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Liga MX Round 8: A Look Back

MiguelLayunAmerica1-PumasUNAM (Mexsport)

By DAN KARELL

Home or away, clear or rainy skies, it doesn’t seem to matter to Club America. They just keep on winning.

In the Clasico Capitalino on Monday night, taking place in the pouring rain of Mexico City, America routed Pumas UNAM on the road, 4-1, keeping their undefeated record so far in the 2013 Apertura season in Liga MX. The Eagles scored three goals in a seven-minute span during the first half to effectively put the game away.

Despite the game taking place at the Estadio Universitario, it was the visitors that controlled the match throughout. America fullback Miguel Layun opened the scoring on the night with a controlled rocket of a shot that zipped through the falling rain and past Pumas goalkeeper Alejandro Palacios in the 27th minute. Four minutes later, an easy header by Juan Carlos Valenzuela put America up two, and in the 34th minute, in-form forward Luis Mendoza scored his third goal of the season with a cheeky chip.

Midfielder Luis Gabriel Rey put America up by four goals with a header in the 66th minute, only for Pumas forward Martin Bravo to score an overhead kick in the 78th minute to earn back some pride.

Here’s a closer look at the best of Liga MX from Apertura round eight:

MORELIA ROLL OVER PACHUCA

While America has continued their dominant form to start the fall Liga MX season, so has Monarcas Morelia.

Morelia, to the delight of their home fans, thrashed Pachuca, 4-1, last Friday to move back to second place in the league table. Like America, Morelia scored three goals in a ten minute span inside the first 20 minutes of the match to effectively end it.

Enrique Perez gave the hosts the lead in the 9th minute when he headed home from the middle of the box off a corner kick. Three minutes later, Pachuca’s defense split wide open as Hector Mancilla raced onto a long ball and supplied a quality left-footed finish. In the 19th minute, Morelia’s Jose Cardenas completed a solo-run with a strike past Pachuca goalkeeper Oscar Perez.

Duvier Riascos scored one back for Pachuca just before halftime, but for the second week in a row, Edgar Andrade scored a screamer of a free kick to put Morelia back up three again.

QUERETARO STUN CRUZ AZUL

Cruz Azul are learning fast that they aren’t the same team without Teo Gutierrez.

The Clausura runner-up squad sold one of their best players in the offseason and suffered a shock defeat at home on Saturday, falling, 2-0, to Queretaro. The result sends down to sixth in the table, though they are still only three points behind first place.

Queretaro’s Brazilian midfielder Apodi earned a penalty kick in the eighth minute of the match, going down at the edge of the box, with La Maquina protesting that the foul should be outside. Esteban Paredes stepped up to the spot and sent Mexico National Team goalkeeper Jose de Jesus Corona the wrong way to take an early lead.

Some nice work in the 31st minute saw Cruz Azul nearly equalize when Gerardo Torrado was denied a long-range shot, but the hosts were made to pay when Luis Loreña went past his defender and scored in the 38th minute to put his side up two.

Here’s a look at the entire list of matches from Apertura Round 8 in Liga MX:

FRIDAY

Morelia 4, Pachuca 1
Santos Laguna 0, Club Leon 2

SATURDAY

Cruz Azul 0, Queretaro 2
Veracruz 1, Tigres UANL 1
Monterrey 0, Atlas 0
Chiapas 3, Club Tijuana 1

SUNDAY

Puebla 1, Atlante 0
Chivas 0, Toluca 0

MONDAY

Pumas UNAM 1, Club America 4

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Mauro Boselli – Club Leon: For the second week in a row, Boselli has helped Club Leon to a win, scoring the game winning goal on Friday to defeat Santos Laguna on the road, in one of the league’s toughest environments. The former Wigan Athletic striker has three goals in his last two games.

Comments

  1. It’s funny that Leon never get highlighted on SBI but they’ve been in the top 3 since they were promoted over a year ago.

    How about some variety guys?

    Reply
  2. Pumas fired their coach after that loss, and Gabriel Caballero resigned from Pachuca after theirs. I guess 4-1 is the official “last straw” scoreline. (Speaking of Pachuca, what the heck happened to them? 2 wins in the first 2 games and 0 since. They haven’t been doing well in the Copa either).

    Reply

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