Despite playing an entire half down a man, Atlante FC held off repeated waves of Estudiantes Tecos attacks to narrowly escape with a 2-1 victory at Robertson Stadium on Saturday night in the opening game of InterLiga 2010.
Guillermo Rojas netted the winning goal for Atlante in the 47th minute after Daniel Arreola and Mauro Cejas traded scores in the first half to bring the contest into halftime at a dead heat. Atlante had to survive the entire second half playing at a man deficit after defender Jose Guerrero was sent off in the 45th minute for a violent tackle on Tecos midfielder Rubens Sambueza.
"I think the team played well defensively and we were able to manage the game and we deserved the win," Atlante goalkeeper Federico Vilar said.
With the win, Atlante moved closer to the ultimate prize at the end of the InterLiga tournament, a berth in the Copa Libertadores.
"It's a tournament we take completely seriously," Vilar said. "It's not just preseason. It gives you a spot in Copa Libertadores. Internationally it's very important for the club because the Copa Libertadores is the most prestigious tournament on the continent."
Atlante came out of the gate quickly, putting the Tecos defense under immediate pressure. After earning three corner kicks in the first five minutes, the Cancun-based club came close to scoring through Rafael Marquez, who broke in on goal in the fifth minute. Tecos 'keeper Mario Rodriguez came off his line quickly and got enough of the ball for his defense to clear the danger.
The Iron Colts kept pressing though, and in the 10th minute got the opener through a wonder strike from Arreola. The ball was played out to Arreola about ten yards from the corner of the penalty area. Arreola quickly controlled the ball and when the Tecos defense failed to close him down he decided to shoot. Arreola ripped his effort to the upper right corner and Rodriguez dove to try to get a hand on it, but it was perfectly placed and gave Atlante a 1-0 lead. </p>
Tecos were quick to respond in the 29th minute. Atlante pushed forward on a counter and lost some of its shape, and a turnover found Tecos with three attacking players bearing in on goal. Cejas played the ball out wide to Fredy Bareiro, who sent the ball back perfectly to Cejas. Cejas beat his mark to the ball and knocked his effort easily into the net to level the score.</p>
The first half ended with some controversy. In the 45th minute, Sambueza dispossessed an Atlante player, who went to the ground and appeared injured. The referee didn't call a foul and play continued on as Tecos went on the counter. When Sambueza received the ball back near the top of the box, Guerrero went in violently at Sambueza and the referee immediately went to his back pocket, sending off the Atlante defender.</p>
It didn't matter to the Iron Colts though, as they opened the second half by taking the lead in the 47th minute. A quick turnover sent Christian Bermudez breaking down the right sideline. The two center backs both stepped up to play the pass, and Bermudez slid the ball diagonally into the path of Rojas behind the defenders. Rodriguez came off his line and got a hand on it, but it wasn't enough to slow down Rojas' effort as Atlante took a 2-1 lead. </p>
In the 52nd minute, Tecos had three different chances to equalize. The ball was crossed into Bareiro and his header went just off the post. As the ball came off the post it fell perfectly into the path of Sambueza, but Atlante 'keeper Federico Vilar stoned Sambueza from close range. The ball again fell perfectly into the path of Cejas just inside the top of the box, but his blast went off the crossbar, leaving Atlante lucky to still be leading. </p>
Tecos would come to regret those three chances as attack after attack was held at bay by the Atlante defense. In the 64th minute, substitute Joel Sanchez had a Villar clearance fall to him, but he blasted his effort over the bar. In the 88th minute, Rodrigo Ruiz sent in a free kick that he had earned moments earlier and the ball was headed by Jorge Zamogilny, but Zamogilny's header went just over the bar shortly before the final whistle blew.</p>
The Atlante players were happy with the victory despite being a man down for an entire half.
"It's very important [to open with a win] because a lot is defined by the first game," said midfielder Christian Bermudez. "We still haven't won anything, but we got a good result because of good effort.
"Despite the fact that there have been few practices, especially after the Club World Cup, I think the team showed well and gave our maximum effort. We were smart and got the result we wanted."
Dwain Capodice is a contributor to InterLiga.com.
