12/14/25 11:38:00
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12/14 23:33 CST Toluca wins Apertura title in dramatic 9-8 penalty shootout
Toluca wins Apertura title in dramatic 9-8 penalty shootout
MEXICO CITY (AP) --- Toluca defeated the UANL Tigres on penalty kicks 9-8 on
Sunday night to win the Apertura tournament title and became the fifth team
since 1996 to win back-to-back titles in the Mexican league.
Fernando Gorriaran put the visitors side ahead in the 12th minute, but
Brazilian winger Helinho leveled the scoring in the 41st and Portuguese striker
Paulinho put Toluca ahead in the 52nd to send the match into extra time with a
2-2 aggregate.
Former Atletico Madrid winger Angel Correa gave the UANL Tigres a 1-0 lead in
the first leg of the final.
The Red Devils joined Pumas, Len, Atlas and America as teams that have
repeated league titles in Mexico since 1996, when the league started playing
two tournaments each year.
Toluca now has 12 league titles to tie Chivas as the second winningest team in
Mexico. Both teams trail America, which has 16.
Toluca's coach Antonio Mohamed won his fifth league title in Mexico and is two
short of the all-time leaders Ignacio Trelles and Ricardo Ferretti.
Alexis Vega converted Toluca's first and 12th penalties, with the latter
securing the win in a 24-kick shootout. His successful strike ended a streak of
five consecutive misses --- three from UANL Tigres and two from Toluca ---
clinching victory for the Red Devils.
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