July 29, 2012
LIGA MX APERTURA
Match Day 2 roundup

Morelia 1, Monterrey 0
Miguel Sabah’s 24th-minute goal was all Morelia needed to edge Monterrey 1-0 Friday at Estadio Morelos.

Sabah was the engine of the Morelia attack from the earliest minutes, challenging Monterrey netminder Jonathan Orozco in the fourth minute with a shot that went just wide. He delivered the win with a header past the beleaguered Orozco, who had already kicked away one shot by Rodrigo Salinas and seen another cleared off the line by defender Jose Basanta.

Poor finishing and bad luck plagued the Rayados, who saw both Cesar Delgado and Humberto Suazo hit the post within minutes of each other.

Morelia are 1-1-0 with four points heading into the third week of the tournament. Monterrey fall to 0-1-1 (1).

Leon 4, Tijuana 0
Carlos Pena scored twice as newly-promoted Leon (2-0-0) roared to the top of the Liga MX standings with a 4-0 win over Tijuana (1-0-1) Friday at Estadio Nou Camp.

Pena snapped the scoreless tie in the 31st minute, with a shot that deflected off a Tijuana defender and over netminder Cirilo Saucedo, and closed things out with a 64th-minute strike. In between, Luis Montes opened his senior circuit scoring account off a free kick from the edge of the penalty area in the 50th minute, and Hernan Burbano converted a penalty kick ten minutes later.

Goalkeeper Edgar Hernandez kept the Esmereldas in the match early, fending off pressure from Xolos Duvier Riascos and Alfredo Moreno.

The Xolos played the final 17 minutes shorthanded, after Fernando Arce collected his second yellow card and was sent off.

America 4, Jaguares 2
Christian Betancourt led the way with a brace as Club America roared past Jaguares 4-2 Saturday at Estadio Azteca.

Luis Gabriel Rey gave Chiapas a short-lived lead in the 31st minute, but the teams went into the intermission with a goal apiece after Betancourt’s 42nd-minute strike. The teams exchanged rapid-fire goals, by America’s Juan Carlos Medina and Jaguares’ Leonardo Bedolla, early in the second stanza, before Antonio Lopez netted the game-winner for the Aguilas in the 79th.

Betancourt added an insurance goal with a minute left on the clock.

America are seventh in the standings at 1-1-0 and four points, while Jaguares (0-0-2) are still looking for a win.

Atlas 3, Pachuca 0
Atlas picked up their first win of the Apertura tournament, 3-0 over nine-man Pachuca Saturday at Estadio Hidalgo.

Luis Sandoval netted the game-winner in the 49th minute, and Hector Mancilla—who had the assist on Sandoval’s game-winner -- added an insurance goal in the 73rd, five minutes after Jose Torres received Pachuca’s second red card in a two-minute span. Torres received his second yellow card for dissent, protesting the explusion of Jorge Hernandez for a hard foul on Lucas Ayala.

The Zorros’ third goal was a gift from Tuzos defender Paulo Da Silva, who put the ball into his own net in the 90th.

Pachuca fall to 0-1-1 (1 pt).

Tigres 2, Atlante 1
Tigres needed two late goals to nip Atlante 2-1 Saturday at Estadio Universitario.

Esteban Paredes staked the Potros to a 1-0 lead in the 50th minute with a shot from the left into the far inside netting. Lucas Lobos equalized with a penalty kick in the 75th, after Luis Garcia was taken down in the box, and Hugo Ayala delivered the win with an 85th -minute header.

Tigres (2-0-0) are undefeated, but second in the standings on goal differential behind upstarts Leon. Atlante fall to 0-1-1.

Cruz Azul 2, San Luis 1
Javier Orozco scored in the 83rd minute to give Cruz Azul a 2-1 win over San Luis Saturday at Estadio Alfonso Lastras Ramirez.

Hugo Pavone drew first blood for La Maquina, in the 16th minute. Alejandro Castro started the play with a ball into the center of the penalty area. Omar Bravo went up for a contested header, and deflected the ball to Pavone, who beat netminder Oscar Perez. Michael Orozco Fiscal countered for the Gladiadores in the 54th, after Moses Velasco’s corner kick was cleared outside the box.

Orozco hammered home the game-winner in full stride, banking the shot off the right post.

Cruz Azul improve to 1-1-0 (4 pts), while the Potros have a single point from two games (0-1-1).

Toluca 3, Puebla 1
Wilson Tiago snapped a 1-1 tie in the 44th minute and sent Toluca on their way to a 3-1 win over Puebla Sunday at Estadio Cuauhtemoc.

Lucas Silva opened the scoring for the Diablos Rojos in the 21st minute, heading home the first of his two goals, but La Franja drew level when Edinson Toloza snagged a rebound in the 33rd.

Silva capped the scoring with another header, in the 64th minute.

Puebla played the last 18 minutes shorthanded, after Herminio Miranda received his second yellow card and was sent off.

Toluca improve to 2-0-0, while Puebla are near the bottom of the table at 0-0-2.

Pumas 3, Queretaro 0
Martin Bravo scored twice in the first 15 minutes to help Pumas rout Queretaro 3-0 Sunday at Estadio Olimpico Universitario.

Bravo scored in the fifth and 15th minutes, and the 2-0 score held until Eduardo Herrera added the capper in the 87th.

Bravo’s first goal came off a rebound, his second off an assist from Emanuel Villa. Herrera’s goal also came after Gallos Blancos goalkeeper Juan Castillo blocked another shot back into play.

Pumas are fifth in the standings at 1-1-0 and four points. Queretaro (0-0-2) are still looking for their first Apertura point.

Santos Laguna 1, Chivas 0
Darwin Quintero scored the difference-maker as Santos Laguna snatched a 1-0 win over Chivas de Guadalajara in the 89th minute Sunday at Estadio Omnilife.

Quintero caught netminder Louis Michel off his line and deposited the ball into an empty net to deliver the win to the reigning champions.

Unbeaten Santos (2-0-0) are fourth in the standings on goal differential. Chivas are off to yet another slow start, at 0-0-2.