GUADALAJARA, Mexico – And then there were two.
Jose Torres’ Tigres UANL and Club Tijuana, featuring Yanks Edgar Castillo and Joe Corona, kept up their winning starts to the Clausura 2013 season this weekend, as Club América lost to Atlas and fell by the wayside at the top of the league.
Torres (above, center) started and went 70 minutes in Tigres’ 2-0 victory on Saturday at Querétaro. The Texan midfield again partnered Carlos Salcido in the center of the park and won a vital header in the 40th minute to set Emanuel Villa on his way to opening the scoring.
Over in Tijuana, also Saturday, the Xolos wagon shows little sign of slowing. Castillo played the full game in their 2-0 victory over Pachuca, picking up a booking for a challenge on former teammate Ángel Reyna in the 17th. Corona was hauled off at halftime to make way for Duvier Riascos with the score at 0-0.
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It was a Saturday afternoon to forget for DaMarcus Beasley. The three-time World Cup veteran and his Puebla team fell 4-0 at Cruz Azul. Beasley was also taken off at halftime by Manuel Lapuente, while Michael Orozco Fiscal wasn’t in the 18.
Beasley had a one-on-one chance with Cruz Azul ‘keeper Jesús Corona in the first half, but couldn’t put it away his shot away, leaving the former Chicago Fire star without a goal since last April.
On Friday, Herculez Gomez was a menace to León’s fragile defense, setting up his team’s second with a cushion header into the path of Oribe Peralta.
Gomez should’ve been on the score sheet himself when he put the ball into the net in the 15th minute, but the assistant referee raised his flag. Replays showed Gomez was in an onside position.
In the Liga de Ascenso, Sonny Guadarrama played the full game for Merida in their 1-1 home draw with Pumas Morelos on Saturday.
Lobos BUAP lost 1-0 at Celaya on Saturday, with Marco Vidal coming on in the 32nd minute.
Finally, Jesus Padilla’s La Piedad lost 1-0 at home on Sunday to Cruz Azul Hidalgo, with the American forward going the full 90 minutes.
Tom Marshall covers Americans playing in Latin America for MLSsoccer.com. Contact him at tom.marshall.mex@gmail.com.
