A hell of an experience. And memories in your head. The Tigres de Monterrey, although led 2-0, won Sunday the closing tournament of the Mexican championship thanks to a goal by André-Pierre Gignac, who revived his team, finally victorious 3-2 after extra time on the field of Chivas de Guadalajara.
This is the second time, after 2, that the former player of Lorient, Toulouse and OM has won this closing tournament since he joined Monterrey in 2019, a year before the final of the Euro lost by the Blues against Portugal.
Gignac has extended until 2025
The top scorer in the history of the Tigres - he is approaching 200 goals - also has three victories in the opening tournament, from 2015 to 2017 - the Mexican championship is played in two semi-annual tournaments, each of which results in a title.
"Dédé" Gignac, 37, also won a Champions League in late 2020 from Concacaf, the Confederation of Central and North America. And his story with the Tigers is not over since the French international (36 caps, 7 goals) extended last February his contract by one year, until June 2025.
André-Pierre Gignac ULISES RUIZ / AFP
On Sunday, in front of more than 45,000 fans of Guadalajara, this golden story seemed however to know a disappointment: after a draw and virgin in the first leg in Monterrey, the Tigres conceded two goals in the first twenty minutes.
But, after several chances, it was Gignac himself who revived his formation by reducing the score on penalty kicks in the 65th, before Mexican midfielder Sebastián Córdova equalized seven minutes later (2-2, 72nd). Dominating, Monterrey scored the winning goal in extra time, in the 109th minute, thanks to Argentine defender Guido Pizarro, who scored from the header, giving the Tigres their 8th national title, the 5th since the arrival of André-Pierre Gignac.