Santos And Atlas Play Out 0-0 Draw In Foxboro

FOXBORO, Mass- After opening their SuperLiga campaigns against Major League Soccer opposition, Santos Laguna and Atlas met in Foxboro, Mass, for their second group match of the competition.

Santos was in desperate need of a win after taking a 4-2 loss in their opener again New England, while Atlas was coming off of a draw with Kansas City.

Despite a few sparse moments of brilliance, the match ended up being nothing more than a dull 0-0 draw.

First Half:

The clash between Atlas and Santos Laguna started with a massive clash of heads between Atlas’ Herbert Alferez and Santos’ Christian Sanchez just minutes in to the match. The clash would eventually lead to Sanchez being forced to abandon the match after a few attempts at mending the cut failed.

Defender Hugo Ayala was just inches away from finding the mark for Atlas inside the first five minutes and for a time it seemed as if Santos would be largely on the back foot. Atlas looked the quicker and more poised of the two sides throughout much of the opening 20 minutes.

Yet the Santos back line held fairly firm, only allowing shots from distance. Santos even managed a very nice chance of their own when Matias Vuoso skipped around his man only to be foiled by Atlas ‘keeper Jose Francisco Canales, who was quick off his line.

Atlas worked a nice chance in the 25^th when Jorge Torres made his way past Santos’ Francisco Torres and found Gerardo Espinoza at the free at the top of the box. The hit looked to be online, but the Santos defense was tucked in and the ball couldn’t find its way through the mass of bodies.

Vuoso had another good look at goal in the 34^th when he was found with only one defender to beat inside the box. The Mexican international turned well and hit a low drive, but Canales was in good position to deal easily with the chance.

Moments later on the other end Torres made another brilliant run into the area only to have Sanchez block his attempted cross.

Satntos had a very good look in stoppage time of the first half. Vuoso held the ball up well and fought off a defender before teeing up Jorge Estrada for a hit, but the defender couldn’t get his shot on target and the match would go to the half at 0-0.

Second Half:

When the second period began, it was clear that the tempo had dropped. While both sides were clearly trying to find a way through, the speed of the match was considerably slower, and there was little in the way of goalmouth action for the first 15 minutes.

In the 60^th Estrada had a drive from just outside the box that gave Canales a bit of trouble, but the Atlas ‘keeper was able to push the ball wide for a corner.

In the 66^th Atlas had a nice look from a corner when a driven ball fell kindly to Ayala at the back post, but Sanchez was in the right spot again and the match would stay level.

In the 74^th Atlas took and advantage of sort when Francisco Torres, who had just reentered the match after having to get some medical attention, made a very harsh challenge and was shown the door by the referee.

Both sides made changes almost immediately after the sending off, with Atlas bringing on an extra striker, and Santos replacing a tiring Daniel Luduena with Pedro Quinonez in hopes of having some extra cover.

The last good chance for either side would be a long range hit from Atlas’ Espinoza that skipped past Sanchez, but just past the post as well.