Years ago, the Uruguayan Sebastián Abreu and the Argentine Antonio Mohamed shone as players in Mexican soccer, now they animate the tournament from the bench in Tijuana and Toluca, respectively. This Tuesday they will face each other for date 14 of Apertura 2025.
Antonio “El Turco” Mohamed's Red Devils dominate the standings with 31 points and aim to finish the regular phase of the tournament as leaders and then revalidate it in the league.
Opposite, Sebastián “El Loco” Abreu's Xoloitzcuintles are seventh with 20 points and are fighting to reach elusive finals since Clausura 2019.
Antonio Mohamed arrived in Mexico in 1993 to become a figure of the defunct Toros Neza for his vision of the game, dribbling, assists and finishing.
Ten years later he began his time as coach with Zacatepec of the defunct Primera A (second division).
In the Mexican first division, Mohamed has coached eight teams and won four champions: Tijuana, América, Monterrey and Toluca, his current project.
Their teams are characterized by simple and direct play, with quick transitions and lethal counterattacks.
“Toluca represents me, I like that they are chameleon: sometimes we need several touches to reach the goal and on other occasions two are enough,” the 55-year-old Argentine coach said proudly.
If they win this Wednesday on their visit to the Caliente stadium in Tijuana, Toluca could secure a direct pass to the quarterfinals.
The Red Devils have a steamroller profile. In this championship they have already won 10 games, the last seven consecutively and scoring three or more goals.
The scarlet squad also has the best offense with 39 goals scored (12 more than its immediate pursuer, América).
Toluca has the Portuguese Paulo Dias “Paulinho”, the tournament's top scorer, and the assists leader, the Mexican Alexis Vega, with eight.
“I hope we can continue growing, we still have details to improve: sometimes we have to handle the ball faster, improve in some defensive situations,” Mohamed said.
There are 11 points of difference between Toluca and Tijuana, which in the first tournament under the command of Sebastián Abreu is seventh and has a provisional ticket to the play in (repechage).
Abreu's Xoloitzcuintles have conducted themselves with balance in this Apertura 2025: they have scored 26 goals (fifth best offense) and have conceded 17 (sixth best defense).
The pack has achieved this balance with a system that Abreu calls “VIP catenaccio”, which is characterized by intensity in defense and breadth in attack, combining the bravery of Uruguayan football with the rhythm of Mexican football.
The Tijuana team is not one of the most ostentatious in Mexican soccer and it is not among the most modest, but it makes Abreu proud: “Our team, humbly, without many scrolls, is fighting as equals.”
In this tournament, Tijuana has scored two victories by beating visiting Pachuca for the first time in its history, and then Cruz Azul, a powerful player from the top of the table.
“We have nothing left over, but I am proud that the team, day after date, shows its identity with football and human tools of self-esteem, rebellion and overcoming adversity,” Abreu emphasized.
The Tijuana squad includes Cameroonian-Belgian striker Frank Boya, the team's top scorer with six goals, and the talented Mexican youth midfielder Gilberto Mora, 16 years old.
“We have players who are already seen differently by the press, who consider us the surprise of the tournament, although for me it is not,” Abreu said.
On Wednesday against Toluca, Tijuana will seek to regain victory after a draw and a defeat in their two most recent games.
At 49 years old, Abreu is experiencing his first experience as a coach in the Mexican first division. As a soccer player, El Loco played for seven Aztec teams between 1999 and 2007 intermittently, and was the tournament's top scorer four times, with Tecos, Cruz Azul and Dorados (2).
Complete journey.
Mars:
América-Puebla, Necaxa-Cruz Azul, Mazatlán-Santos, Monterrey-Juárez.
Wednesday:
Querétaro-Guadalajara, Pachuca-Tigres, Atlas-León, Tijuana-Toluca, Pumas-Atlético San Luis.
Classification: Pts JGEP GF GC Dif
1. Toluca 31 13 10 1 2 39 16 23
2. Cruz Azul 28 13 8 4 1 24 16 8
3. America 27 13 8 3 2 27 13 14
4. Monterrey 27 13 8 3 2 26 20 6
5. Tigers 26 13 7 5 1 27 13 14
6. Pachuca 21 13 6 3 4 18 15 3
7. Tijuana 20 13 5 5 3 26 17 9
8. Guadalajara 20 13 6 2 5 20 18 2
9. Juárez 19 13 5 4 4 18 17 1
10. Pumas 14 13 3 5 5 16 20 -4
11. Atlético San Luis 13 13 4 1 8 19 20 -1
12. Santos 13 13 4 1 8 15 21 -6
13. Atlas 13 13 3 4 6 21 29 -8
14. León 12 13 3 3 7 12 24 -12
15. Mazatlán 11 13 2 5 6 15 23 -8
16. Querétaro 11 13 3 2 8 14 25 -11
17. Necaxa 9 13 2 3 8 14 26 -12
18. Puebla 8 13 2 2 9 14 32 -18
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