Football
Tom Marshall, Mexico correspondent 7y

Club America miss Liga MX playoffs, Chiapas relegated, Morelia survive

#INSERT type:image caption: Bruno Valdez leaves the pitch after Club America's 3-2 loss to Pachuca. END#

It was a roller-coaster Saturday in Liga MX, with Club America failing it make its 11th consecutive playoffs and Chiapas going down to the second division.

America needed a draw against Pachuca to guarantee a playoff spot, but fell 2-0 behind the Tuzos at half-time and ended up losing 3-2, despite a second half comeback.

The beneficiary was Morelia, who both avoided relegation and sneaked into the playoffs with a 2-1 victory away at Monterrey. The Michoacan side finished the regular season in eighth spot, ahead of Club America on goal difference.

Tigres secured their playoff position earlier Saturday with a 5-1 win away at Queretaro, with French striker Andre-Pierre Gignac netting a hat trick in a match that the reigning champions had to win to reach the playoffs.

Chiapas were relegated, despite defeating Atlas 1-0 in Estadio Jalisco. The result would've been enough to stay in the first division had Morelia not won on the road against Monterrey.

Club Tijuana secured a 1-0 win over Veracruz to end the 2017 Clausura regular season in first position. The border club will face Morelia in the quarterfinal of the liguilla, with the other match-ups dependent on the result of Sunday's game between Santos Laguna and Toluca.

The eight clubs that will battle for the 2017 Clausura title are Tijuana, Monterrey, Chivas, Atlas, Toluca, Tigres, Santos Laguna and Morelia.

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