May 3, 2010 MEXICAN LEAGUE CLAUSURA Liguilla quarterfinals – first leg roundup
PACHUCA 1, MONTERREY 0
Pachuca opened their Liguilla run with a 1-0 win over Apertura champions Monterrey Saturday at Estadio Hidalgo.
Damian Alvarez delivered the game to the Tuzos in the 29th minute, off a give0and-go with Edgar Benitez. Pachica controlled the pace of the game throughout, and might easily have racked up a larger first-leg lead if not for a solid performance by Monterrey netminder Jonathan Orozco.
Monterrey hosts the series finale on Saturday, May 8.
MORELIA 4, CHIVAS 2
Monarcos Morelia took advantage of a first-half red card to Omar Arellano to rally past Chivas de Guadalajara 4-2 in the first leg of their Liguilla quarterfinal series Saturday at Estadio Morelos.
Morelia took a 1-0 lead in the 23rd minute, with a goal by Marvin Cabrera. Chivas, who struggled through the final weeks of the regular season after losing the core of their lineup to the Mexican National Team’s pre-world Cup training camp, battled back before the intermission. Jorge Garcia equalized in the 39th minute, and Omar Bravo gave the visitors a 2-1 halftime lead.
The Rojiblancos’ second goal, however, came four minutes after Arellano was sent off, and Morelia wore down the Guadalajara defense in the second stanza. Luis Gabriel Ray threw the match into a 2-2 deadlock in the 54th minute, and Gabriel Pereyra netted the game-winner in the 62nd. Three minutes later, Jared Borgetti added an insurance goal that gave the Monarcos a substantial advantage heading into the series finale May 8 at Estadio Jalisco.
SANTOS LAGUNA 2, PUMAS 0
Santos Laguna opened the Liguilla quarterfinals with a 2-0 win over Pumas Sunday at Estadio TSM Corona.
Walter Jimenez netted the game-winner in the 27th minute, and Matias Vuoso added the insurance goal in the 47th.
Pumas will host the series finale Sunday, May 9, and must win by at least two goals to hae a chance of advancing to the semifinals.
AMERICA 2, TOLUCA 2
Club America had every advantage – home field and a shorthanded opponent – for Sunday’s Liguilla quarterfinal opener at Estadio Azteca, but could manage only a 2-2 draw with Toluca.
Both teams got all of their scoring out of the way in the first half-hour of the match. Hector Mancilla gave Toluca a short-lived 1-0 lead in the second minute, onely to see Jean Beausejour equalize three minutes later. Miguel Layun tilted the seesaw America’s way in the 23td minute, but Toluca was just a quick to strike back, knotting the score with a goal by Edgar Duenas in the 25th.
Ten minutes later, Toluca’s Diego Novaretti was ejected for a violent foul on Angel Reyna, but America was unable to capitalize on the man advantage.
The series concludes Sunday, May 9 at Toluca’s Estadio Nemesio Diez.
