GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Herculez Gomez cannot be stopped.
The 2010 World Cup veteran scored twice in the first 15 minutes on Saturday in his first start since Sept. 24, helping his Estudiantes Tecos rout Champions League quarterfinalists Santos Laguna 5-2.
Las Vegas-raised Gomez struck both goals from close range to give Estudiantes a two-goal lead. That brace makes it six goals in Gomez’s last five appearances.
The 29-year-old was substituted after 67 minutes, but his team’s victory takes Tecos to within two points of a playoff spot.
The weekend wasn’t as kind for the club of his South Africa 2010 teammate DaMarcus Beasley, however. The three-time World Cup veteran went the full 90 minutes in Puebla’s 4-3 loss to Toluca on Sunday and received a yellow card in the 41st minute for a mistimed challenge. The result puts La Franja four points off the playoffs, with just three games of the regular season to go.
Joe Benny Corona came on in the 64th for Club Tijuana in the team’s 1-1 tie at Atlante on Saturday. Sonny Guadarrama was an unused substitute for the hosts.
Also Saturday, San Luis fell 3-1 to Jaguares, but Michael Orozco Fiscal was left on the bench for the second week running.
Edgar Castillo and Isaac Acuña didn’t make the bench for Club América in Sunday’s clásico. Chivas won the game 3-1 without Miguel Ángel Ponce, who scored and set up a goal for Mexico’s Pan American Games team against Uruguay.
Jonathan Bornstein didn’t suit up for Tigres UANL’s scoreless draw with Monterrey. In the Under-20s contest between the teams, Texan winger Victor Garza scored the winner in a 2-1 result for Tigres.
In the Liga de Ascenso, Marco Vidal didn’t see any minutes in Club León’s 1-1 tie against Cruz Azul Hidalgo.
Diego Chávarri wasn’t involved for Sporting Cristal in the Peruvian league, while Diego Restrepo got the weekend off after América de Cali’s game against Once Caldas was postponed.
Tom Marshall can be reached at tom.marshall.mex@gmail.com or via Twitter: @mexicoworldcup
