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Mexican Primera Round-Up: Chivas Finish América In Derby
In a week filled with draws, Chivas de Guadalajara took home the “Súper Clásico” thanks to a brace by Omar Arellano which propelled the “Rebaño Sagrado” into qualification zone and left América on the edge of elimination. Also, the playoff hopes for Atlas were revived and San Luis continues as Superlider.
Oct 26, 2008 10:18:37 PM
Jornada 14
Saturday, 25 October, 2008
Jaguares 0 - 0 Toluca
San Luis 2 - 0 Monterrey
Pachuca 1 - 1 Morelia
Tigres 1 - 1 Necaxa
Atlas 2 - 1 Santos
Atlante - Tecos (Postponed)
Sunday, 26 October, 2008
Pumas 1 - 1 Indios
Puebla 2 - 2 Cruz Azul
América 1 - 2 Chivas
Jaguares 0 - 0 Toluca
Week 14 kicked-off with a scoreless and poor draw in Chiapas between Jaguares and Toluca, which does little for both squads in their fight for a playoff spot.
The match started off with promise from both sides, but it did not lead to more than a few goal approximations without any real danger and eventually resulted in imprecisions from both teams.
“Diablos” did not take advantage of the expulsion of Jaguares midfielder André Luiz and the insipid performance of the Chiapas side.
As a result of the draw between Group 3 rivals, Jaguares is the most affected with 15 points in the fifth spot and with minimal possibilities of the liguilla. While Toluca moved further away from San Luis and Tigres and is now level with Atlas at 18 points apiece.
San Luis 2 - 0 Monterrey
After a scandalous defeat last weekend, San Luis returned to victory over Monterrey and continue as the best team in the Torneo Apertura 2008.
The locals displayed a complete dominance of the match and took advantage of the poor form and struggles of hapless Monterrey, who every week move further away from any playoff possibilities.
In the 30 minute, in-form veteran Braulio Luna opened the score off a spot kick that revealed the poor form of “Rayados” thanks to the facilities of the defensive wall and goalkeeper Christian Martínez.
The “Gladiadores” doubled their lead in the 47 minute, thanks to a powerful shot by Víctor Píriz which left the Monterrey goalkeeper with no options. San Luis did not settle and continued attacking to amplify their lead, but their bad aim and finishing prevented another humiliating “Rayado” defeat.
With the victory, San Luis continues atop of the third group and of the general table with 27 points. In Group 1, Monterrey fell positions are now in the fifth spot with 13 points and after seven weeks without a victory, they are in deep crisis.
Pachuca 1 - 1 Morelia
The “Tuzos” proposed and fought their way back to earn a 1-1 draw against the impressive Monarcas at their makeshift home of estadio Azul in México City.
Morelia started the match as if they were the home team in dominating fashion, not only with ball possession but creating many dangerous attacks on both wings with Hugo Droguett and youngster Elías Hernández, which forced Pachuca goalkeeper Miguel Calero to save his goal on many occasions.
Monarcas would capitalize on their dominance in the 29 minute, thanks to a perfectly executed penalty shot converted by Andrés Mendoza for his seventh goal of the season.
Still, Pachuca did not relent and created problems for the Morelia defense with many dangerous approximations. In the 42 minute, the “Tuzos” would benefit from an own goal by Morelia defender Marvin Cabrera for the definitive 1-1 draw.
This result leaves Pachuca in the third spot of the first group with 16 points and three points behind second placed Santos. Morelia continues in the second spot of Group 2 and is tied at 21 points with Tecos at the top of the group.
Tigres 1 - 1 Necaxa
Manuel Lapuente’s Tigres were unable to take advantage of playing in front of a packed home crowd and shared the spoils against last placed Necaxa.
Led by an inspired and in-form Lucas Lobos, Tigres generated various scoring opportunities but were unable to break the defensive order of the “Rayos.”
The first goal arrived early the 8 minute, when a Lucas Lobos lob created problems for Necaxa goalkeeper Omar Ortiz who could not clear it over the crossbar and ended up hitting it in giving the Tigres the 1-0 lead.
In the 69 minute, Necaxa forward Walter Gaitán finally made his presence felt for the Aguascalientes side when he scored the tying goal. Curiously, Gaitán began his career in México with Tigres, whose faithful hail him as “el Divino.”
The point is golden for Necaxa who end a bad run of two straight defeats and at this point of the season with 10 points in Group Three, every possible point is valuable to abandon the bottom spot of the general table. While Tigres, continues in qualification zone in the second spot of the third group with 22 points.
Atlas 2 - 1 Santos
The “Rojinegros” had a good performance and earned their third home victory of the season against champion Santos. Atlas enjoyed possession and control of the match for large spells in the match, against a Santos side which has failed to find a regularity in the torneo.
Atlas had the closest and only scoring opportunity of the first half, when a spot kick by 21-year old captain Dario Botinelli dangerously hit the crossbar, denying the “Zorros” of the lead.
The second half began with a determined Atlas in search of opening the score. In the 52 minute, their efforts were rewarded when Botinelli perfectly slotted in a pass from defender Jorge Torres to take the 1-0 lead.
Soon after the opening goal, the “Zorros” took control of the match and doubled their lead thanks to 18-year old Edgar Pacheco in the 71 minute. Without doing much, Santos cut the lead in the 86 minute thanks to an own goal by Atlas defender Darvin Chávez.
With the victory, Atlas enters the fight for a playoff spot tied with 18 points with Toluca in the fourth spot of Group Three. Despite their irregularity, Santos has a firm hold on the second spot of the first group with 19 points.
Atlante - Tecos
The match was postponed due to inclement weather in Cancún, which left the field in deplorable and unplayable conditions. The “Potros” continue at the top of Group 1 with 23 points, while Tecos leads the second group with 21 points and have played two games less. The match was rescheduled for November 12, 2008.
Pumas 1 - 1 Indios
The University club continues in a six week winless streak and relinquished an opportunity to escalate positions in Group 2 with a 1-1 draw against Indios.
In the 51, the bordertown side went up in the score thanks to a defensive error by Pumas which led to a goal by Ezequiel Carlos Maggiolo.
The match suffered from several referee mistakes, which led to the expulsion of Indios veteran Tomás Campos and two clear penalties committed in favor of Pumas which were not signaled.
Still, Pumas took advantage of the one-man advantage and in the 79 minute youngster Fernando Morales drew the score level with a free header thanks to the facilities of the Indios defense.
Indios earned a valuable away point to aid their permanence efforts and moved up to the fourth spot of Group 1 with 13 points. Pumas were unable to escalate in the “Group of Death” and remain in the fourth spot with 19 points.
Puebla 2 - 2 Cruz Azul
The “Cementeros” rescued a 2-2 draw against Puebla who once again failed to take the three points from their home.
Both sides suffered the expulsion of a player, Cruz Azul was a man short since the 10 minute, when youngster César Villaluz was red carded for a plancha on Sergio Pérez. While Puebla defender Walter Vilchez received two yellow cards and was sent off in the 75 minute.
Despite the numerical inferiority, the “Máquina” took the lead in the 42 minute thanks to a goal by Alejandro Vela. However, Puebla responded at the start of the second half with a brace by Walter Horacio Peralta in the 53 and 57 minutes for the 2-1 lead.
Pueble continued to pressure and put Cruz Azul against the wall, but in the 72 minute, the “Cementeros” took full advantage of a corner kick and defender Julio “Cata” Domínguez tied the score at two goals apiece.
Cruz Azul defended the last minutes and withstood the constant Puebla attacks to rescue the away point which leaves them in the third spot of Group 2 with 20 points. The draw did little to help Puebla’s efforts, who remain at the bottom of the first group with 12 points
América 1 - 2 Chivas
The curtain fell on week 14 action with an entertaining “Súper Clásico” match that lived up to all expectations and witnessed by a packed estadio Azteca.
Despite the match being played at America’s home, the support in the stands was even, with Chivas de Guadalajara demonstrating why they are the most popular club in all of México.
On this edition of the “Súper Clásico,” both pride and points were the motivation for victory between arch-rivals in the “Group of Death.” On this occasion, the “Rebaño Sagrado” earned their third consecutive derby win over arch-rivals América with two goals by forward Omar Arellano, which topped off an impressive turnaround in season and places them in the playoff qualification zone.
The first half began with a rampant Chivas side that pushed América towards their own half and dangerously attacked the goal defended by goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa.
Their early dominance would pay off in the 12 minute, with a brilliant individual play by Sergio Santana who dribbled past “Aguilas” defender Sebastián Domínguez and centered the ball across Ochoa’s goal and Omar Arellano fortuitously touched it in for the 1-0 lead.
After the early Chivas dominance, the “Aguilas” took over the rest of the half and came close in the 26 minute when forward Alfredo Moreno’s shot was rejected by the crossbar and preserved the minimal Chivas lead.
Six minutes later, América would find the way back into the game when off a corner kick Argentine defender Sebastián Domínguez rose above two Chivas defenders to deliver a perfect header that leveled the score 1-1 at the end of the first half.
The second half began with a desperate América side in search of the home victory. In the 52 minute, “Aguilas” midfielder Enrique Vera missed an easy goal in front of the line and shot it over the goal, but the action was ruled as offsides.
Similar to Chivas in the first half, América had complete dominance in the first minutes of the second half and created a number of dangerous scoring opportunities that were brilliantly blocked by Chivas goalkeeper Hugo Hernández.
Midway to the second half and after key substitutions by coach Efraín Flores, Chivas regained possession of the ball and created chaos in the América camp who resorted to imprecisions and needless fouls.
In the 71 minute, an América error led to a loose ball which substitute Sergio Ávila recovered and filtered past a sliding Domínguez to forward Arellano, who resolved it in grand fashion with an incredible shot to the superior angle of the left post, beating Ochoa and giving the Tapatíos the 2-1 lead.
The last few minutes were for the Capital side, who continued in their desperation not to lose points at home and stay alive in the current campaign. In the 89 minute, Paraguayan goalscoarer Salvador Cabañas came dangerously close when his header shook the crossbar and denied the parity.
In aggregate time, a shot by Juan Carlos Medina was deflected by a Chivas defender in what appeared to be a hand ball in the penalty area, but the referee did not make the call.
In the 94 minute, the referee blew the final whistle to this edition of the México derby amidst the joy of Chivas players, coach and faithful. On the other hand, the “Americanistas” walked off the pitch in disillusionment of not only losing a derby, but being defeated again at home and practically eliminated from the Torneo Apertura 2008.
With this derby victory, Chivas playoff hopes get a second wind since they moved up to the third spot of Group 2 and are tied with Tecos and Morelia with 21 points. In the same group, América continues in last place with 15 points and are in need of a miracle to qualify to the liguilla.
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César García covers México for Goal.com.
Contact him with any questions or comments at: cesar.garcia@goal.com.
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