An 80th minute goal from Oscar Rojas gave Veracruz a 3-2 win over Pachuca on Thursday night at Coyote Stadium in La Joya, Texas, in the first match of Group A's participation in InterLiga, the official qualifier to the Copa Libertadores.
Veracruz opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a fortunate goal scored by Lucas Ayala. He shot from outside the box and experienced Colombian national team goalkeeper Miguel Calero misread the ball. Calero was surprised by a last minute curve on the shot and could only get one hand to the bouncing effort, pushing it into the side netting.
Pachuca answered in the 17th minute via the head of Fernando Salazar, who hammered home a free kick taken by Nelson Cuevas.
The match kept its fast rhythm and a minute later Calero again saw a ball headed his way, but the crossbar saved him this time.
Pachuca took its first lead of the night on yet another header. In a second set play, this time from the corner kick spot, "Tuzo" player Manuel Vidrio leaped and headed the ball into Veracruz's goal for a 2-1 lead at the 23rd minute.
But that would be the last time Pachuca would celebrate. Just seconds before the referee blew the whistle for the intermission, Veracruz tied the score at 2-2, also from a set play and the third header of the night.
Alejandro Leyva headed it to his left to penetrate Calero's goal and change things right before heading into the locker room.
At the 81st minute, Rojas was at the right place at the right time. Veracruz's Rodrigo Valenzuela shot from outside the area, and Calero was again unable to hold on to it. Rojas received the rebound and sent a high shot into the goal for the game-winning goal.
In their second matches of group play, Pachuca will travel to Frisco, Texas, to face Morelia on Sunday, while Veracruz will play Monterrey in the doubleheader starting at 5 p.m. ET at Pizza Hut Park.
Pachuca 2-3 Veracruz
01.05.2006: La Joya, Texas; Coyote Stadium
Attendance: TBD
Scoring summary:
PACH - Fernando Salazar 15', Manuel Vidrio 22'
VER- Lucas Ayala 9', Alejandro Leyva 45'; Oscar Rojas 80'
PACH: 1- Miguel Calero (c), 6- Jaime Correa, 8- Gabriel Caballero, 13- Fernando Salazar, 14- Marvin Cabrera, 21- Fausto Pinto, 99- Manuel Vidrio, 11- Juan Cacho Gutierrez, 10- Andres Chivita, 23 - Nelson Cuevas, 26- Luis Angel Landin
Substitutions: In: Richard Nunez. Out: J.C. Cacho 46''; In Enrique Badillo. Out. Chitita 76''
DNP / No jugaron: C. Velásquez; L. Lopez, E Rergis, J.P. Alfaro, O. Arellano.
Head coach: Jose Luis Trejo
VER: 1- 1- Jorge Bernal, 3- Pablo Quattrocchi (c), 4- Miguel Acosta, 5- Manuel E. Lopez, 8- Joel Sanchez, 21- Marco Jimenez, 17- Joaquin Reyes, 24- Rodrigo Valenzuela, 26- Lucas E. Ayala, 18- Alejandro Leyva, 19- Oscar Rojas
Substitutions: In. Braulio Luna Out: M.Lopez. 79''; In: Jorge Perez Out. Oscar Rojas 89''
DNP / No jugaron: Emilio Mora, Israel Villaseñor, Omar Rivera, David Sanchez, Gustavo Biscayzacu.
Head coach: Alfredo Tena
Cingular Man of the Match: Alejandro Leyva
Booked:
PACH - Cabrera 17', Chitita 34'; Jaime Corea 69''; G. Caballero 65'
VER - Oscar Rojas 65'', Manuel Lopez 74'', Lucas Ayala 85'', Rodrigo Valenzuela 89'
Sent off: None
Statistics
PACH VER
Goal Attempts 6 9
Saves 3 1
Fouls 19 16
Corners 6 3
Offsides 1 1
R: Alex Prus (USA)
A1: Nate Clement (USA)
A2: Kermit Quisenberry (USA)
FO: Masoud Rasti (USA)
