Two of Liga MX's finest will go head-to-head this week in Leagues Cup knockout stage action as Tigres UANL take on Pachuca. The first all-Mexican affair in the Leagues Cup round of 32 will feature a pair of heavyweight sides in Liga MX as Tigres and Pachuca face each other on Thursday at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas.

Tigres booked their place in the Leagues Cup Round of 32 after a pair of 2-1 victories over Puebla and Inter Miami to finish atop East Group 3. The Mexican giants will look to keep the momentum rolling in their matchup against fellow Liga MX side Pachuca in a bid to reach the Round of 16.

Even though Pachuca never won outright in 90 minutes in the group stage, Guillermo Almada's team still did enough to advance to the Round of 32. The reigning CONCACAF Champions Cup winners picked up two points in a penalty shootout win over MLS side New York Red Bulls before falling against Toronto, meaning the Mexican club joined TFC out of East Group 6 in reaching the knockout stage.

Tigres' Recent Success and Pachuca's Struggles

Tigres have been on a roll in recent weeks. They are currently in a three-way tie for first place in the 2024 Apertura, having not lost a match in the tournament. They also defeated Inter Miami 2-1 in their most recent match, securing their place in the Leagues Cup knockout stage.

Their success can be attributed to the team's depth and overall momentum. Tigres have a talented roster, and they are currently playing with a lot of confidence. Their recent performances have seen a number of players step up, and they have shown their ability to win games even when they are not at their best.

On the other hand, Pachuca have struggled in recent weeks. They have won just one of their last six matches in normal time across all competitions. The team's recent struggles seem to be stemming from the fact that they are trying to juggle multiple competitions. They are currently competing in the Leagues Cup, the Apertura, and the CONCACAF Champions League. The team may have a harder time adjusting to the competition as they also have to adjust to a new coach.

Key Players to Watch

The match-up will be a classic battle of two of the biggest clubs in Mexico. Tigres are led by star striker Andre-Pierre Gignac, who is one of the most prolific scorers in Liga MX history. Pachuca will be looking to neutralize Gignac's threat with their own star striker, Oussama Idrissi. Idrissi has been one of the most dangerous players in Liga MX since his arrival last season, and he will be looking to lead Pachuca to victory.

Tigres' Momentum and Depth Will Be Key

Tigres will be the favorites going into this match. They have the momentum, the depth, and the experience to win. Tigres have never been knocked out at this stage of the Leagues Cup, while Pachuca has won only one match in this competition. With a win, Tigres will be in the last 16 of the tournament. Pachuca needs to pull off a major upset.

The Prediction

Our analysis of all available data, including recent performances and player stats up until an hour before kickoff, suggested the most likely outcome of this match was a Tigres win with a probability of 48%. A win for Pachuca had a probability of 27.59% and a draw had a probability of 24.4%.

The most likely scoreline for a Tigres win was 1-0 with a probability of 9.72%. The next most likely scorelines for that outcome were 2-1 (9.45%) and 2-0 (7.98%). The likeliest Pachuca win was 0-1 (7.02%), while for a drawn scoreline it was 1-1 (11.52%). The actual scoreline of 1-0 was predicted with a 9.7% likelihood. Our data analysis correctly predicted a 1-0 win for Tigres in this match and our team at Sports Mole correctly predicted the win for Tigres.

Tigres should have no problem putting a few goals past Pachuca as the likes of Andre-Pierre Gignac and Juan Brunetta will prove to be too much for Almada's defense, securing safe passage to the Round of 16.

Prediction: Tigres UANL 3-1 Pachuca

Looking Ahead

The winner of this match will advance to the Round of 16 of the Leagues Cup. They will face the winner of the match between the LA Galaxy and FC Dallas. The Leagues Cup is a new tournament that features teams from Major League Soccer (MLS) and Liga MX. The tournament is designed to create new rivalries and to grow the popularity of soccer in North America.

The match between Tigres and Pachuca is a must-watch for any fan of Liga MX or the Leagues Cup. It will be a battle between two of the best teams in Mexico, and it will be a great chance to see some of the top players in the world. This is a match that could have a big impact on the future of the Leagues Cup, so don't miss it.