Tigres draws with Toluca at home, complicating their place in the 2025 Clausura Final.

In the first leg of the Clausura 2025 semifinal , Tigres were unable to hold on to their home advantage and ended up drawing 1-1 against regular season leaders Toluca in a packed Estadio Universitario . The result forces the Monterrey team to seek victory next Saturday in the second leg of the tournament at the Nemesio Díez Stadium .

Guido Pizarro 's team took the lead in the 19th minute, thanks to a play in which Nicolás Ibáñez took advantage of a lapse in attention from the Mexican defense to make it 1-0. The Argentine striker, now a naturalized Mexican, scored a first-time finish after an assist inside the box and ignited the home crowd.

With an intense atmosphere and the support of their fans, Tigres tried to maintain their dominance throughout the first half, but little by little the visitors began to find space. Alexis Vega was the first to test Nahuel Guzmán with a powerful shot that crashed off the crossbar. Minutes later, Vega himself created another dangerous opportunity, but the Argentine goalkeeper deflected the ball with a dive to his right side.

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The equalizer came in stoppage time, just before the break. Paulinho , the Red Devils' Portuguese forward, headed home a precise cross from Marcel Ruiz . The feline defense failed to react in time, and the 1-1 scoreline silenced the crowd.

For the second half, a more offensive approach was expected from both teams. Toluca showed greater organization and created a clear chance in the 64th minute, when Paulinho failed to finish off a counterattack initiated by Vega . The attacker failed to direct his shot as Guzmán came out.

Tigres , for their part, lost their attacking presence as the minutes ticked by. Toluca continued to generate chances, and in the 76th minute they again challenged the Tigres goalkeeper, who saved a mid-range shot from Claudio Domínguez after another collective play initiated by Vega .

Although the home side maintained their defensive order in the closing stages, they were unable to create any more clear-cut chances. A draw requires them to win the second leg if they want to reach the final. Toluca , on the other hand, only needs a draw at home to advance to their best position in the table.

PRE-MATCH INCIDENT

Before the start of the match, an incident occurred near the University Stadium . Nuevo León Civil Protection reported that one person was injured after a flash fire caused by a gas tank at the Algodones y Manzanas Pérez establishment. The victim, Benito Pérez Coronado , 54, suffered burns to his arm and face.

The injured man was taken to IMSS Hospital 21 by EMME ambulance personnel, with support from Nuevo León Civil Protection Unit U.65 and emergency services from San Nicolás . The situation was quickly brought under control, allowing access to the stadium to continue normally.

The outcome of this semifinal will be announced next Saturday in Toluca . Tigres will arrive with a must-win situation, while the Diablos Rojos will look to make the most of their home advantage and advance to another Mexican soccer final. The match promises to be intense, as both teams have demonstrated their ability to create danger and respond to pressure.

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