Indios stun Chivas; America's bid strengthened in draw
Guadalajara, decimated by call-ups to Mexico's pre-World Cup training camp, suffered a stunning loss Wednesday in Ciudad Juarez, falling to the worst team in Mexico's Primera Division.
The 1-0 defeat to Indios, on Jair Garcia's 65th-minute goal, was Chivas' second shutout loss since five players, including the club's starting goalkeeper, best defender and top three forwards, joined Javier Aguirre's South Africa preparations in Mexico City.
Goalkeeper Luis Ernesto Michel, defender Jonny Magallon, and forwards Adolfo "Bofo" Bautista, Alberto Medina and Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez -- the top scorer in the spring "Bicentenario" -- departed for the training camp last weekend. They will not return to Guadalajara this season.
Chivas dropped to 2-4-1 since starting the season with eight successive victories, but it remained atop Group 1, five points ahead of surging Toluca with two games remaining in the regular season, and second overall, one point behind Group 2 leader Monterrey.
Club America, Guadalajara's archrival, remained eighth overall with a 0-0 draw against Mexico City rival Pumas UNAM. The Aguilas' playoff hopes strengthened as its closest rivals for the final postseason berth also failed to win. Pachuca, which claimed a 2-2 draw at Cruz Azul, remains a point behind America, but Atlas fell two points behind with a 2-0 loss to Puebla.
America, which closes with games Saturday at Monterrey and April 25 at home against Santos, is two points behind second-place Morelia in Group 2. The top two teams in each of the three groups advance to the postseason, joined by the best two sides finishing third or lower in their groups.
Toluca climbed to third overall as Carlos Esquivel and Osvaldo Gonzalez tallied in a 2-0 victory over Atlante. Pumas remained on top in Group 3, ahead on Santos on goal difference, and fourth overall. Santos is fifth, Tolica sixth and Cruz Azul seventh. The overall standings determine playoff seedings.
Indios crawled out from last place with its second successive victory and just its third of the season, but the club has already clinched relegation to the second-tier Primera Division A. One team is relegated after the Clausura, or spring, season each year, based on average point totals over six seasons.
Wednesday's results (home teams listed first)
UANL Tigres 2 (Molina 18, Batista 26), Gallos Blancos 1 (Beltran 58)
Atlas 0, Puebla 2 (A. Gonzalez 42, Olivera 77)
San Luis 1 (C. Gonzalez 21), Estudiantes Tecos 1 (Bareiro 9)
Indios de Ciudad Juarez 1 (J. Garcia 65), Guadalajara 0
Cruz Azul 2 (Lozano pen. 26, Riveros 45), Pachuca 2 (Mañon 11, Cvitanich 79)
Toluca 2 (Esquivel 44, O. Gonzalez 51), Atlante 0
Morelia 1 (Droguett 25), Jaguares 2 (A. Salazar 50, Danilinho 80)
Santos 1 (Peralta 54), Monterrey 1 (Arellano 84)
America 0, Pumas UNAM 0
Standings
Group 1: Guadalajara 31 points, Toluca 26, Atlas 20, Gallos Blancos 18, Indios 12, San Luis 11.
Group 2: Monterrey 32, Morelia 24, America 22, Pachuca 21, Puebla 16, Jaguares 15.
Group 3: Pumas UNAM 25, Santos 25, Cruz Azul 24, Estudiantes Tecos 16, Atlante 16, UANL Tigres 16.
This week's games
Saturday
Estudiantes Tecos at Gallos Blancos
Indios at Jaguares
America at Monterrey
UANL Tigres at Atlante
Atlas at Guadalajara
Toluca at Pachuca
Sunday
Cruz Azul at Puebla
Morelia at Pumas UNAM
San Luis at Santos
Leading scorers
1. Javier Hernandez (Guadalajara), 10
2. Johan Fano (Atlante), 9
3. Herculez Gomez (Puebla), 8
Jackson Martinez (Jaguares), 8
5. Fredy Bareiro (Estudiantes Tecos), 7
Miguel Sabah (Morelia), 7
Miguel Zepeda (Altas), 7
Raul Macilla (Toluca), 7
9. Damian Manso (Pachuca), 6
Mario Carreño (Monterrey), 6
Pablo Barrera (Pumas), 6
Alvaro Gonzalez (Puebla), 6
(c)2010 ESPN Internet Ventures
Guadalajara knocked off top spot
Guadalajara were knocked off the top of Mexico's Torneo Bicentario table as a result of a 3-0 defeat at the hands of third-placed Morelia.
Elias Hernandez opened the scoring in the 28th minute and Kalu Gastelum doubled the visitors' advantage 11 minutes into the second half. Hernandez netted his second goal of the game in the 69th minute to end home hopes of a comeback.
Monterrey take over at the top - but they were only able to pick up a point from their home match against second from bottom San Luis.
Dario Carreno looked to have put Monterrey in a good position to pick up the three points when he netted just before the midway mark in the second half.
However, substitute Blas Perez snatch an unlikely point for the visitors by netting eight minutes after his 71st minute introduction to the proceedings.
Toluca worked hard to climb above Cruz Azul and into fifth. Hector Mancilla's fourth-minute goal won the contest at Queretaro - but the dismissal of Vladimir Marin seconds after his 34th minute introduction did them no favours.
Club America took their goal tally to 27 from 14 games - the same as Guadalajara - with a 3-1 win at Jaguares.
Daniel Montenegro netted after seven and 14 minutes and although Guillermo Cerda's own goal gave the hosts hope just past the half hour, the visitors wrapped up the win with Antonio Lopez's 76th minute goal - which came four minutes after Oscar Razo had been sent off for the hosts.
Johan Fano's 39th minute goal gave Atlante victory over Cruz Azul, while 10-man Atlas climbed above mid-table rivals Pachuca with a 2-0 away success, provided by goals from Herbert Alferez (28 and 56) either side of Guillermo Martin's 33rd-minute red card.
Copyright (c)2010 ESPN Internet Ventures
Puebla's Gomez: It Was A Very Special Day For Me
Guillermo Ochoa was no match for Kum Choe Chol on March 17. Nor was he up to Herculez Gomez's level on Sunday.
The latter encounter resulted in a goal for Puebla, the second of the game, and eventually a victory for la Franja because of it. Gomez's strike gave Puebla a 2-1 win over Ochoa's America side.
And even though the goal was partially due to goalkeeper error, Gomez was not about to complain.
"I am very happy. It is difficult to put into words but it is a very special day for me," Gomez told reporters after the game. "It was a beautiful day because of everything that happened, above all the manner in which we fought because America were much better the first half but by the second half, Puebla's character emerged and we beat them."
Gomez has now scored seven goals in the Mexican Primera Division, which places him second in the league. Chivas' Javier Hernandez leads the league with 10 and Gomez is tied with Jaguares' Jackson Martinez and Atlas' Miguel Zepeda for second place.
What made this goal different than the others he's scored for la Franja was the manner in which he scored it. Gomez lined up a free kick from about 30 yards out, fired it past the wall and saw it bounce off Ochoa, who was unable to handle it. Ochoa also made a mistake in a Mexico-North Korea match which also resulted in a goal.
Against America, Gomez said he was happy to have been able to take the free kick in the first place.
"I have a hard shot and the manager had confidence in me," Gomez said. "We proved that this is a difficult place to play in and the supporters helped us by pressuring their 'keeper and I dedicate the goal to them."
Scoring goals might normally catch the attention of the national team manager - in this case the United States - but this year is not exactly a good time for him to have helped his national team cause. The World Cup roster may not be set, but U.S. manager Bob Bradley has likely his decision on a group of players from which to select his forwards, and given that he has not played with the U.S. since 2007 Gomez is likely not part of it.
It is on his mind, though.
"With the national team, the opportunities are minimal," he said. "I have to keep tearing it up here in order to be able to show myself over there. But I am happy because we showed the supporters that we can beat any big club that comes here."
Copyright (c) 2010 Goal.com
Monterrey go top of the league
Monterrey moved to the summit of the Mexican Primera Division with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over erstwhile pacesetters Guadalajara.
Osvaldo Martinez fired Monterrey ahead from the penalty spot after 48 minutes while Jesus Zavala doubled the advantage after 63 minutes.
Javier Hernandez pulled one back but it was not enough for Guadalajara, who slip a point behind Monterrey at the head of the standings after only their second loss of the campaign.
Fourth-placed Morelia lost ground of the leaders as they went down 1-0 at home to Atlante, Johan Fano with the only goal after 34 minutes.
Cruz Azul jumped to fifth place with a 4-0 hammering of Tigres Monterrey.
Melvin Brown and Biancucchi Maxi fired the hosts 2-0 ahead by the break, before second-half efforts from Emanuel Villa and Cristian Riveros Nunez completed the rout.
Nestor Calderon hit as last-minute winner as Toluca ran out 3-2 winners at second-bottom San Luis, while Fredy Bareiro was on target as Tecos posted a 1-0 winner at Atlas, who lost Nestor Vidrio to a red card with 25 minutes remaining.
Copyright 2008 ESPN STAR Sports
Tuzos' Collapse Is Complete
Pachuca had struggled to compete in the last few weeks of the Bicentenario season but after Saturday, the club looks utterly lost.
Santos handed Pachuca a 3-0 loss in Estadio Hidalgo that is now the team's low-point of the season. Pachuca now more than ever seem lost without Enrique Meza and Christian Gimenez, two key figures who left the club within six months of each other, and have also left the club void of heart and managerial brains.
Pachuca appeared ready to break their four-match winless skid as Santos could not break through Pachuca's defense. At the start of the second half, the score was still 0-0, but things unraveled soon after.
Carlos Darwin Quintero scored the game's first goal in the 54th minute as Pachuca crumbled. Walter Jimenez found Quintero inside the area and Quintero easily beat Miguel Calero.
Pachuca's Gregorio Torres sunk his team even further when he fouled Jimenez inside the box. He was sent off and Santos were awarded a spot kick. Juan Pablo Rodriguez easily converted the kick as Santos took a commanding lead.
Daniel Luduena put the game away in the 89th minute when he received the ball unmarked inside Pachuca's penalty area. Luduena got around Calero and easily scored the final goal of the match.
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Chivas set new mark with eighth win
Guadalajara FC continues to make history. Last weekend, Chivas recorded their eighth win in as many matches, setting a new record for the best-ever start to a season in Mexico.
Their new victim was San Luis, a squad that fought fiercely against the "Holy Herd," but it was not enough for the Gladiators, who lost 2-0, giving Guadalajara FC a new record.
Adolfo "Bofo" Bautista (28') and Hector Reynoso (88') scored for Chivas. The top scorer in Mexico, Javier "Chicharo" Hernandez, missed a penalty kick and could not get his 9th goal at Bicentenario 2010. Now, Chivas will look forward a new record -- the 10 consecutive triumphs by Cruz Azul from 1971-72.
Chivas' archrival, America, also won, but they did it with a last-minute goal. The Eagles beat Estudiantes 2-1 in an unemotional game played at Jalisco Stadium.
Angel Reyna (54', penalty kick) and Daniel Marquez (93') made the goals for America; Estudiantes Tecos opened the scoring very early on thanks to Diego Jimenez (9').
Monterrey, the reigning Mexican soccer champions, traveled to Cancun for a 1-0 victory over Atlante, thanks to a solo goal from Paraguayan Osvaldo Martinez (53').
Two goals from Melvin Brown in less than 20 minutes gave Cruz Azul a victory 3-1 against Atlas at Azul Stadium, giving new life to the "Blue Machine" in their struggle to get a place in the Liguilla.
Brown (5' and 18') and Argentinean Emanuel Villa (50') put the ball in Atlas' net. Colombian Andres Chitiva (65') made a terrific play to write his name in the final blackboard.
Last weekend, there were three victories with 3-0 scores. The first one was at Hidalgo Stadium, where Pumas beat Tuzos as visitors. Paraguayan Dante Lopez (3'), Argentinean Martin Bravo (21') and Mexican national team player Pablo Barrera (24') gave back the smile to their coach, Ricardo "Tuca" Ferretti.
Monarcas traveled to Monterrey and beat Tigres UANL 3-0, showing their great level game of late in Mexican League. Elias Hernandez (15'), Miguel Sabah (38') and Gabriel Pereyra (71') contributed to the new Morelia's triumph.
Toluca also won 3-0 against Indians from Ciudad Juarez, who reached their 25th consecutive game without a victory. The architects of the new win for the "Red Devils" were Carlos Esquivel (15'), Hector Mancilla (77') and Vladimir Marin (84').
In a game full of emotions, Puebla and Chiapas tied 3-3 at Cuauhtemoc Stadium. La Franja almost lost again, but reacted at the end of the match.
Danilinho (17'), Hugo Sanchez Guerrero (47') and Jackson Martinez (83') got things started on the right foot for Jaguars, but Puebla reacted with a couple of goals by Alvaro Gonzalez (43' and 57') and former MLS star Herculez Gomez (87').
In the final result, Queretaro tied 1-1 with Santos Laguna. Julio Cesar Laffatigue (77') scored for the "White Cocks," while Uriel Alvarez (97') equalized for Santos Laguna.
(c)2005 - 2010 MLS
