Tigres, the 2016 Liga MX Apertura champions, are now on the verge of the 2017 Clausura Final after defeating top-seeded Tijuana 2-0 in the first leg of their Liguilla semifinal. Lucas Zelarayan opened the scoring with a sumptuous goal in the 42nd minute, and a visibly shaken Tijuana side gave up a second only three minutes later to Javier Aquino.
A packed Estadio Universitario in San Nicolas de los Garza was witness to an absolute moment of magic from Zelarayan — the Argentine attacker used his heel to control a deflected pass, swiveled and fired a shot beneath Manuel Lajud to the delight of 42,000.
#PorSiNoLoviste GL de @TigresOficial Lucas Zelarayán IDA #Semifinal #Clausura2017 #LIGABancomerMX #SienteTuLiga #PorUnMexicoLimpio pic.twitter.com/H3SN7PxpgV
— LIGA Bancomer MX (@LIGABancomerMX) May 19, 2017
Tijuana were likely in disbelief when a calamitous defensive error allowed Aquino to double Tigres' advantage.
#PorSiNoLoViste GL de @TigresOficial Javier Aquino IDA #Semifinal #Clausura2017 #LIGABancomerMX #SienteTuLiga #PorUnMexicoLimpio pic.twitter.com/2pXItGHFN5
— LIGA Bancomer MX (@LIGABancomerMX) May 19, 2017
The second leg at Estadio Caliente will take place on Sunday, May 21. The other semifinal saw Toluca and Chivas battle to a 1-1 draw before the return leg at Estadio Chivas.