Clausura 2018 Copa MX final

The Clausura 2018 Copa MX Final was the final of the Clausura 2018 Copa MX, the twelfth edition of the Copa MX under its current format and 79th overall organized by the Mexican Football Federation, the governing body of association football in Mexico.

Clausura 2018 Copa MX Final
EventClausura 2018 Copa MX
Date11 April 2018 (2018-04-11)[1]
VenueEstadio Victoria, Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes
RefereeCésar Ramos
Attendance19,223

The final was contested in a single leg format between Liga MX clubs Necaxa and Toluca.[1] The match was hosted by Necaxa at Estadio Victoria in Aguascalientes City, Aguascalientes on 11 April 2018. The winners earned a spot to face Monterrey (Apertura 2017 winners) in the 2018 Supercopa MX.[2]

Qualified teams

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Team Previous finals appearances (bold indicates winners)
Necaxa 4 (1960, 1966, 1995, Clausura 2016)
Toluca 3 (1956, 1961, 1989)

Venue

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Estadio Victoria, host of the final

Due to the tournament's regulations, the higher seed among both finalists during the group stage will host the final, thus Estadio Victoria hosted the final.[3] The venue has been home to Necaxa since the club relocated from Mexico City in the Apertura 2003 season.[4] The venue has previously hosted various Ascenso MX finals, the most recent being the first leg of the 2015–16 promotional final where they defeated F.C. Juárez 1–0; the team would eventually be promoted to Liga MX after winning 3–0 on aggregate.[5][6]

Background

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Necaxa has won the tournament three times while Toluca has won it twice. Before reaching the final, the last time Necaxa reached a final of any kind was the 2015–16 promotional final where they defeated F.C. Juárez 3–0 on aggregate, that same season the club also lost the Clausura 2016 Copa MX Final to Veracruz.[7][5] Toluca last reached a final in 2014 where they lost the 2013–14 CONCACAF Champions League Final to Cruz Azul on away goals.[8]

The clubs previously met in a final nearly 20 years earlier where a José Cardozo-led Toluca defeated an Alex Aguinaga-led Necaxa 6–4 on aggregate to capture the Mexican Primera División Verano 1998 championship.[9]

Necaxa, won two, drew one and lost one during the group stage as they were seeded fifth. They eliminated Atlas in the Round of 16, UNAM in the quarterfinals, and Santos Laguna in the semifinals.

Toluca, won two, drew one and lost one during the group stage as they were seeded seventh. They eliminated Oaxaca in the Round of 16, Tapachula in the quarterfinals, and Zacatepec on penalty kicks in the semifinals.

Road to the finals

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Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first.

Necaxa Round Toluca
Opponent Result Group stage Opponent Result
Zacatepec 5–0 (H) Matchday 1 Zacatecas 2–2 (H)
Murciélagos 1–1 (A) Matchday 2 Santos Laguna 1–2 (A)
Zacatepec 0–2 (A) Matchday 3 Santos Laguna 2–0 (H)
Murciélagos 1–0 (H) Matchday 4 Zacatecas 4–3 (A)
Group 6 runners-up
Pos Team Pld Pts
1 Zacatepec 4 9
2 Necaxa 4 7
3 Murciélagos 4 1
Source: Copa MX
Final standings Group 4 winners
Pos Team Pld Pts
1 Toluca 4 7
2 Santos Laguna 4 7
3 Zacatecas 4 2
Source: Copa MX
Opponent Result Knockout stage Opponent Result
Atlas 2–1 (H) Round of 16 Oaxaca 2–0 (H)
UNAM 2–1 (A) Quarterfinals Tapachula 3–1 (A)
Santos Laguna 2–1 (H) Semifinals Zacatepec 1–1 (4–3 pen.) (A)

Final

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Necaxa1–0Toluca
Report
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Necaxa[10][11]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Toluca[10][11]
GK 1   Marcelo Barovero (c)
DF 17   Miguel Ponce   68'   90+3'
DF 31   Ventura Alvarado   50'
DF 5   Igor Lichnovsky
DF 2   Brayan Beckeles
MF 24   Fernando González
MF 18   Felipe Gallegos
MF 13   Roberto Alvarado
MF 10   Dieter Villalpando   89'
FW 15   Víctor Dávila   75'
FW 32   Carlos González
Substitutions:
GK 25   Yosgart Gutiérrez
DF 33   Mario de Luna   89'
MF 7   Daniel Álvarez
MF 8   Xavier Báez   90+3'
MF 29   Marcelo Allende
MF 34   Gustavo Culma
FW 9   Martín Barragán   75'
Manager:
  Ignacio Ambríz
GK 1   Alfredo Talavera
DF 26   Cristian Borja
DF 5   Osvaldo González
DF 3   Santiago García   14'
DF 13   Aldo Benítez   76'
MF 15   Antonio Ríos   88'
MF 35   Juan Delgadillo   58'
MF 14   Rubens Sambueza (c)   35'   90+4'
MF 24   Pablo Barrientos   90+3'
FW 23   Luis Quiñones
FW 25   Alexis Canelo
Substitutions:
GK 22   Luis Manuel García
DF 4   Maximiliano Perg   76'
DF 33   Carlos Calvo
MF 17   Leonel López
MF 28   Jorge Sartiaguin
FW 10   Ángel Reyna   58'
FW 20   Fernando Uribe   88'
Manager:
  Hernán Cristante

Assistant referees:
Marvin Torrentera
Miguel Ángel Hernández
Fourth official:
Adonai Escobedo

References

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  1. ^ a b "COPA MX - Página Oficial de la Liga Mexicana del Fútbol Profesional".
  2. ^ "Copa y Supercopa MX se definirán el fin de semana de Final del Mundial". 4 December 2017.
  3. ^ "Copa Mx: Necaxa vs Toluca: Horario y dónde ver por tv en vivo la final de la Copa MX 2018". 10 April 2018.
  4. ^ "Estadio Victoria | Club Necaxa". Archived from the original on 2016-06-26. Retrieved 2018-04-11.
  5. ^ a b "Necaxa se lleva la Final de Ida al imponerse 1-0 a FC Juárez".
  6. ^ "Necaxa regresa a Primera División". 21 May 2016.
  7. ^ "Veracruz, Campeón de la Copa MX".
  8. ^ "Cruz Azul, Campeón de CONCACAF".
  9. ^ "Con tintes noventeros, Necaxa y Toluca disputarán final de Copa".
  10. ^ a b "Necaxa vs. Toluca - 12 April 2018 - Soccerway".
  11. ^ a b "COPA MX - Página Oficial de la Liga Mexicana del Fútbol Profesional".