Monterrey took their fans at the Estadio BBVA Bancomer on a roller-coaster ride in the second-leg of the semifinal series against Club America on Saturday. The final 4-2 result sent Monterrey through to the 2016 Clausura Final after winning the series by an aggregate score of 4-3.
For the second season in a row, Club America have been eliminated in the Liguilla semifinals.
Here are three takes after one of the most thrilling Liga MX games in the last five years:
1. Monterrey's tactical mobility was key
Head coach Antonio "Turco" Mohamed made two changes to his starting XI ahead of the second-leg. Hiram Mier took Efrain Juarez's place in the right-back position, while Jesus Zavala took Walter Ayovi's place in midfield.
The modifications to his starting team paid off for Mohamed, who even dealt well with Zavala's early injury on Saturday night. With Zavala injured, Mohamed sent Neri Cardozo onto the pitch. The Argentinean midfielder proved to be vital for Monterrey's offensive creation.
Since the regular season match between both teams ended 3-3, Mohamed has showed signs that he's developed a series of strategies to put a stop on Las Aguilas.
In that regular season match, Monterrey started off with a backline of five defenders, and in the second half, he switched back to a backline of four. The decision to switch from a backline of five to four paid off because Rayados' second half at Estadio Azteca was much better than the first half. At halftime the scoreline read 2-1 in favor of Los Azulcremas, and at the final whistle, Monterrey took home a point.
Mohamed's coaching expertise and ability to make the right decisions during the 90 minutes has significantly evolved in the last six months to the point that he's on the brink of winning his third title as head coach. This time around he's coaching a team with a lot of superstar power. It must be difficult to keep all of them on the same page.
Even after falling in the first-leg by a final score of 1-0 in Mexico City, Mohamed maintained his calm and assured to the press that his team was going to reach the final. Mohamed's decisions to put Mier from the start and to hand Cardozo an invaluable opportunity in the midfield were vital for Monterrey's winning aspirations. Mohamed's tactical decisions allowed players such as Carlos Sanchez and Edwin Cardona to inflict a lot of damage on Las Aguilas' defense.
2. America loses second consecutive semifinal series
Michael "Miky" Arroyo's brace off two free kick executions almost gave America an unforeseen miracle. Arroyo's goals and Hugo Gonzalez's saves were Las Aguilas' main positives in a match that the team was tormented by Cardona, Sanchez, Rogelio Funes Mori and Dorlan Pabon's attacking incursions.
For many lapses in the match, America was outmatched by Monterrey's attacking bunch, one of which is not commonly seen in Liga MX. Most Liga MX clubs have one or two dangerous attackers, but hardly none of them have four.
When the match reached its climax, America lost two players -- Osvaldo Martinez and Paolo Goltz -- to red-cards. Roberto Garcia Orozco's penalty decision was the cause of America losing its sense of concentration. Both Martinez and Goltz were red-carded for arguing about a penalty decision that, at the end of it all, was a correct one.
Nevertheless when the game was 11 versus 11, Monterrey was able to dominate every aspect of the game. No wonder both of America's goals came via free kicks rather than open play.
Once again Ignacio Ambriz has fallen short in his attempt of leading Las Aguilas to a Liga MX final, and once again he lost two players to red-cards in the second leg of a semifinal series -- as was the case against Pumas in the 2015 Apertura.
Ultimately, the recent results suggest that Ambriz's America has improved, but the red-mark continues to be Ambriz's inability to control a group of players, who have shown weakness in maintaining concentration throughout a 180-minute knockout series.
Had Martinez and Goltz maintained their calm when the score read 4-2, perhaps America could have found that goal that would have sent them to the final.
3. Carlos Sanchez en route to becoming this season's MVP
With two games remaining for Monterrey in the Clausura, Carlos Sanchez has picked up nine goals and nine assists. His resilient performance against America on Saturday night was fundamental in Rayados' win.
Sanchez is a footballer who could easily be playing in a club like Atletico de Madrid, a team that takes a lot of pride in having players with Sanchez's characteristics.
It's not Sanchez's goals and assists that make him a player that stands out. What makes Sanchez stand out is his insatiable desire to walk away the pitch with a win in his bag.
Andre-Pierre Gignac took Liga MX by storm in his first season in Mexico, but Sanchez's Clausura could well surpass Gignac's first season on Mexican soil.
It's worth mentioning that Sanchez had already played in Liga MX with Puebla FC during the 2013 Apertura and 2014 Clausura, but his time in Puebla can't be compared to what he's accomplishing at Monterrey. With Sanchez in Monterrey's XI, Mohamed's team looks unbeatable ahead of the upcoming final.