🐯🇫🇷 Andre-Pierre Gignac is eternal
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The yellow card didn’t worry Andre-Pierre Gignac. He knew it was coming, ripping off his shirt in celebration after his second goal for Tigres against cross-town rival Monterrey.
Not only did the France native put Tigres ahead 2-0 in a 3-0 smashing of Rayados, the goal made Gignac the all-time leading scorer in the history of the Clásico Regio, supplanting Monterrey’s Brazilian hero Bahía.
Nahuel Guzman, the Argentine goalkeeper who long has backstopped Tigres, made a handful of tough saves, including an early one to deny Maxi Meza the opener. With the veterans at the front and the back exceling, Tigres topped their hated rival 3-0 in the 133rd meeting between the teams.
“They’re leaving a huge footprint for future generations. They’re references, winners,” Tigres manager Robert Dante Siboldi said of APG and Guzman". “That makes us feel proud.”
It’s not just pride Tigres are playing with, but the team is rounding into the form it showed as it made a stunning run to the Liga MX title last tournament after a miserable regular season. Every button Siboldi pressed Saturday was working, whether it be Diego Lainez opening his account from the left side, Sebastian Cordova once again turning provider or Rafael Carioca locking down Rayados’ attempt to work through the cetner.
It was Rayados that had a busier winter, signing Sergio Canales from Real Betis. He starred in the Leagues Cup win Rayados secured over their rival in the summer. And he had more help with the return of Jesus “Tecatito” Corona from Sevilla.
The idea for Rayados is to keep adding talent to match what Tigres has done, to give manager Tano Ortiz as many weapons as possible to push Rayados back over the hump and win another title.
Yet, there they were in the 62nd minute, sent to the bench after the second goal as Gignac continued on the field, serenaded by more than 40,000 fans at El Volcan.
At the age of 37, Gignac moved into a tie for second place in the top scorer race. Tigres now sit third with three of their next four Liga MX matches coming against teams not currently in the playoff places. This Wednesday, they meet LAFC in the Campeones Cup, though how much value Siboldi places on the contest is an open question.
There will never be another player like Gignac in Liga MX, and not just because of his prowess.