Herculez Gomez has slotted back into life at Puebla in the same form he left when he led Liga MX in scoring in 2010: netting goals.
The Las Vegas native made it two in his first two appearances since re-signing with the club in December, scoring Puebla’s second in their 2-0 home win against Atlante on Tuesday in the first round of group games in the Copa MX. Gomez, who played the full 90 minutes, struck just after halftime with a poacher’s effort at the back post following a low cross from the left by 21-year-old winger Alfonso Tamay, who had his own stint in the US while playing for the Houston Dynamo at the 2010 SUM U-17 Cup.
Gomez and Tamay played alongside 42-year-old former Chicago Fire forward Cuauhtémoc Blanco, who opened the scoring for La Franja from the penalty spot in the Group 5 encounter.
In Group 6, Gabriel Farfan made his first appearance of the season for Chiapas, going the complete game in their 3-1 defeat to Alebrijes de Oaxaca, for whom 2016 US Olympic hopeful Juan Pablo Ocegueda came off the bench at halftime in his return from injury.
Former US youth international Ernest Nungaray made an appearance for Veracruz in Group 2, entering the field on the hour mark during the team’s 2-1 road win over Altamira.
Midfielder Marco Vidal completed the full 90 for Mineros de Zacatecas, who came from 2-0 down away at Santos Laguna to level the scores at 2-2 with two goals inside the last five minutes in Group 1.
Finally, in Group 3, young playmaker Jesus Vazquez went 86 minutes for Leones Negros in their 0-0 away tie against Coras.
