On Mexico’s northern frontier, Tigres left Ciudad Juárez with more than a defeat to consider. The 2-0 Liga MX loss to Bravos ended an eight-match losing run for the home side and brought an openly irritated response from Víctor Manuel Vucetich.
A damaging night in Juárez
- Juárez, having suffered eight consecutive defeats before Tigres arrived, produced a 2-0 home victory over the visitors.
- Tigres created chances and enjoyed periods of control, but Vucetich said his team repeatedly failed to turn that work into goals.
- A penalty decision also featured in the match. Vucetich said he was unsure whether it should have been awarded, but accepted that it was given.
- After the final whistle, the Tigres coach said he was uncomfortable and angry with what unfolded, stressing that his side had travelled intending to win.
“We created opportunities but did not finish them, and that is what is most frustrating,” Vucetich said. “We missed many scoring chances.”
Squad questions after the window
The result came alongside wider concerns about Tigres’ squad planning following the close of the transfer market. Vucetich defended Guillermo Martínez after the club were unable to complete other potential arrivals.
He said the club had held discussions with several players, but circumstances prevented Tigres from signing the option they wanted. Martínez, he added, should not be underestimated: the forward is a World Cup player with the quality and tools to play for any side.
Late change before kick-off
Tigres’ difficulties had begun before the match started. Brazilian midfielder Rômulo Zwarg suffered a physical problem during the warm-up, forcing Vucetich to alter his intended line-up and bring César Araújo into the side.
Vucetich addressed the issue after the game while discussing the changes imposed on his team, adding another unwelcome complication to a night when Tigres could not make their attacking superiority count on the border.
