Pumas UNAM took one huge step towards the Apertura final on Thursday.
At the infamous Estadio Azteca, the regular season winner had no problem cruising to a 3-0 victory against Club America in the the first leg of the pair’s semifinal.
All three goals came in the second half, as America let the game get away. Ismael Sosa, Gerardo Alcoba and Eduardo Herrera scored the goals, but the scoreline would not have been as bad for America had it not finished with only nine men.
The first red card was shown to Pablo Aguilar 10 minutes before Pumas’ first goal, while tempers escalated and Miguel Samudio was shown his marching orders two minutes after that go-ahead goal.
Due to Liga MX’s Liguilla tie-breaking procedure, which uses the higher seed to determine a team to advance, America needs four goals during the second leg on Sunday to reach the final.
Here are some more news and notes:
VAN GAAL SAYS ROONEY HAS A ‘NASTY’ ANKLE INJURY
Heading into another weekend of English Premier League action, Manchester United will have to play without one of its star players.
Red Devils boss Louis Van Gaal said striker Wayne Rooney will miss the club’s next two games after suffering a “nasty” ankle injury.
“Also the injury of Wayne Rooney is more heavy (serious) than we thought,” Van Gaal told MUTV.
“It’s a nasty injury,” he added. “It’s been getting worse but we have to let him train to make the ankle stronger, that’s very important. I cannot say (how long he’s out for) because the doctor shall decide that with Wayne of course. He is training well in the rehabilitation.”
On top of Rooney’s injury, Marcos Rojo, Ander Herrera and Luke Shaw are all also set to watch from the sideline for Man United this weekend.
Man United will play West Ham on Saturday and Wolfsburg in a UEFA Champions League duel on Tuesday.
TIGRES, TOLUCA PLAY TO TIE
In Liga MX’s second Liguilla semifinal, Tigres UANL dominated but walked away with nothing at Estadio Universitario.
The home side out-possessed, 70 percent to 30 percent, and out-shot, 18 to four, Toluca on Thursday, but goalkeeper Alfredo Talavera proved to be an impenetrable wall. Tigres ended the game with frustration, playing to a 0-0 tie.
The most pivotal moment of the game came in first-half stoppage time, as Talavera made a penalty kick save against Juninho to keep Tigres off the scoreboard.
The two Liga MX foes will now head to Estadio Nemesio Diez on Sunday to face off in the second leg.
QUICK KICKS:
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was named new manager of English Championship side Queens Park Rangers. (REPORT)
Chelsea head coach Jose Mourinho said goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois will be back in the squad for Saturday’s game against AFC Bournemouth. (REPORT)
Croatian international Ivica Olic, 36, says he is 90 percent certain that he will leave Hamburg because he wants more minutes ahead of Euro 2016. (REPORT)