First Division. In the regular stage of the championship were decided the 8 teams qualified to the next stage plus the relegated team.
Correcaminos UAT was the relegated team this season, finishing with 29 points, but they were relegated only on worse goal-difference. Atletico Potosino survived, having better goal-difference.
As usual, the division of the league into 4 groups gave chance to teams with less points than others to go ahead. The ‘victims’ of the system were
Atlante – 7th in the ‘Tabla General’ with 40 points, but 3rd in Group 1 and
Cruz Azul – 8th in the general table also with 40 points, but 3rd in Group 2.
The others unable to reach the next stage:
Group 1: Tampico Madero (4th)
Angeles de Puebla, 5th.
Group 2:
Atlas, 4th and Atletico Potosino, 5th.
Group 3:
Necaxa, 3rd, Neza, 4th, and
Irapuato, 5th.
Group 4:
Tigres UANL, 3rd and Monterrey, 4th.
In the ¼ finals Puebla (2nd Group 3) lost to America (1st Group 3) 2-2 and 0-4.
CD Guadalajara (1st Group 1) lost to Atletico Morelia (1st Group 4) 0-1 and 1-2
Toluca (2nd Group 4) lost to U de G (1st Group 2) 0-1 and 0-1.
Tecos UAG (2nd Group 2) lost to UNAM (2nd Group 1) 1-4 and 0-2.
In the semifinals
Atletico Morelia was eliminated by America 2-2, 3-3, 1-3 penalty shoot-out, and
Universidad de Guadalajara by UNAM 2-2 and 1-2. Interestingly, in the regular season U de G had the second-best record with 50 points – but direct elimination was another matter.
The final was all-Mexico City: America vs UNAM. UNAM won the first leg 1-0, thanks to Luis Flores. The match was played at their own Estadio Olympico Universitario in front of 73 000. America hosted at Azteca and in front of 114 600 spectators destroyed UNAM 4-1. Gonzalo Farfan (2), Adrian Camacho, and Antonio Carlos Santos scored for the victors, Luis Flores – for UNAM.
UNAM ended with silver – not bad, but still disappointing.
America won its 7th title and really deserved it: they were the best team all the way. Was just a regular championship, they would have been champions, leaving the rest well behind with their 55 points. Apart from the first leg of the final, they did not lose any game during the direct elimination stages. Atletico Morelia gave them the fright, but still America prevailed in the shoot-out. Their best squad played exciting football, using 4-4-2 scheme: A. Chavez – E. Herrera, G. Huerta, A. Tena, G. Naranjo – J. Luna, C. Ortega, A.C. Santos, G. Farfan – C. Hermosillo, L. R. Alves.
Admiration for their coach Jorge Vieira – he made very attractive and successful squad and won the championship.