Atlas

 
The semifinals are now set. Four teams advance for a chance to capture the Clausura 2013 title. Enough will be written about these teams and their intriguing match-ups in the coming days. Before we move on, I'd like to take a moment to reflect on the seasons and the outlooks of the recently departed.

 
The Mexican Liguilla starts tonight. This end-of-the season tournament has historically proven to be anyone’s for the taking. It feels especially true this season as none of these remaining teams could be easily discounted. A case could be made for any of the eight to capture the title, albeit some easier than others. Let’s look at the four quarterfinal match-ups that will play out over the next five days:

(1) Tigres v. (8) Monterrey

Schedule:

Wednesday, May 8 at 7:00 (CT), Estadio Tecnologico

 
As a first time writer on Soccer Mexicana, I will begin by introducing myself. My name is Roberto Macias, but on here or on Twitter I go by DonTical_futbol. How did I come up with that name? My devotion for hip-hop music growing up and my love for the beautiful game mixed together to create the name. I am a fan of el Rebaño Sagrado, also known as Las Chivas de Guadalajara. On Twitter I try to stay neutral, sometimes my passion takes over and can’t help my love for my team.

 
It’s a busy week. Liga MX is in full swing. Toluca and Tijuana are involved in Copa Libertadores action today. Copa MX matches will be going on, and to top it off the CONCACAF U-20 tournament is under way in Puebla. We will all need some energy to keep up. I’m hoping a giant torta overstuffed with meat will get that done for me. I went with the torta filled with pastor meat. I feel a bit like Ron Swanson.

Plenty of interesting storylines highlight Week 4 and the Clausura season thus far. Chivas and Leon are still winless. Atlas and Queretaro continue to make a real battle out the relegation race. Tijuana hasn’t flinched from their championship form. With so much to discuss, I present an especially meaty torta. Buen provecho.

What's Happening: Week 4 Results and Table

It's hard being on the road. In Liga MX action this week, the home teams went 6-2-1. This week's visiting teams received more red cards than red carpets (insert snare drum here). Traveling outside of Mexico for the month of January has been similarly (if not equally) challenging for me. Finding a quality torta in central Pennsylvania is harder than a visiting team winning in the Estadio Caliente. Yet, with the help of The Taco Shop in Harrisburg my mission was accomplished. Leon didn't find as much luck.

This torta stand is normally parked near Estadio Azul. It's a bit beat up like the team that plays across the street. Yet after Saturday, everything associated with Cruz Azul has a distinct glow to it.

What's happening: Jornada 15 Results and Table:

It wasn't a great weekend for travelers. Home teams were undefeated this week (albeit with only three wins). With this in mind (and/or laziness), I stayed close to home and went with the torta stand closest to my apartment. It's not the best quality but it gets the job done. Again, much like the home teams.
Sandwiched between last week's results and next week's predictions are hopefully some tasty bits. Don't forget to click on the header links and enjoy.

Torta ... a word with so many meanings. In Mexico, however, the word is almost always referring to a big, hot sandwich. This weekly column will mash together results of the previous week with some things to look forward to in the upcoming week. Hopefully enough condiments will be added to make this more of the 'muy rico' variety and not just 'gigante'.

 
There's an inherent danger in making judgments after one match. Was this one performance reflective of the greater characteristics of the team, or was it just that ... one performance? Chivas fans will likely look to their second half performance today against Toluca as a sign of positive things to come. Chivas detractors will point to their bumbling first half as a sign of their impending failure. Either way, these are just speculation. It's just too early to say.