GUADALAJARA, Mexico – José Torres set up the equalizing goal in the Estadio Víctor Manuel Reyna on Thursday night, but couldn’t stop his Pachuca team falling 3-2 to a late Jaguares goal, despite the Tuzos playing nearly the entire game a man up.
Torres had a curling effort from just outside the area saved just before halftime and had a decent chance with a header 10 minutes into the second half.
Jaguares had gone down to 10 men when Luis Miguel Noriega was sent off in the second minute, but stormed to a 2-0 lead after 25 minutes.
A headed goal from Segundo Castillo brought Pachuca back into the game before Torres laid the ball off to Félix Borja to bring the scores level.
But Luis Esqueda got the surprise winner in the 82nd minute for Jaguares as Pachuca pressed for their own go-ahead goal.
With the result, Torres’ Pachuca will remain in the playoff positions whatever happens in the rest of the games this weekend, but Jaguares are now just two points behind in ninth place.
Tom Marshall covers Americans playing in Latin America. E-mail him at tom.marshall.mex@gmail.com.
