Monterrey saw a 2-0 advantage slip thought its fingers and allowed a tie three minutes before the end of the match versus Morelia at La Joya Stadium in La Joya, Texas, in the second game of the InterLiga 2006 doubleheader Thursday night.
In the last minute of the game, referee Jair Marrufo signaled a penalty kick in favor of Morelia off what seemed an unintentional hand ball by Luis Perez. Rafael Marquez scored the tying goal for a 2-2 final in the 85th minute when the ball shot into the bottom right corner of the Monterrey goal.
Perez had taken advantage of a free kick at the 7th minute of the game, when a Morelia player changed the direction of the ball and left goalkeeper Moises Muñoz watching the ball go into the Morelia net.
Referee Marrufo called a penalty kick at the 17th minute of the match following a foul on Monterrey's newest signing, Chilean Reinaldo Navia. Navia himself took the ball but sent the ball high and wide over Morelia's net.
Navia made up for his missed penalty kick on a free kick opportunity taken by Perez in the 30th minute of the match. Perez's shot looped over the defense to Navia's head, who in turn sent it over Morelia 'keeper Muñoz and into the Monarcas' net for the 2-0 advantage.
Morelia scored its first of the night in the 54th minute by way of Marquez. Set up outside the area, Marquez's shot to the bottom right corner of Monterrey's goal left the goalkeeper with no chance.
Following the end of the game, Monterrey head coach Miguel Herrera stormed onto the field and headed in the direction of the referees, who did not heed the coach's frustration.
In their second matches of group play, Morelia will travel to Frisco, Texas, to face Pachuca on Sunday while Monterrey will play Veracruz in the doubleheader starting at 4 p.m. CT at Pizza Hut Park.
Monterrey 2-2 Morelia
01.05.2006: La Joya, Texas; Cayote Stadium
Attendance: 7,828
Scoring summary:
MONT - Luis Pérez 6', Reynaldo Navia 28'
MOR. Rafael Marquez 53'y 86'
MONT: 1- Jonathan Orozco; 15 Mario Méndez; 20 Paulo Serafín; 21 Diego Ordaz; 23 Felipe Baloy; 5 Jose J. González (Ernesto Serrato 71'); 8 Luis E. Pérez; 18 Walter Erviti (Ricardo Martinez 46') ; 28 ( c ) Jesús Arellano; 35 Carlos Alanis ( Antonio de Nigris 61''); 11 Reynaldo Navia,
DNP / No jugaron: 16 Christian Martínez; 14 Joel Morales; 49 Severo Meza; 24 Oribe Peralta.
TD: Miguel Herrera.
MOR: 23 Moisés Munoz; 2 Edgar Solano; 3 Alejandro Pliego (Mario Romero 74'); 4 Humberto González; 8 Gerardo Torres (Roberto Vargas 46'); 27 ( c ) Omar Trujillo, 5 Wilson Mathias; 15 Fernando Arce; 7 Damián Alvarez; 9 Rafael Márquez; 18 Luis G. Rey (Jose A. Rosas 34').
DNP / No jugaron: 22 Junior Madrigal; 13 Christian Nasuti; 26 Johan Rodriguez.17 Emanuel Rodríguez.
TD: Sergio Bueno
Cingular Man of the Match: Luis Perez.
Booked:
MONT: 5 Jose J.González 21'; 8 Luis Perez 46'' 28 Jesús Arellano 64'. 23 F. Baloy 87'
MOR: 3 Alejandro Pliego 13'; 28 Mario Romero 87''
Sent off: None
Statistics
MONT MOR
Goal Attempts 10 12
Saves 4 5
Fouls 16 12
Corners 2 2
Offsides 4 9
R: JAHIR MARUFO (USA)
A1: George Vergara (USA)
A2: Jeff Kattamar (USA)
FO: Ronnie Canales (USA)
