February 8, 2010

MEXICAN LEAGUE CLAUSURA
Match Day 4 roundup

CHIVAS 2, QUERETARO 0
High-flying Chivas de Guadalajara handed Queretaro their first loss of the Clausura, 2-0 Friday at Estadio La Corregidora.

The win tied Chivas’s record for best start ever to a season, at 4-0-0. Omar Bravo sealed the victory in the 75th minute, and Javier Hernandez, who has scored in every game this season, added an insurance tally four minutes later.

Chivas leads Group 1 – and the league – with 12 points. Queretaro is third in the group with seven (2-1-1).


ATLANTE 1, PUEBLA 1
Rafael Marquez scored in the 88th minute to lift struggling Atlante (0-2-2) into a 1-1 tie with Puebla (1-1-2) Saturday at Estadio Andres Quintana Roo.

Marquez’s goal countered a 46th-minute header by MLS veteran Herculez Gomez, his first goal since joining Puebla.


PACHUCA 2, SAN LUIS 0
In a match that was closer than the score might indicate, Pachuca (3-0-1) shut out stubborn San Luis (1-0-3) 2-0 Saturday at Estadio Hidalgo.

Ulises Mendivil was the hero for Pachuca, breaking the scoreless tie in the 84th minute and padding the margin in the first minute of stoppage time.

The two goals spoiled a valiant effort by shorthanded San Luis, who played with 10 men after midfielder Rodolfo Salinas was shown a straight red card for a violent tackle on Edgar Benitez.


TIGRES 2, PUMAS 2
Group 3 rivals Tigres and Pumas battled to a 2-2 draw Saturday at Estadio Universitario.

The result left Pumas (1-3-0) unbeaten and second in the group with six points, one more than Tigres (1-2-1).

Visiting UNAM had the best of the catfight for much of the game, running up a 2-0 lead on goals by Israel Castro in the 15th minute and Pablo Barrera in the 80th. However, the game was far from won. Itamar Batista, who had dominated the Tigres attack throughout and racked an earlier shot off the crossbar, caught lightning in a bottle in the closing minutes, spoiling the shutout in the 81st minute and leveling the score seconds into stoppage time. Batista’s brace were the first two goals allowed by Pumas in the Bicentenario.


ATLAS 1, AMERICA 0
Club America were their own worst enemies on Saturday, handing Atlas a 1-0 win on an own goal by Juan Carlos Valenzuela in the 58th minute at Estadio Jalisco.

The result dropped America (2-0-2) to fourth place in Group 2, while Atlas sit second in Group 1 behind overall leaders Chivas at 3-0-1.

Valenzuela accidentally headed the ball into his own net while trying to clear a shot by Atlas’s Mario Mendez.


SANTOS LAGUNA 2, CRUZ AZUL 0
Santos Laguna (2-1-1) scored twice in three minutes to surge past offensively-challenged Cruz Azul (1-1-2) Saturday at Estadio Azul.

Carlos Darwin Quintero netted the game-winner in the 82nd minute, and Vicente Matias put the game out of reach in the 85th. Cruz Azul has scored only one goal in the first four games of the Bicentenario.


TOLUCA 1, MONTERREY 1
Toluca and Monterrey traded penalty kicks on their way to a 1-1 draw Sunday at Estadio Nemesio Diez.

A handball call in the box set the stage as Antonio Naelson put Toluca (0-3-1) on the board in the 27th minute. Just as Toluca seemed poised to post their first win of the season, Monterrey’s Dario Carreno was taken down in the box to set up the game’s second spot kick. Luis Perez missed the initial attempt, but got a second chance when goalkeeper Alfredo Talavero moved too early, and leveled the score in the 67th minute.

The Rayados improve to 2-1-1.


MORELIA 1, INDIOS 0
A controversial goal by Elias Hernandez gave Morelia a 1-0 road win over lowly Indios Sunday at Estadio Olimpico Benito Juarez.

Hernandez appeared to be offside as he deposited the deciding shot into the left side of the net in the 44th minute.

Indios (0-1-3) have yet to score in the Clausura, and will take the field next week without defender Juan Carlos de la Barrera, who was ejected in the 86th minute. Morelia are tied for the Group 2 lead with nine points (3-0-1).


TECOS 3, JAGUARES 0
Tecos posted their first win of the season, blanking Jaguares 3-0 Sunday at Estadio 3 de Marzo.

After a scoreless first half, Estudiantes surged ahead on Jorge Damian Zamogilny’s 50th-minute strike. Fredy Bareiro closed things out with goals in the 64th and 82nd minutes.

The victory lifted Tecos (1-0-3) out of the Group 3 cellar, while Jaguares remain at the bottom of Group 2 at 0-2-2.