The Apertura 2015 Liga MX Finals was the final of the Apertura 2015 Liga MX season, the top level of the Mexican football.
The final was contested in two-legged home-and-away format between Pumas UNAM and Tigres UANL. The first leg was hosted by Tigres UANL at Estadio Universitario in the Monterrey suburb of San Nicolás de los Garza on December 10, 2015, while the second leg was hosted by Pumas UNAM at Estadio Olímpico Universitario in Mexico City on December 13, 2015. Both finalists qualified to the 2016–17 CONCACAF Champions League.
Background Both clubs only faced each other once before in a league final, the final of the 1977–78 season which Tigres UANL won 3–1 on aggregate.
Before reaching this final, Pumas UNAM appeared in five finals since the year 2000, four in which they were victorious (Clausura 2004, Apertura 2004, Clausura 2009, and Clausura 2011). The team last won the league title four years earlier when they defeated Morelia to capture the Clausura 2011 title.
This was Tigres UANL's third final in a one-year span, the team lost the Apertura 2014 league final and lost the 2015 Copa Libertadores final in that span. The team last won the Liga MX title three years earlier when they defeated Santos Laguna to capture the Apertura 2011 title.
The teams represent the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL), which made it the third time two teams representing Mexican universities faced each other in the final.
Rules The final was played on a home-and-away two-legged basis. Unlike the quarterfinals and semifinals, if the two teams are tied after both legs, the match goes to extra-time and, if necessary, a shootout. There is also no away goals rule and the team's seed in the classification does not matter if the teams tie on aggregate.
Road to the finals
Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first (H: home; A: away).
Pumas UNAMRoundTigres UANLOpponentAgg.1st leg2nd legChampionship stage (Liguilla)OpponentAgg.1st leg2nd legVeracruz1–1 (s)0–1 (A)1–0 (H)QuarterfinalsChiapas3–12–1 (H)1–0 (A)América4–33–0 (A)3–1 (H)SemifinalsToluca2–00–0 (H)2–0 (A)
Matches
First leg
GK 1 Nahuel Guzmán DF 24 José Arturo Rivas DF 3 Juninho (c) DF 4 Hugo Ayala DF 2 Israel Jiménez MF 19 Guido Pizarro MF 29 Jesús Dueñas MF 20 Javier Aquino MF 25 Jürgen Damm FW 9 Rafael Sóbis FW 10 André-Pierre GignacSubstitutions: GK 22 Enrique Palos DF 13 Antonio Briseño MF 5 Egidio Arévalo Ríos MF 11 Damián Álvarez MF 18 José Francisco Torres MF 23 Édgar Lugo FW 8 Joffre Guerrón Manager: Ricardo Ferretti GK 1 Alejandro Palacios DF 16 Marcelo Alatorre DF 3 Gerardo Alcoba DF 4 Darío Verón (c) DF 5 Luis Fernando Fuentes MF 21 Alejandro Castro MF 7 Javier Cortés MF 11 Fidel Martínez FW 18 Ismael Sosa FW 20 Matías Britos FW 15 Eduardo Herrera Substitutions: GK 17 Yosgart Gutiérrez DF 2 Josecarlos Van Rankin DF 26 Luis Fernando Quintana MF 6 Silvio Torales MF 8 David Cabrera MF 10 Daniel Ludueña FW 9 Dante López Manager: Guillermo Vázquez
Assistant referees: Miguel Ángel Hernández (Puebla) Alejandro Ayala Valderrama (Distrito Federal) Fourth official: Erick Yair Miranda (Guanajuato)
Second leg
4–4 on aggregate. Tigres UANL won 4–2 on penalty kicks
GK 1 Alejandro Palacios DF 16 Marcelo Alatorre DF 3 Gerardo Alcoba DF 4 Darío Verón (c) DF 5 Luis Fernando Fuentes MF 21 Alejandro Castro MF 7 Javier Cortés MF 10 Daniel Ludueña FW 20 Matías Britos FW 18 Ismael Sosa FW 15 Eduardo Herrera Substitutions: GK 17 Yosgart Gutiérrez DF 2 Josecarlos Van Rankin DF 26 Luis Fernando Quintana MF 6 Silvio Torales MF 8 David Cabrera MF 11 Fidel Martínez FW 9 Dante López Manager: Guillermo Vázquez GK 1 Nahuel Guzmán DF 24 José Arturo Rivas DF 3 Juninho (c) DF 4 Hugo Ayala DF 2 Israel Jiménez MF 19 Guido Pizarro MF 29 Jesús Dueñas MF 20 Javier Aquino MF 25 Jürgen Damm FW 9 Rafael Sóbis FW 10 André-Pierre Gignac Substitutions: GK 22 Enrique Palos DF 13 Antonio Briseño MF 5 Egidio Arévalo Ríos MF 11 Damián Álvarez MF 18 José Francisco Torres MF 23 Édgar Lugo FW 8 Joffre GuerrónManager: Ricardo Ferretti
Assistant referees: Alberto Morin Méndez (Chihuahua) José Luis Camargo (Mexico State) Fourth official: Luis Enrique Santander (Guanajuato)
References
External links Liga MX website