Primera División de México – 2012 Clausura – Jornada 2
By Eugene Rupinski at January 26, 2012 | 6:00 am | Print
The second week of the Primera saw a bunch of good action mixed in with a few questionable calls.
San Luis at Estudiantes Tecos: The Friday game saw a San Luis side that surprised UNAM Pumas last week going to Guadalajara to face the hapless Estudiantes Tecos who are still fighting to stay in the Primera. San Luis went up 1-0 at 18′ on Alfredo Moreno’s second-effort shot that was poorly defended by Estudiantes. San Luis sealed it with a really nice flowing move to set up Wilmer Aguirre’s goal at 81′ to put San Luis up 2-0.
Of note: USMNT defender Michael Orozco-Fiscal played the entire match for San Luis. Wilmer Aguirre will miss San Luis’ next game for picking up a straight red card at 93′ when he stepped on the leg of Estudiantes’ defender Hugo Colace.
San Luis – Next three matches: 1/20 – @Morelia; 1/28 – América; 2/4 – @Monterrey. The tests get tougher from here on out for San Luis, who is the only team to win both games that they’ve played. They looked great against Estudiantes. Can they carry this momentum against some of the tougher teams? Morelia should be a decent challenge before facing powerhouses América and Monterrey.
Estudiantes Tecos – Next three matches: 1/20 – América; 1/28 – @UANL Tigres; 2/3 – Atlas. I can’t stress enough how much Estudiantes must get points and get them soon or else they’ll be back in the Liga de Ascenso come fall. They must find a way to get some points from América or Tigres and a win against Atlas is crucial. The time is now for this team. Are they up to the challenge?
Guadalajara at Chiapas: A shock upset as Chivas de Guadalajara falls to Jaguares de Chiapas. Jaguares got the scoring started at 24′ whenEdgar Andrade’s free kick was headed in the box by Jackson Martínez, past the Chivas defense to a falling Yasser Corona, who poked the ball past Chivas goalkeeper Luis Michel to put Jaguares up 1-0. Chivas would equalize at 52′ when Marco Fabián’s free-kick from the left side of the box went past three defenders to Héctor Reynoso, who headed it past Jaguares goalkeeper Edgar Hernández. Chiapas would go up for good at 63′ when a nice run by George Corral (and sloppy defending by Chivas) was played across the box by Jaguares to Jorge Rodríguez who knocked it in to make it 2-1. George Corral would then get the assist when he played another nice ball across the box to Jackson Martínez, who added the insurance goal at 72′ to give Jaguares the 3-1 win.
Of note: Miguel Ángel Ponce, who holds duel Mexican and American citizenship but plays for El Tri, was an unused substitute for Chivas. US U-23 striker Adrián Ruelas did not dress for Jaguares. Jaguares’ Miguel Martínez will miss the next match when he picked up his second yellow card at 79′ for a hard foul on Erick Torres. Chivas’ Jorge Enríquez will miss the next three games and Héctor Reynoso will miss the next game for red cards. Enríquez was given a red at 83′ after he kicked Jorge Hernández in the face when Hernández tried to execute a sliding tackle. Reynoso was given a straight red at 88′ after elbowing Jackson Martínez in the face when they both went for a loose ball. Chivas’ Patricio Araujo missed the match after being suspended for his red card at the end of last week’s match against Atlante.
Guadalajara – Next three matches: 1/21 – Tijuana; 1/29 – @UNAM Pumas; 2/4 Morelia. Chivas still can’t find a way to win and that has some calling for the ouster of manager Fernando Quirarte, who was publicly backed by Chivas management. This team simply must beat Tijuana, and the way the Xolos have been playing it’s easier said than done. One thing the Goats must do is stop teams from passing laterally near the box, as their defense comes unraveled on quick side-to-side passes.
Chiapas – Next three matches: 1/21 – @Santos; 1/28 – Puebla; 2/4 – @Cruz Azul. As difficult as this part of the schedule will be, I predict Jaguares will still be at or near the top of the table at the end of it. This team looks like they are firing on all cylinders right now, and Jackson Martínez is starting to hit his stride. The rest of the league should take notice – Jaguares is for real.
Puebla at Pachuca: Puebla and Pachuca squared off in a decent match in Nuevo Hidalgo that saw Los Tuzos get three important points on the road. Pachuca got the scoring started when Mauro Cejas played a perfect ball forward to a streaking Jaime Ayoví, who put it past Alexandro Álvarez to make it 1-0 at 30′. Puebla got the equalizer right before the half when a defensive break-down for Pachuca gave the ball to a streaking Lucas Silva, who put a nice cross right on to the foot of Luis Ángel Landín who poked it past Pachuca keeper Rodolfo Cota to make it 1-1 at 43′. After the half, it turned into the Marco Bueno show. The seventeen-year-old striker was subbed on at 69′ for Daniel Arreola, and at 76′ he struck a nice cross from Edy Brambila in to make it 2-1 Pachuca. Bueno added one more when Puebla got caught playing too high up in the defensive zone and a ball was played ahead to Ayoví, who was intentionally tripped by goalkeeper Álvarez. When Ayoví was taken down by the sprawling Álvarez, the ball still went forward and Bueno caught up to it and put the icing on the cake at 94′, and Pachuca got their first win of the season, beating Puebla 3-1
Of note: USMNT forward DaMarcus Beasley came on for Puebla at 62′. USMNT midfielder José Francisco Torres played the entire match for Pachuca. This was Marco Bueno’s second appearance for Pachuca, having come on at 90′ in last week’s match against Santos Laguna.
Puebla – Next three matches: 1/22 – Atlante; 1/28 – @Chiapas; 2/5 – Tijuana. Another match that Puebla could possibly have gotten points out of. If they’re on the cusp of making the playoffs and miss, this game will stand out as one they should have had.
Pachuca – Next three matches: 1/21 – @Cruz Azul; 1/28 – Querétaro; 2/5 – @Toluca. Pachuca have to feel confident after this win. Knowing you have someone who can readily step in and make an impact like Bueno did tonight can really help a good team become a great team. They’ll be put to the test when they go to Mexico City and face Los Cementaros on Saturday.
Querétaro at UANL Tigres: A rematch of the Apertura semifinals saw Querétaro head to Nuevo Leon to face Tigres. The only goal of the match came at 39′ when Brasilian defender Juninho (not the one that plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy) hit a half-volley golazo in past Querétaro goalkeeper Liborio Sánchez to put Tigres up 1-0. However when looking at the replay, Héctor Mancilla’s header clearly crossed the end line before being played back in by Elías Hernández. How this was missed was the talk of the Spanish-language sports shows and Primera blogs this week. Eben Lehman of FMF State of Mind reported that
This week Justino Compean, president of the Mexican Football Federation, reportedly laid into the league’s referees behind closed doors. In a meeting with officials from the Mexican Primera and Liga Ascenso, Compean let it be known that these mistakes would not fly.
For all fans of fair play, let’s hope he’s correct and Sr. Compean’s message is heard loud and clear.
Of note: None of Tigres’ seven US-eligible players (USMNT left-back Jonathan Bornstein, US U-23 defensive midfielder Moises Orozco, US U-20 goalkeeper Daniel Medina, left-back Juan Pablo Ocegueda, forward Uvaldo Luna, midfielder Victor Garza, or U-17 Emilio Orozco) dressed for the match.
Querétaro – Next three matches: 1/21 – Atlas; 1/28 – @Pachuca; 2/4 – Atlante. Querétaro should have had a point here, however they must look past this and prepare for a very winnable match at home against hapless Atlas. Heading to Pachuca will not be easy, so three points against Los Zorros on Saturday will be crucial.
UANL Tigres – Next three matches: 1/22 – @Toluca; 1/28 – Estudiantes Tecos; 2/5 – @América. A Copa Libertadores match sandwiched in on 1/25 against Chilean squad Unión Española in Santiago will provide an interesting challenge for manager Ricardo Ferretti. Tigres is rolling right now and has two tough away matches on the horizon against Toluca and América. Ferretti will earn his money juggling lines and keeping guys fresh over this stretch.
Monterrey at Tijuana: A hard fought affair that saw the upstart Xolos shock Monterrey. As time was expiring, Leandro Augusto hit a free kick and captain Marcelo Gandolfi headed it in off of a stunned Jonathan Orozco to give Tijuana the victory. Monterrey was outplayed by Los Xolos, being out-shot nine to three and getting no shots on goal to Tijuana’s three. If you don’t shoot, you won’t score. Still, all credit to Tijuana. This team is starting to believe in themselves and aren’t afraid of any team. They shouldn’t be, not having lost since September 18, 2011 against Estudiantes Tecos.
Of note: USMNT left-back Edgar Castillo played the full match for Tijuana, recording one shot. US-U23′s Joe Benny Corona came on at 58′ for Richard Ruiz. US-U20′s Greg Garza did not dress for the match. Monterrey’s Chilean striker Humberto “Chupete” Suazo was again absent from the Monterrey roster.
Monterrey – Next three matches: 1/21 – UNAM Pumas; 1/27 – @Morelia; 2/4 – San Luis. Monterrey lost a tough match on the road and return home to face Pumas. One has to wonder how much of a distraction the situation with Chupete Suazo is right now. They must put this loss behind them and move on immediately or else it could be a long season for Los Rayados.
Tijuana – Next three matches: 1/21 – @Guadalajara; 1/29 – Santos; 2/5 – @Puebla. Tijuana has to be over the moon with confidence after this win. Chivas is slumping but they’re always tough at home. Then again, Tijuana hasn’t lost in four months. It will be very interesting to see if Tijuana can go from relegation candidates to championship contender in one short season.
Cruz Azul at Atlas: Cruz Azul went to Jalisco to face an Atlas team that’s been struggling. Cruz Azul went up 1-0 at 43′ when Atlas keeper Miguel Pinto made a throw that was intercepted and played into the box to ex-Sporting Kansas City forward Omar Bravo, who headed it across to Emanuel Villa for the score. Atlas had the opportunity to equalize at 75′ after they were awarded a penalty kick when Néstor Araujo appeared to bring down Mauricio Romero in the box. Atlas captain Giancarlo Maldonado took the shot, but hit it center-low and Cruz Azul keeper Jesús Corona knocked the shot away to keep it 1-0 Cementeros. Cruz Azul was awarded a penalty of their own four minutes later when Luis Ramos took down Omar Bravo in the box. Christian “Chaco” Giménez struck it low and hard and it beat Pinto to the right post to give Cruz Azul the 2-0 lead which they’d hold on to for the win.
Of note: Atlas hasn’t won a match since October 16, 2011 when they beat Pumas 4-1 in Jalisco.
Cruz Azul – Next three matches: 1/21 – Pachuca; 1/28 – @Atlante; 2/4 – Chiapas. Omar Bravo returning to México has so far been a success for Cruz Azul. They’ll face some stiff competition over the next three weeks and it will be interesting to see how well they do against some decent competition.
Atlas – Next three matches: 1/21 – @Querétaro; 1/28 – Toluca; 2/3 – @Estudiantes Tecos. Atlas should be thankful that Estudiantes Tecos is so awful or else it would be them who would be rocketing toward a drop. They still need to pick up points to further distance themselves. The February 3 match in Jalisco against the Tecos could be critical to them staying afloat.
Santos Laguna at Atlante: Santos faced Atlante in rainy Cancún and came out with the three points. Christian Suárez got the scoring started at 12′ when Daniel Ludueña played a ball into double-coverage and Suárez hit the tough angle shot to put Santos up 1-0. Atlante would tie it up at 52′ when Jorge Hernández hit a rocket off of the post straight to Andrés Mendoza who chipped it in past Oswaldo Sánchez to make it 1-1. Four minutes later though when Osmar Mares played a ball to Oribe Peralta, Peralta would seal the game with an absolute golazo. Peralta beat a defender who slipped and then beat Atlante keeper Armando Navarette to put Santos up for good at 2-1.
Of note: USMNT forward Hérculez Gómez was an unused substitute for Santos. Neither US U-20 goalkeeper Jesus Guzman nor midfielder Daniel Cuevas dressed for Santos. American Sonny Guadarrama came on for Atlante at 88′ when he was subbed on for Óscar Rojas. Santos’ César Ibáñez missed the match after being sent off in last week’s match against Pachuca.
Santos Laguna – Next three matches: 1/21 – Jaguares de Chiapas; 1/29 – @Tijuana; 2/4 – UNAM Pumas. Not an easy stretch for Santos. These next three games should indicate whether Santos will make another run at the title or whether they’ll be on the outside looking in come playoff time.
Atlante – Next three matches: 1/22 – @Puebla; 1/28 – Cruz Azul; 2/4 – @Querétaro. Atlante is another team that is benefiting from the awful play of Estudiantes Tecos, but they too must pick up points if they’re going to distance themselves from the drop zone. Getting points away is never easy, but even a draw with Puebla or Querétaro at this point would be helpful.
Morelia at UNAM Pumas: First home match of the season for Pumas is a rematch of the 2011 Clausura Final as Morelia makes their way to Estadio Olímpico. Sloppy defense by Monarcas led to Martín Bravo hitting a wide open Juan Carlos Cacho who beat Federico Vilar with a short-side rocket at 7′ to put Pumas up 1-0. Pumas would get their second of the match at 38 minutes when another defensive breakdown by Monarcas led to one of the craziest goals I’ve seen all year. Cacho perfectly timed a terrible back pass and executed a sliding tackle on Vilar, knocking the ball skyward. Vilar recovered, but when he went to catch the ball, Martín Bravo headed the ball away from Vilar, collected it, and knocked it in. Finally, more sloppy defending by Monarcas (seeing a pattern here?) led to Javier Cortés poking one to Eduardo Herrera who blasts one past Vilar at 85′ as Pumas rolls past Monarcas 3-0.
Of note: USMNT U-23 midfielder Ernest Nungaray did not dress for Morelia. Pumas won for the first time since October 26, 2011 and the first time they scored three goals since September 18, 2011.
Morelia – Next three matches: 1/20 – San Luis; 1/27 – @Monterrey; 2/4 – Guadalajara. Morelia is in freefall right now, and games against San Luis and Monterrey won’t be easy. Slumping Chivas might be their best hope of picking up a win, but that’s a long time to wait.
UNAM Pumas – Next three matches: 1/21 – Monterrey; 1/29 –@Guadalajara; 2/4 – Santos. Not an easy stretch for Pumas. Like Morelia, their best shot at points might be against slumping Chivas.
Toluca at América: The final match of the week saw América open up Estadio Azteca for the Clausura. Toluca got the scoring started at 56′ when Antonio Ríos played a cross into the box that was poorly defended by América’s Juan Valenzuela. Valenzuela had his back to the ball and never saw it until Iván Alonso poked it past Moisés Muñoz to make it 1-0. It was Valenzuela’s replacement, Vicente Vuoso, who would salvage a point for Los Aguilas though. At 82′, all hell nearly broke loose when Martín Romagnoli was whistled for a handball in the box. See for yourself – did Toluca have a right to be upset with the call? Once the dust settled, Iván Alonso picked up a yellow card and Vuoso converted the penalty kick to give América the 1-1 draw. Give credit to Toluca keeper Alfredo Talavera though – he only allowed the goal on the penalty shot despite facing sixteen shots, five of which were on goal.
Of note: US U-20 midfielder Héctor Delgado did not dress for América. Alonso leads the Primera with three goals.
Toluca – Next three matches: 1/22 – UANL Tigres; 1/28 – @Atlas; 2/5 – Pachuca. Tigres comes to town in what will be Toluca’s strongest test of the season. Matches against Atlas and Pachuca should see Toluca pick up some points.
América – Next three matches: 1/20 – @Estudiantes Tecos; 1/28 – @San Luis; 2/5 – UANL Tigres. América must not be complacent against Estudiantes Tecos. Looking forward to San Luis and/or Tigres could spell disaster against a Tecos squad fighting to stave off relegation.
