Liga MX Apertura Finals Leg 2 Odds & Picks: Club Léon vs Pumas UNAM
- Return clash to decide Mexican championship at 9:30 pm ET Sunday
- Leon hit a late equalizer in a 1-1 draw in first game at Pumas
- See all odds and best bets for the Liga MX Apertura Finals Leg 2 between Leon vs Pumas below
Favorites Leon and rivals Pumas UNAM are all square as they head into a finely-balanced shoot-out in the second leg of Mexico’s Liga MX final on Sunday.
The teams drew 1-1 in the first leg at Pumas’ Mexico City HQ on Thursday.
But it required an 89th-minute equalizer to hand Leon the precious draw and what may also turn out to be a vital away goal ahead of Sunday’s kick-off at their HQ at 9:30 pm ET.
Liga MX Leon vs Pumas UNAM Odds
| Matchup | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leon vs Pumas UNAM | LEO -1 (+140) | PUM +1 (-186) | LEO -134 | PUM +340 | DRAW +270 | Ov 1.5 (-113) | Un 1.5 (-121) |
Odds taken on Dec 12 at DraftKings
Although Leon remains the favorites to win the second leg and the championship, Pumas UNAM have certainly discovered some momentum at the right time.
So the best value on offer here is the draw after 90 minutes at +270.
They were considered unfortunate not to hold on to the second-half lead they took in the first leg clash – especially as Leon had been reduced to 10 men by a sending off.
However, Leon have been undefeated at home throughout the current Apertura campaign in both regular season and playoff games.
That fact has been seized upon by coach Ignacio Ambriz to build his side’s confidence ahead of the return game.
Leon On Top in Regular Season
It may also remain significant that Leon was first-placed finishers in the regular season table before the playoffs – eight points ahead of second-placed Pumas.
Even so, Pumas went into the first leg of the final buoyed by an epic 4-0 comeback win against Cruz Azul in the second leg of the semifinal.
We are going for all on Sunday ⚽🦁💚 @ClubLeonEN @clubleon_en @clubleonfc We are taking the championship 🏆 pic.twitter.com/aiPwh2xKYB
— Ivan Mendieta (@Ivan_Mendieta) December 11, 2020
That completed a remarkable recovery after Cruz Azul had won 4-0 in the semifinal first leg.
Liga MX’s system dictated that Pumas should advance as the team seeded higher in the playoffs.
The spirit they showed in that game continued in the final as they took a lead against Leon thanks to a goal from Paraguayan Carlos Gonzalez.
Leon substitute Emmanuel Giggliotti got on the end of a cross from David Ramirez to level the scores.
He headed home following an excellent cross from Carlos Gutierrez in the 72nd minute.
With only a minute of normal time remaining, Leon substitute Emmanuel Gigliotti got on the end of a cross from David Ramirez to level the scores.
Leon had been holding on to keep down the deficit after the dismissal of defender Jaime Barerro with nine minutes to go.
Liga MX Leon vs Pumas UNAM Statistics
| 14 | Wins | 10 |
| 2 | Losses | 2 |
| 6 | Draws | 10 |
| 33 | Goals | 35 |
| 18 | Goals Against | 22 |
| 9 | Home Wins | 6 |
| 5 | Away wins | 4 |
| 9 | Clean Sheets | 7 |
The Chilean Jean Meneses replied with a close opportunity for Leon but it was goalless at the break.
In total, Leon had slightly more possession at 53-percent compared to 47-percent for Pumas.
Leon coach Nacho Ambriz stressing a draw was a fair result and is confident ahead of 2nd leg. Leon has played 15 Liga MX home games in 2020, winning 14 and drawing 1.
“We have to play well, take the game to them and take advantage of being at home, where we haven’t lost."
— Tom Marshall (@mexicoworldcup) December 11, 2020
But it was the Pumas who had more attempts on goal at their home University Stadium base with 14 compared to Leon’s nine.
That said, Leon is highly-rated in Mexico for their fast attacking style and they are likely to dominate the ball even more on their own patch.
Pumas More Dangerous in First Leg
There were four close attempts on goal for Pumas with two for Leon.
Ahead of this two-legged final, Leon had defeated Pumas in each of their last four Liga MX meetings.
Leon were 2-0 winners at home last September.
They also won 3-1 at home in March. Last year, Leon won at Pumas by 3-1 and 2-1.
It was in September 2018 that Pumas last defeated Leon in Liga MX when they won 2-1 away from home.
Leon last won a Liga MX title when they claimed the Clausura championship in 2014.
In Mexico, the league system is sectioned into two annual championships; the Apertura and the Clausura.
In this current Apertura campaign, the championship has been re-named as the “Guardianes” to honor the nation’s health professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although they are among Mexico’s biggest clubs, Leon last won a Liga MX title when they claimed the Clausura championship in 2014.
Pumas’ most recent triumph was the Clausura championship of 2011.
In the playoff semifinal, Leon drew 1-1 with Chivas Guadalajara before securing a 1-0 win in the second leg.
If it ain’t broken don’t fix it. That’s what the lineups scream #ligamxeng @PumasMX @clubleon_en https://t.co/vZg0f7QMNh
— Carlos Yustis (@CarlosYustisTV) December 11, 2020
In the quarterfinals, Leon had slumped and suffered a surprise defeat in the first leg when they were beaten 2-1 at Puebla.
Fighting back, they won the return tie 2-0.
Pumas won 1-0 at Pachuca in the last eight before a 0-0 draw ensured their place in the semifinals.
Pick: Draw (after 90 minutes) +270
John Dillon is a leading member of the UK's sporting media, having spent three decades as a national newspaper soccer and sports writer, broadcaster and author. He has covered five World Cups, six European Championships and was Chief Sports Writer at the Daily Express for 14 years.
