France international Andre-Pierre Gignac scored two late goals as 10-man Tigres defeated Queretaro 2-0 on Tuesday to send them through to the final of the CONCACAF Champions League where they will meet Club America.
Tigres went through 2-0 on aggregate over the two legs of the semifinal thanks to Gignac's late double, while a goal in extra time from Michael Arroyo sealed America's place, following a 0-0 aggregate scoreline against Santos Laguna over the 180 minutes.
Tigres' second leg match against Queretaro was a tactical battle with few opportunities.
Edgar Benitez came close to opening the scoring for Queretaro in the 54th minute when he found himself free, but scuffed a shot just past the post.
The game looked to be heading to extra-time before Gignac dug out a shot from the edge of the area and into the corner of the goal in the 84th and sealed the victory with his second four minutes later from a deft chip from near the penalty spot.
Tigres midfielder Jesus Duenas received his second yellow card in the 71st mintued, but the home side managed to win regardless and Gignac's name rang around the stadium as the final whistle sounded.
It took 120 minutes -- 210 over both legs -- for 10-man America to see off Santos Laguna by a final score of 1-0 in another tie in which goals were hard to come by, after the first leg ended in a goalless draw.
Michael Arroyo's free kick slipped through the hands of Santos goalkeeper Agustin Marchesin in the first period of extra time to give Ignacio Ambriz's team the win, a harsh ending after Marchesin had turned in a stellar performance for most of the match.
America were the aggressors from the outset and were unlucky not to score in the opening 45 minutes, as Marchesin was repeatedly forced into save after save.
Santos was denied by the crossbar on its best chance to open the first-half scoring, when Martin Bravo had America's Moises Munoz beat with a long-range attempt in the 43rd minute.
Marchesin was again called into action early in the second half as a perfectly hit cross from Rubens Sambueza found Andres Andrade at the top of the box, but the Santos keeper got his right hand down to keep the shot out of his goal.
Darwin Quintero was next to try his luck against Marchesin. The Colombian received a cross in the Queretaro penalty area, settled and volleyed from close range, but his 69th-minute shot went directly at Marchesin and the match remained deadlocked at 0-0.
As regulation time neared the 90-minute mark, Quintero inexplicably tackled Diego Gonzalez from behind and was shown a straight red card to leave his team down a man for the remainder of the match.
Liga MX teams have won the past ten editions of CONCACAF's regional club competition and a side from Mexico's first division will again represent the confederation at the Club World Cup in December.
The first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League final is April 20 in Estadio Universitario, with the second leg at the Estadio Azteca on April 27.