Penalties All Round as Santos Stay First

Another busy week in Mexican football kicked off with the return legs of the CONCACAF Champions League Quarter Finals. Monterrey completed an emphatic 7-2 aggregate victory over Morelia, whilst Santos overturned a first leg deficit to beat Seattle Sounders 7-3, Hercules Gomez and Cristian Suárez each finding the net twice. Pumas atoned for their embarassing reverse in San Salvador the week before to see off Isidro Metapán 8-0 on the night, 9-2 on aggregate, though a season ending injury to Paraguayan defender Darío Veron spoiled the evening. The performance of the round, however, wasn't by a Mexican side at all, but by Aron Winter's Toronto, who won 2-1 in Carson to eliminate LA Galaxy. The Canucks will meet Santos in the Semi Finals, whilst Pumas v Monterrey guarantees at least one Mexican finalist. Meanwhile in the Libertadores Cruz Azul top their group after a scoreless draw at home to Corinthians of Brazil, and a single goal victory over Defensor Sporting of Uruguay keeps Chivas' qualification hopes alive.

The week's league fixtures began on Friday evening with Morelia putting recent disappointments behind them with a 2-1 away victory over the doomed Estudiantes Tecos. Edgar Lugo scored twice in the first 22 minutes (meaning my fantasy team had scored more points in one quarter of one game than it managed in the whole of the previous week!), but Tecos fought back, only to squander an opportunity to equalise from the spot courtesy of the Chilean Rodrigo Ruiz. Ruiz is known universally as Pony in Mexico, and a crash course in Cockney rhyming slang would explain why his nickname is appropriate on this occasion ("Pony and Trap" = Cr*p).

On Saturday the Chivas revival lost momentum in an uninspiring 0-0 draw at lowly Querétaro, whilst Darwin Quintero marked his return to Santos' starting line up with the only goal at Cruz Azul. Oribe Peralta took a horrible penalty which missed the target in the first half - Hercules Gomez wasn't even in the squad. A Mauro Cejas hat trick (including a penalty) ended Pachuca's goal drought and helped his side to defeat Atlante 3-2 at home, whilst Atlas' defensive form came to an end with a 3-0 reverse at home to Jaguares, Jackson Martinez scored twice. Tigres ground out a 1-0 at home to Tijuana with Lucas Lobos getting the only goal with yet another penalty.

The penalty glut of the weekend continued on Sunday lunchtime, with Iván Alonso successfully converting for Toluca after visitors Monterrey had started the game stronger - Nery Cardozo got a late equaliser for the Rayados to give them a deserved point. Meanwhile Wilmer Aguirre converted at Puebla to give San Luis a rare win. Finally, in the weekend's big game each side scored from the spot, but a late goal from sub Vicente Vuoso gave América a 2-1 win over Pumas. Santos stay stop on goals scored from Morelia, with Tigres and América just a point behind.