PACHUCA, MEXICO - MAY 29: Martin Nervo and Aldo Rocha of Atlas lift the Campeon de Campeones and Liga MX champion's trophies after winning the final second leg match between Pachuca and Atlas as part of the Torneo Grita Mexico C22 Liga MX at Hidalgo Stadium on May 29, 2022 in Pachuca, Mexico.
(Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images)
(Reuters) --
Atlas won the two-time Mexican soccer championship on Sunday despite losing 2-1 away to Pachuca in the series for the title of the Grita México C22 tournament.
The "Rojinegros" del Atlas got their third star after those obtained in the 1950-1951 season and in the Grita México A21 tournament with a global score of 3-2 after winning 2-0 in the first leg.
"We suffered a lot, it was very hard, we are very happy and proud, winning these titles is the best. I rescue the will of this squad that never gave anything up for lost," Atlas technical director Diego Cocca told Fox Sports. .
In the second leg, played at the Hidalgo de Pachuca stadium, the local team took the lead after eight minutes through Ecuadorian Romario Ibarra, who defined with a shot inside the area after eluding two opponents.
The Argentine Julio César Furch equalized for Atlas at 45 minutes by way of the penalty kick after the referee Fernando Hernández decreed it after reviewing a play in the VAR where the defender Daniel Aceves touched the ball with his hand inside the area.
advertising
Pachuca took the lead again at the end of the first half with a header from Argentine Nicolás Ibáñez after a cross sent by Víctor Guzmán from the left sector.
Atlas was left with a man less at 82 minutes with the expulsion of defender Aníbal Chalá who saw the red card after the referee reviewed a play in the VAR where the Ecuadorian defender stepped on Guzmán's ankle when both disputed the ball.
Pachuca, who was looking for his seventh title after those won in the tournaments Invierno 1999, Invierno 2001, Apertura 2003, Clausura 2006, Clausura 2007 and Clausura 2016, tried to take advantage of the extra player to tie the overall score and send the game to extra time but they didn't make it.
In this way, Atlas became the third club in Mexico to win a two-time championship since the short tournaments were implemented in 1996. Pumas UNAM achieved it in the Clausura 2004 and Apertura 2004, and León did it in the Apertura 2013 and Clausura 2014 .
"It was a very disputed final, Pachuca was a difficult and excellent rival, but the heart of this team was stronger to take us the two-time championship," Colombian Camilo Vargas, Atlas goalkeeper, told Fox Sports.
Mexican soccer champions and runners-up since 1943
Below is a list of the champions and runners-up of Mexican soccer since 1943 after the title of the Grita México C22 tournament won by Atlas on Sunday:
Season Champion Runner-up
1943/44 Asturias Spain
1944/45 Spain Puebla
1945/46 Veracruz Atlantean
1946/47 Atlantean Lion
1947/48 Lion Gold
1948/49 Lion Atlas
1949/50 Veracruz Atlantean
1950/51 Atlantean Atlas
1951/52 Leon Guadalajara
1952/53 Tampico Zacatepec
1953/54 Mars Gold
1954/55 Zacatepec Guadalajara
1955/56 Leon Gold
1956/57 Guadalajara Toluca
1957/58 Zacatepec Toluca
1958/59 Guadalajara Leon
1959/60 Guadalajara America
1960/61 Guadalajara Gold
1961/62 Guadalajara America
1962/63 Gold Guadalajara
1963/64 Guadalajara America
1964/65 Guadalajara Gold
1965/66 America Atlas
1966/67 Toluca America
1967/68 Toluca Pumas UNAM
1968/69 Cruz Azul Guadalajara
1969/70 Guadalajara Cruz Azul
Mexico 1970 Cruz Azul Guadalajara
1970/71 America Toluca
1971/72 Cruz Azul America
1972/73 Cruz Azul Leon
1973/74 Cruz Azul Athletic Spanish
1974/75 Toluca Leon
1975/76 America Tecos UAG
1976/77 Pumas UNAM U of Guadalajara
1977/78 Tigres UANL Pumas UNAM
1978/79 Cruz Azul Pumas UNAM
1979/80 Cruz Azul Tigres UANL
1980/81 Pumas UNAM Cruz Azul
1981/82 UANL Atlantean Tigers
1982/83 Puebla Guadalajara
1983/84 America Guadalajara
1984/85 America Pumas UNAM
Proof 1985 America Tampico-Madero
Mexico 1986 Monterrey Tampico-Madero
1986/87 Guadalajara Cruz Azul
1987/88 America Pumas UNAM
1988/89 America Cruz Azul
1989/90 Puebla U of Guadalajara
1990/91 Pumas UNAM America
1991/92 Leon Puebla
1992/93 Atlante Monterrey
1993/94 Tecos UAG Santos Laguna
1994/95 Necaxa Cruz Azul
1995/96 Necaxa Atletico Celaya
Short Tournaments:
Winter 96 Santos Laguna Necaxa
Summer 97 Guadalajara Bulls Neza
Winter 97 Cruz Azul Leon
Summer 98 Toluca Necaxa
Winter 98 Necaxa Guadalajara
Summer 99 Toluca Atlas
Winter 99 Pachuca Cruz Azul
Summer 2000 Toluca Santos Laguna
Winter 2000 Morelia Toluca
Summer 2001 Santos Laguna Pachuca
Winter 2001 Pachuca Tigres UANL
Summer 2002 America Necaxa
Opening 2002 Toluca Morelia
Closure 2003 Monterrey Morelia
Opening 2003 Pachuca Tigres UANL
Closure 2004 Pumas UNAM Guadalajara
Opening 2004 Pumas UNAM Monterrey
Closure 2005 America Tecos UAG
Opening 2005 Toluca Monterrey
Closure 2006 Pachuca San Luis
Opening 2006 Guadalajara Toluca
Closure 2007 Pachuca America
Opening 2007 Atlante Pumas UNAM
Closing 2008 Santos Laguna Cruz Azul
Opening 2008 Toluca Cruz Azul
Closure 2009 Pumas UNAM Pachuca
Opening 2009 Monterrey Cruz Azul
Bicentennial 2010 Toluca Santos Laguna
Opening 2010 Monterrey Santos Laguna
Closure 2011 Pumas UNAM Morelia
Opening 2011 Tigres UANL Santos Laguna
Closing 2012 Santos Laguna Monterrey
Opening 2012 Tijuana Toluca
Closure 2013 America Cruz Azul
Opening 2013 Leon America
Closure 2014 Leon Pachuca
Opening 2014 America Tigres UANL
Closing 2015 Santos Laguna Queretaro
Opening 2015 Tigres UANL Pumas UNAM
Closure 2016 Pachuca Monterrey
Opening 2016 Tigres UANL America
Closure 2017 Guadalajara Tigres UANL
Opening 2017 Tigres UANL Monterrey
Closing 2018 Santos Laguna Toluca
Opening 2018 America Cruz Azul
Closing 2019 Tigres UANL Leon
Opening 2019 Monterrey America
Guard1anes 2020 Lion Pumas
Guard1anes 2021 Cruz Azul Santos Laguna
Shout Mexico A21 Atlas Leon
Shout Mexico C22 Atlas Pachuca
Atlas