GUADALAJARA, Mexico – A golazo by American midfielder Jose Torres set Tigres on course for a 2-0 victory over Toluca on Wednesday in the single-elimination Copa MX quarterfinals.
Torres curled a left-footed free kick into the top corner of the goal from 25 yards in the 56th minute – and celebrated with the type of swan dive (on a drenched pitch at Estadio Universitario) that US national team head coach Jurgen Klinsmann would’ve been proud of in his playing days.
Tigres coach Ricardo “Tuca” Ferretti fielded a full-strength side for the cup clash, with both Torres and Herculez Gomez going the full 90 minutes for the current Copa MX holders. Former Chicago Fire midfielder Arévalo Ríos netted the insurance goal on the hour mark. Gomez had a shot deflected from just inside the penalty area and also went close in the 70th in a battling display on his own up front.
Tigres will play Gomez’s former team, Santos Laguna, in the semifinals, scheduled for next week.
There was not such good news for Edgar Castillo, who played the complete match as Atlas drew 0-0 at home to Puebla – for whom Michael Orozco was not involved – before falling to former Chivas USA coach José Luis "Chelis" Sanchéz Solá's side in a penalty-kick shootout.
Castillo had an effort on the hour mark when he burst down the wing and shot from a tight angle, but La Franja won 5-4 on penalties to advance to the semis.
