Atlas reaches the final of Mexican soccer for the first time in 22 years

Atlas vs.

León: everything ready for the final of Liga MX 1:43

(Reuters) -

Atlas advanced to the final of the Grita México A21 tournament on Sunday despite losing 1-0 at home to Pumas UNAM in the series definition.

The Atlas "Rojinegros", who won 1-0 in the first leg on Thursday, reached the title game with an aggregate score of 1-1 and thanks to their better position in the general classification at the end of the regular season .

Atlas ranked second with 29 points, while Pumas ranked eleventh with 21 points.

Hugo Nervo (left) of Atlas celebrates after defeating Pumas during the semifinal of the Mexican Apertura tournament at the Jalisco Stadium in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico on December 5, 2021. (ULISES RUIZ / AFP via Getty Images)

"There are many incredible sensations, I am very grateful for the dedication, respect and commitment of the players. Today there was a complete party, beyond the suffering, but the team never lost its personality or its identity, proud of this team and to be the manager of the Atlas, "said Argentine strategist Diego Cocca.

"The game was lost, but I am proud of my team because it fought and gave itself, what I propose is a team that transmits," he added.

The match that defined the second finalist was very close and with few goal chances.

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It was until the 76th minute when Pumas scored the only goal of the game through Argentine Juan Ignacio Dinenno, who defined by sweeping into the small area after Colombian goalkeeper Camilo Vargas rejected a shot from Efraín Velarde.

Two minutes later Atlas was close to leveling, but Argentine Julio César Furch's shot crashed into the left post.

Pumas finished the game with one man less due to the expulsion of Dinenno, who saw the red card after 92 minutes for kicking defender Jesús Angulo in the face while trying to finish off the Chilean.

"Today was a dreamed night that we have to enjoy, and tomorrow we will start thinking about León to be able to give people another joy. In the final anything can happen, we are one step away from achieving something historic, it depends on us, no we can loosen up, we're going to enjoy playing a final that Atlas hasn't done for a long time, "said Cocca.

"We have an idea, a form and an identity that we are not going to change, there is still a lot to build and hopefully the results continue to be achieved, we cannot give anything away," he said.

Thus, Atlas, who had not reached a final since 1999, 22 years ago, will fight for the title against León, who on Saturday eliminated Tigres UANL with a 2-1 victory and went to the final with an aggregate score of 3-3 thanks to his best position in the general classification of the regular season.

León ranked third with 29 points, while Tigres ranked fourth with 28 points.

"The boys are very good, with their feet on the ground, they know what they have to do, we believe in us, my team is going to leave everything on the court," said Cocca.

MX League