Chilean Diego Valdés.
In other results, on Friday Tijuana drew goalless with Pumas UNAM and Puebla, 1-1 with Chivas de Guadalajara.
This Monday Argentine Mauro Quiroga scored a last-minute goal and saved Pachuca a 1-1 draw at their stadium against Juárez FC.
The tournament will resume next weekend with the second date in which Necaxa-San Luis and Juárez FC-Tijuana will play, on Friday; Guadalajara-Toluca, Cruz Azul-Puebla and Monterrey-America, on Saturday; Pumas UNAM-Mazatlán, Santos Laguna-Tigres UANL and Querétaro-Atlas, on Sunday, and León-Pachuca, on Monday.