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Mexico Primera Division

Mexican Clausura 2011 - Will it be a photo finish for Group 2?

Angela Asante, April 22 2011,
With no clear frontrunner, four teams vie for spots to the playoffs.
The Clausura 2011 sees Toluca, Tigres and co competing in a tight race.
The Clausura 2011 sees Toluca, Tigres and co competing in a tight race.
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Primera Division
Related Articles: U.N.A.L, UNAM, Atlante, America, Toluca, Atlas, Clausura 2011
It is the only group that has a leader with 6 losses. It is the only group without a double-digit difference between the team with the most and the team with the least amount of points. It is the only group that has a team that has only had 1 draw in 15 games. It is Group 2.

What a Clausura 2011 it has been for the six teams in Group 2! Whereas Groups 1 and 3 have each had a team power through the season and easily secure spots for the knockout round, respectively U.N.A.L and UNAM, Group 2 has had a thrilling season. At the moment, Atlante, America, Toluca, or Atlas have a chance to advance.

Atlante: With a hot goal scorer in Christian Bermudez, Atlante seemed to have the right tool needed to lead the club to that number one position. Yet things have not turned out as planned. Certainly, Bermudez and goalkeeper Moises Munoz have offered a nice balance of attack and defending; yet the team has not been able to fare well against the overall leading teams.

In fact, of the top five teams (UNAM, U.N.A.L, Morelia, Guadalajara, and Cruz Azul), Atlante has only been able to beat Cruz Azul. The club will end its season with matches against America and Toluca. It will be fascinating to see if Atlante will be adding 6, 4, 3, 2, or 0 points to its current total of 23.

America: America has had the most paradoxical season of any team in Group 2. It has garnered the most goals (28) but yet has given away the most goals (27). The team has some absolute superstars in Angel Reyna Martinez, Vicente Sanchez and Vincente Viuoso; the trio has accounted for 75% of America’s goals.

Alas Memo Ochoa has been in the firing line with little help. The club is averaging 1.86 goals against per match. Yikes! It is on the heels of the leading team with its 22 points and has two big games coming up against Atlante and UNAM—can America pull off some upsets?

Toluca: Like Atlas with 20 points, Toluca is threatening America’s second position. Manager Sergio Lugo Barron must feel some disappointment after a brilliant opening to the Clausura.

The club had a strong start with a draw against UNAM and victory over U.N.A.L; it then hit a wall, losing three games in a row, including a 1-6 thrashing from Morelia. It has not hit a consistent stride and, unluckily, it looks like the club will miss the knockout round again.

Atlas: Fans of Atlas might be disappointed at the end of the Clausura. Nonetheless, they should view the glass as half-full. Why? Well consider that the club finished last in its group last season with a humble 13 points. Now, it is in a tight race for third, possibly second place in Group 2.

It still needs to find a dominating striker and strengthen its attack so that it has that added power to overcome teams like Guadalajara, UNAM, and Cruz Azul. Be patient Atlas fans…The team will surely have its breakout season soon!
And what about the other two clubs?

Unfortunately, struggling San Luis and Pachuca have not had the same successes they enjoyed during the Apertura 2010; however, there is only a 7 point spread between first place Atlante and Pachuca.

That is quite respectable considering the 21 point gap between UNAM and Chiapas in Group 3. Had San Luis and Pachuca had slightly better away results they just might had made the group all the more exciting; alas they could not rescue some vital points from away games.

As that old saying goes, anything is possible in football. The top two teams might advance but then again there could be a turn of events. Keep watching and expect a thrilling final two weeks of the qualification phase of the Clausura 2011.

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