Chiapas vs. Toluca, 2014 Liguilla: Time, TV schedule and game preview

Toluca enter their Liga MX playoff quarterfinal against Jaguares Chiapas as the higher seeded team, but Jaguares are the much hotter side. They’re undefeated in their last five games, having won four of them, while Toluca have lost three games in that same period, winning just once.

Jaguares won the regular season meeting between these two teams, but it’s probably not predictive for this series at all. It happened in just the second round of the tournament, and their meeting featured two red cards and an own goal. That match is unlikely to repeat itself, but weirder things have happened in the Liguilla.

Both teams come into this game with a clean bill of health, so Sergio Bueno and Tomas Boy can both select any kind of team they want.

Key player - Emiliano Armenteros (Jaguares)

Armenteros is Jaguares’ leading scorer despite missing five of his team’s games, but his value is just as much in his versatility as his ability to score goals. He’s played on the wing, as a deep-lying midfielder and as a second striker just in the last month, so where Bueno plays him might be dependent on who he sees as his other best options, not where he thinks Armenteros is best.

Key matchup - Pablo Velazquez vs. Jaguares’ CBs

It’s been an excellent season up top for Velazquez, who has eight goals for Toluca. He’s also played in every game up top for his team, and their attack runs depends on him, whether they give him a strike partner or not. Jaguares’ defense is tied for worst among Liguilla-qualifying teams with 20 goals allowed this season, and they’ll need to be at their best to keep Velazquez quiet.

Match date/time: Thursday, 10 p.m. ET

Venue: Estadio Víctor Manuel Reyna, Chiapas, Mexico

TV: Univision Deportes (U.S.), Televisa 5 (Mexico)