Liga MX Apertura Quarterfinal First Leg Review: Major Shocks & Surprises with all Top Four Seeded Sides Losing | OneFootball

The first leg of the Liga MX Apertura semifinals unfolded midweek, delivering surprising outcomes that left many fans astonished.

Club América 2-0 Toluca

The reigning champions showcased their quality by exacting revenge for a 4-0 defeat to Los Diablos Rojos on the final day of the regular season. Toluca entered the first leg with a higher league standing but were undone by a second-half brace from Rodrigo Aguirre, giving Las Águilas the upper hand heading into the decisive second leg.

Toluca will remain confident heading into the clash at the Estadio Nemesio Diez, having won all their regular-season home games, including an impressive victory over Club América just before the November international break.

Tijuana 3-0 Cruz Azul

The biggest surprise of the round came as top-seeded Cruz Azul were dismantled by a Tijuana side that had only secured their playoff spot through a play-in victory over Atlas.

La Máquina became the latest victims of the red-hot José Zúñiga, who scored in front of the Estadio Caliente crowd within the first ten minutes. To everyone's shock, Los Xolos doubled their lead just ten minutes later through Efraín Álvarez. The first half turned into a nightmare for the league leaders, as Jorge Sánchez saw red, and Emmanuel Reynoso added a third for the home side before the break.

Tijuana head to the capital with a comfortable lead to defend, but they’ll be mindful that anything can happen in the return leg—especially after their last trip to the Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes, where Cruz Azul triumphed 3-0.

Atlético de San Luis 3-0 Tigres

San Luis broke their curse against Tigres in style, delivering a commanding victory in the first leg of their double-header.

Atléti had not triumphed in this fixture since 2018, enduring an 11-match winless streak. However, despite their bleak recent history against Tigres, their strong performances against fellow playoff teams during the regular season offered hope for a turnaround this time.

San Luis set the tone early by forcing an own goal from Joaquim, who inadvertently beat his own keeper. A quick-fire double in the second half from Léo and Vitinho then sealed a rare victory for the home side over Tigres.

The two sides will face off on Sunday evening to determine whether Tigres can stage a stunning comeback or if San Luis will secure a second consecutive Apertura playoff berth.

Monterrey 1-0 Pumas

The final game of the round saw Los Rayados secure a narrow win as they head into the return leg in the capital.

Recent encounters between these two sides have been closely contested, and this first leg was no exception. Sergio Canales converted a last-minute penalty to give Monterrey the advantage going into the second leg on Sunday evening.

Pumas will need a win on Sunday night if they hope to meet either Tijuana or Cruz Azul in the next round. However, they can take confidence from their strong form at the Estadio Universitario, having won four of their last five home games.