September 2, 2012
LIGA MX APERTURA
Match Day 7 roundup

Tijuana 2, Jaguares 0
Tijuana solidified their hold on second place in the Apertura standings with Friday’s 2-0 win over Jaguares at Estadio Caliente.

Alfredo Moreno wrapped up the win with a 41st-minute penalty kick, and Duvier Riascos – who drew the foul that sent Moreno to the spot -- added an insurance goal in the 82nd, after a stunning solo run through the Chiapas defense from the far side of midfield. It was the second straight shutout for goalkeeper Cirilo Saucedo, whose toughest challenge came in the 62nd minute, when he turned away a shot by Gerardo Espinoza.

The result leaves the Xolos (5-1-1) one point behind first-place Toluca, with 16. Jaguares fall to 1-1-5 (4).

Pumas 1, Morelia 0
Emanuel Villa scored the only goal Pumas needed to hand Morelia their first loss of the Apertura season, 1-0 Friday at Estadio Morelos.

Villa put the game away in the 70th minute, heading his third goal of the tournament past goalkeeper Federico Vilar off a corner kick.

Pumas improve to 3-1-3 and six points, while Morelia drop from third to fifth place with 12 points (3-3-1).

Atlante 1, Queretaro 0
Atlante moved into sixth place in the Apertura standings with Saturday’s 1-0 win over Queretaro at rain-drenched Estadio La Corregidora.

Esteban Paredes scored the only goal of the match, in the 17th minute, working his way around a defender in the penalty area and roofing a shot over netminder Juan Castillo to claim a share of the league scoring lead with five goals.

Queretaro’s best chance of the match came early, when Diego Vera smacked a shot off the bar. In the closing seconds, Gallos striker Carlos Bueno went down after contact by a defender in front of the goal, but no penalty was called.

The Potros improve to 3-3-1 and 12 points, while the Gallos Blancos remain at the bottom of the league table at 0-1-6 (1).

Cruz Azul 1, Pachuca 1
Gerardo Torrado scored in the second minute of stoppage time to help Cruz Azul salvage a 1-1 draw with Pachuca Saturday at Estadio Azul.

Felix Borja gave Pachuca a 1-0 lead in the 25th minute, with a header off Mauro Cejas’ free kick. Torrado equalized off a sharp cross from Francinilson Santos.

Cruz Azul remain undefeated at 3-4-0 and 13 points, although they have yet to win at home in the Apertura, while Pachuca enter next week’s World Cup Qualifying recess at 1-4-2 (7).

Santos Laguna 3, Tigres 1
Darwin Quintero took over the Apertura scoring lead with two goals as Santos Laguna defeated Tigres 3-1 Saturday at Estadio TSM Corona.

Quintero opened the scoring in the 12th minute, after Jorge Torres relayed a pass from Cesar Ibanez through the penalty area, and Oribe Peralta corralled a through ball from Edgar Lugo and doubled Santos’ lead three minutes later. Lucas Lobos put Tigres on the board with a 37th-minute penalty kick, awarded after Juan Pablo Rodriguez handled the ball in the box, but Quintero restored the Guerreros’ two-goal advantage in the 74th, with his fifth goal of the tournament.

Defending champions Santos are seventh in the standings at 3-2-2 and 11 points. The result leaves Tigres at 2-3-2 (9).

Monterrey 1, Atlas 1
Neri Cardozo scored in the fifth minute, but Monterrey could do no better than a 1-1 draw with Atlas Saturday at Estadio Tecnologico.

Jahir Barraza leveled the score for the Zorros in the 70th, giving the team a point in their first game under the direction of new coach Tomas Boy.

The result leaves Monterrey tenth on the table at 2-4-1 and ten points, two places and two points ahead of Atlas (1-5-1, 8).

Leon 2, San Luis 0
Leon shut out San Luis 2-0 Saturday at Estadio Alfonso Lastras Ramirez to take over third place in the Apertura standings.

Ivan Loboa opened the scoring in the sixth minute, and Matias Britos closed things out in the 75th.

The Esmereldas improve to 4-1-2 and 13 points, while the struggling Gladiadores remain winless at 0-2-5 (2).

Toluca 1, America 1
Toluca and America scored rapid-fire goals within a four-minute span on their way to a 1-1 draw Sunday at Estadio Nemesio Diez.

Rubens Sambueza gave the shorthanded Aguilas, who lost defender Diego Novaretti to a red card in the 32nd minute, a short-lived 1-0 lead in the 66th minute, before Carlos Rodriguez countered for Toluca with a penalty kick in the 70th.

The point was just enough to keep Toluca (5-2-0) on top of the Apertura standings with 17 points, one more than second-place Tijuana. America are eighth in the standings at 2-4-1 (10).

CHIVAS 1, PUEBLA 1
Chivas de Guadalajara staked Puebla to an early lead, but rallied to a 1-1 draw Sunday at Estadio Omnilife.

Jesus Chavez scored in the 31st minute to give La Franja a 1-0 advantage, latching onto the rebound after goalkeeper Luis Michel blocked Gustavo Alustiza’s free kick. Luis Morales leveled the score for Chivas in the 81st, with a header off a service from Miguel Ponce.

The teams remain one spot apart in the bottom half of the Apertura table, Chivas 14th at 1-3-3 and six points, Puebla 15th at 1-2-4 (5).