Herculez Gomez continued his torrid scoring form in Copa MX play to help push Puebla into the semifinals of the tournament with a 2-1 defeat of Merida on Tuesday.
Gomez went close on several occasions and finally struck in the 63rd minute, chesting down a lofted pass on the run and finishing a low, angled shot to the far post past Merida goalkeeper Victor Patiño to push La Franja into the lead.
Former Chicago Fire star Cuauhtemoc Blanco canceled out Omar Mendoza's startling fifth-minute opener with a well-taken header to draw Puebla level in the 16th minute.
Gomez is now joint top scorer in this season's edition of the knockout tourney with five goals. The Las Vegas product and his teammates await the winner of the quarterfinal between Monterrey and Correcaminos UAT.
On the other side of the knockout round bracket, top-seeded Club Tijuana and their large US contingent meet Chiapas at Estadio Caliente on Wednesday (8:55 pm ET, Univision Deportes). If Xolos advance, they will face Chivas Guadalajara in the semifinals.
*Video footage via SoccerOverThere.com.
