MEXICO CITY (AP) — Midfielder Sebastián Córdova scored for the third straight game and Tigres gave the bell Saturday, beating Monterrey 1-0 to advance to the final of the Clausura tournament in Mexico.
Córdova, who was part of the Mexican team that won the bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, scored the game-winning goal in the 79th minute.
The first leg ended tied 1-1.
Tigres now awaits the winner of the classic between América and Chivas that will be settled this Sunday night to meet their rival in the final of the Mexican championship.
The cats were the most dominant team in the past decade, in which they won five championships, but had not reached a final since the Clausura 2019.
Tigres was seventh in the regular tournament, affected by the departure of Argentine coach Diego Cocca, who took over the reins of the Mexican team. Marco Antonio Ruiz relieved him, but was replaced by the Uruguayan Robert Dante Siboldi on the 14th round.
Los Rayados, led by Víctor Manuel Vucetich, were overall leaders with 40 points and were looking to reach their first final since the 2019 Apertura, when they won the championship.
The match between the two teams from the northern city of Monterrey was balanced in the first half and it looked like the Rayados would get through when defender Héctor Moreno scored, but the play was ruled out for offside.
Tigres took the lead when Colombian Luis Quiñones sent a cross from the right into the box, where Córdova appeared to connect a header past Argentine goalkeeper Esteban Andrada.