October 7, 2012
LIGA MX APERTURA
Match Day 12 roundup

Chivas 3, America 1
Chivas de Guadalajara took Saturday’s Clasico against Club America 3-1 at Estadio Azteca.

Marco Fabian gave the visitors a 1-0 lead with a short-range header in the 35th minute. Juan Carlos Medina equalized for America after a slashing run through the box in the 40th, but an own goal by Aguilas defender Diego Reyes delivered the win to Chivas in the 59th. Rafael Marquez added the insurance goal in the 67th.

Goalkeeper Luis Michel did his part for the Herd, fending off dangerous shots by Paul Aguilar and Daniel Montenegro that could have given America the lead early in the second half.

Chivas improve to 4-4-4 and 16 points, while Club America drop to 4-6-2 (18).

Pachuca 1, Leon 1
Youngster Raul Meraz scored in the 59th minute to lift Pachuca into a 1-1 draw with Leon Saturday at Estadio Hidalgo.

Meraz’s game-tying header countered a 38th-minute tally by Leon’s Matias Britos, who also finished with his head, off a corner kick. Led by striker Carlos Pena, the Esmeraldas pushed frantically to snatch the win, but Tuzos goalkeeper Rodolfo Cota came up with a pair of clutch saves, and a third shot hit the woodwork.


Tuzos midfielder Jorge Hernandez was sent off in the second minute of stoppage time after collecting two yellow cards in the span of 12 minutes.

The draw leaves Leon at 6-3-3 with 21 points, while Pachuca are well back in the Apertura field at 3-5-4 (14).

Puebla 2, Tigres 1
Puebla rallied with a pair of second-half goals to defeat Tigres 2-1 Saturday Estadio Universitario.

Puebla captain Jesus Chavez tied the score 1-1 in the 62nd minute, leaping to get his head on a cross from Matias Alustiza, and Edinson Toloza put away the game-winner in the 78th , after set-up passes from Alustiza and Diego de Buen. La Franja held on for the win despite losing defender Efrain Dimayuga to a red card in the 89th minute.

Damian Alvarez staked Tigres to a 1-0 lead in the 13th minute.

Puebla improve to 3-3-6 and 12 points, while Tigres (3-5-4) remain at 14 points.

Santos Laguna 1, Queretaro 1
Last-place Queretaro stunned defending champions Santos Laguna by rallying to a 1-1 draw Saturday at Estadio La Corregidora.

Herculez Gomez put Santos in the driver’s seat with a 36th-minute goal off an assist from Marc Crosas, but Luis Landin countered for the Gallos Blancos in the 51st, after Diego Vera forced a turnover by Felipe Baloy and fed the ball to Landin.

The draw gave Queretaro (0-3-9) only their third Apertura point, while Santos (5-4-3) have 19 points from 12 games.

Cruz Azul 1, Atlas 1
Omar Bravo’s 56th-minute goal lifted visiting Cruz Azul into a 1-1 draw with Atlas Saturday at Estadio Jalisco.

Bravo beat goalkeeper Miguel Pinto from close range after a foray into the box with forward Mariano Pavone.

Matias Vuoso put the Zorros up 1-0 in the 30th minute, heading a cross from the right wing off the bottom of the crossbar and into the net.

La Maquina finish Week 12 at 4-6-2 and 18 points. Atlas are 1-8-3, with 11 points.

Pumas 3, Monterrey 2
An own goal by Jose Maria Basanta proved to be the difference-maker as Pumas edged Monterrey 3-2 Sunday at Estadio Olimpico Universitario.

The Felines roared to an early 2-0 lead when Eduardo Herrera (14) and Efrain Velarde (16) scored within a two-minute span. Herrera ran onto a through ball and beat goalkeeper Jonathan Orozco with a shot across the goalmouth, and Velarde doubled the lead off a direct free kick. Cesar Fabian pulled the Rayados within one in the 32nd minute, off an assist from Aldo de Nigris, before Basanta restored UNAM’s two-goal advantage.

Hector Morales closed out the scoring for Monterrey in the 62nd minute. De Nigris collected his second assist on the play.

The win leaves Pumas (5-2-5) level on points with the Rayados (4-5-3) at 17.

Jaguares 4, San Luis 0
Luis Gabriel Rey scored twice to lead Jaguares to a 4-0 win over San Luis Sunday at Estadio Victor Manuel Reyna.

Rey opened the scoring in the ninth minute, poking home the loose ball after goalkeeper Cesar Gonzalez fumbled a shot, and completed his brace in the 26th. Jhon Cordoba made the score 3-0 seconds after the intermission, opening his Apertura scoring account by running onto a long through ball and beating Gonzalez one-on-one, and Franco Arizala closed things out in the 84th.

Chiapas take over 11th place on the table at 4-3-5 and 15 points. San Luis are 17th of 18 teams in the tournament at 2-3-7 (9).

Atlante 2, Morelia 2
Miguel Sabah scored two goals in three minutes to pull Morelia into a 2-2 tie with Atlante Sunday at Estadio Andres Quintana Roo.

Sabah’s goals, in the 82nd and 85th minute, countered a first-half brace by the Potros’ Luis Vanegas, who connected with headers in the third and 16th minutes. Sabah put Morelia on the board off a rebound, and leveled the score after running onto a pass from Antonio Pedroza on the right flank.

Monarcas are ninth in the standings at 4-5-3 and 17 points. Atlante improve to 3-4-5 (13).

Tijuana 1, Toluca 0
Tijuana stormed to the top of the Apertura table with a 1-0 win over Toluca Sunday at Estadio Caliente.

Duvier Riascos scored the deciding goal, off a two-on-one breakaway in the 50th minute.

The Xolos seized the attacking initiative in the early minutes, with Fernando Arce sending a shot straight to netminder Alfredo Talavera in the 14th minute. Pablo Aguilar hit Talavera’s woodwork in the 38th, and a header by Fidel Martinez was cleared from the goalmouth by a defender early in the second stanza.

Toluca picked up the pace after Riascos’ goal. Aguilar cleared a dangerous shot by Luis Silva in the 58th minute and goalkeeper Cirilo Saucedo turned away a late attempt by Juan Carlos Cacho to preserve the win.

The Xolos improve to 8-3-1 and 27 points, one up on second-place Toluca (8-2-2, 26).