Santos and Monterrey count down the last 180 minutes of a wild Apertura season.
Mexico's Apertura 2010 draws to a close this week as Santos and Monterrey battle it out for the league crown. It's been a strong playoff showing for both teams who dispatched some pretty stiff competition in the earlier rounds - but were ultimately benefited by the stunning Cruz Azul elimination in the quarterfinals.

Two managers with a wealth of experience will clash in Torreón and Monterrey as Victor Manuel Vucetich goes for yet another league title, while Ruben Omar Romano is still seeking his elusive first. Also of note is the head-to-head matchup of each team's star striker (Christian Benitez and Humberto Suazo) with the opposing defense. The dismantling of América by Benítez and Carlos Quintero are surely weighing on the Monterrey defenders minds.

The Mexican league final is off and going, and the best coverage is on LiveSoccer TV!

Santos and Monterrey have parlayed two fantastic regular season campaigns into finals appearances in this Apertura 2010. It is, in a sense, a meeting of two teams that have savored recent success and dominated the league in a way.

Monterrey followed its Apertura 2009 title with a first place regular season finish in the Bicentenario 2010. Santos Laguna was one missed penalty kick away from hoisting the championship trophy in that same Bicentenario 2010.

Both teams will now look to add to their trophy cases at the expense of the other, in an all-north final that pits two of the country's most dangerous offenses against each other.

Santos, lead by strikers Carlos Quintero and Christian Benítez (the tournament's top goal scorer), have been responsible for some stellar play over the last season. Benitez, returning from a spell in England, has especially been on a tear, as he's done in most of the country's back lines during the current season.

Monterrey on the other hand, boast another "European" refugee in Humberto Suazo, who followed up his spell at Zaragoza with a fantastic 2010, leading the Rayados to the final of the current tournament.

The managers will also play a big part in their teams potential success or failure. Victor Manuel Vucetich has won a handful of titles in Mexico and has already tasted glory with Monterrey, winning the Apertura 2009.

Meanwhile, Santos boss Ruben Omar Romano was denied his first title six months ago, when Toluca beat his team in penalties, hanging their tenth banner on the rafters.

Monterrey's road to the title series has been somewhat stifled: draws against Pachuca at home and away only pushed them through to the semifinals on tiebreakers, while the semifinal series was also a closed affair, as Pumas drew their first match before dispatching of them in Monterrey by a score of 2-0.

Santos held off Jaguares in the quarterfinals, needing a late Juan Pablo Rodriguez penalty kick to avoid going through on tiebreakers, and then displayed a breadth of attacking football in the semifinals by beating América 2-1 at the Estadio Azteca and then going toe-to-toe at the Estadio Corona, drawing at 3.

The home team will look to go ahead in the first leg and thus play on Monterrey's potential despair in the second leg, and have the offensive tools to do so. The Rayado back line has been questioned of late, leaving Jose Maria Basanta and Duilio Davino with the task of holding off potentially the best forward tandem in the league.

The fate of their championship will most likely rest on their shoulders... will they able to handle it?