October 29, 2009 MEXICAN LEAGUE APERTURA Week 13 roundup
UAG 2, TOLUCA 1
Superliders Toluca got a lesson in not underestimating their opposition last Friday, losing 2-1 to underdog Estudiantes at Estadio 3 de Marzo.
The heavily-favored league leaders (8-2-3, 26 pts) trailed 2-0 at halftime, after goals by Fredy Bareiro in the 18th minute and Carlos Adrian Morales in the 32nd. Hector Mancilla made it a one-goal game in the 57th, but Toluca’s comeback stopped there, even after UAG’s Huesito Sambueza collected his second yellow card and was ejected in the 83rd minute.
The loss cuts Toluca’s lead at the top of the Apertura table to a single point over Morelia, Club America and Santos Laguna. Estudiantes improves to 4-2-7 and sit fifth in Group 3 with 14 points.
QUERETARO 2, CRUZ AZUL 1
Continuing the weekend’s theme of upsets, upstarts Queretaro (3-3-7) used a stoppage time goal by Mauro Vila to knock off Cruz Azul (6-1-6) Saturday at Estadio La Corregidora.
Isaac Romo’s header dealt the first blow to La Maquina in the 26th minute. Rogelio Chavez fortunately but unintentionally leveled the score shortly before halftime, mis-hitting a cross that sailed off course and into the net.
Vila snatched the win in the fourth minute of stoppage, off Margarito Gonzalez’s rebound.
Queretaro are fifth in Group 1 with 12 points, while Cruz Azul are second in Group 3 with 19.
JAGUARES 1, SANTOS LAGUNA 1
Santos Laguna (7-4-2) squandered a prime opportunity to pass superliders Toluca on Saturday, settling for a 1-1 draw with Group 2 cellar-dwellers Jaguares (4-3-6) at Estadio Victor Manuel Reyna.
The result left the Group 2 leaders with 25 points, one behind table-topping Toluca.
The match appeared to be playing out according to expectations when Walter Jimenez gave Santos a 1-0 lead in the 24th minute. However, the visitors could not hold the momentum, and, after repeated missed chances, Jaguares finally connected to level the score in the 50th minute. Danilo Veron did the honors from just off the goal line.
PACHUCA 1, INDIOS 0
Although the margin of victory probably should have been larger, Pachuca (7-1-5) kept their home fans happy with a 1-0 win over the worst team in the Apertura, Indios, Saturday at Estadio Hidalgo.
After holding off an early barrage from win-starved Juarez (0-4-9), the Tuzos put the game away with a goal by Ulises Mendivil in the 44th minute. Pachuca netminder Humberto Hernandez held fast through the final 45 minutes to preserve the win.
Pachuca are fourth in Group 2 with 22 points. Relegation-bound Indios have only four points from their first 13 games.
ATLANTE 2, ATLAS 0
Atlante (6-1-6) kept Atlas (4-2-7) in the middle of the Group 1 pack with a 2-0 win Saturday at Estadio Quintana Roo.
Gabriel Pereyra opened the scoring in the 44th minute, and Hernan Solari added an insurance goal in the 82nd.
Atlanta are third in Group 3 with 19 points, while Atlas sit fourth in Group 1 with 14.
TIGRES 1, SAN LUIS 0
Itamar Batista scored in the 70th minute, and Tigres (4-5-4) held on for a 1-0 win over San Luis Saturday at Estadio Universitario.
San Luis (4-5-4), who finished the game shorthanded after Oscar Mascorro was ejected in the 71st minute, remain nine points behind first-place Toluca in Group 1, while Tigres are fourth in Group 3. Both teams have 17 points.
PUMAS 2, MONTERREY 1
Upstart Pumas (3-2-8) scored twice in the last eight minutes to snatch a 2-1 win from Monterrey (7-2-4) Sunday at Estadio Olimpico Universitario.
Pablo Barrera evened the score 1-1 in the 82nd minute, and Ismael Iniguez connected three minutes later to give Pumas their third win of the season.
The game was scoreless until Humberto Suazo drew goalkeeper Marco Antonio Palacios off his line and put Monterrey on the board in the 70th minute.
The rare victory was not enough to lift Pumas out of the Group 3 cellar with 11 points. Monterrey are third in the tightly-bunched Group 2 with 23.
PUEBLA 2, MORELIA 1
Sergio Rosas scored in the 81st minute to give Puebla a 2-1 win and rob Monarcos Morelia of a chance to take over the top spots in Group 2 and the overall table Sunday Estadio Cuauhtemoc.
Nicolas Vigneri gave Puebla the early edge, scoring in the 13th minute. Hugo Druguett responded for Monarcos in the 49th to leave things tied 1-1.
The match got chippy as time wore on, and both teams finished with ten men after Miguel Sabah (Morelia) and Oscar Velasquez (Puebla) were sent off after an altercation in the 89th minute.
The win gives Puebla 20 points, leaving them fifth in Group 2. Morelia remain tied with Club America at the top of the Group with 25 points.
CLUB AMERICA 1, CHIVAS de GUADALAJARA 0
Aquivaldo Mosquera’s third-minute goal was all Club America (7-4-2) needed to defeat archrival Chivas 1-0 Sunday at Estadio Azteca.
Mosquero, a defender, headed home Pavel Pardo’s free kick for his first goal since 2007.
The victory snapped a four-game Clasico drought dating back to 2007, and left America tied with Monarcos Morelia for the Group 2 lead with 25 points. Chivas (4-3-6), who have lost two straight and appear to be slipping back into their early-season doldrums, are third in Group 1 at 15 points.
