GUADALAJARA, Mexico – DaMarcus Beasley played a vital role in Puebla’s 1-1 tie with Atlas at the Estadio Cuauhtémoc on Sunday to save the team from the possibility of relegation.
Beasley broke into the area, skipped past an Atlas defender and saw his shot spilled by ‘keeper Miguel Pinto, with Jonathan Lacerda then tapping in to level the score in the 84th.
Both Beasley and Michael Orozco Fiscal completed the full game, with the latter playing at right back and making a vital interception late in the game from a right wing cross.
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Jose “Gringo” Torres was on the wrong side of a 1-0 defeat on Saturday inside the Estadio Universitario against bitter city rivals Monterrey.
The US international completed the full 90 minutes, but wasn’t able to influence the game in the way he would´ve liked in the center of field, as Monterrey sat back, waited for opportunities and hit on the counter.
The result meant Tigres slipped down from the top of the Liga MX into second place.
Like Tigres, Herculez Gomez and Santos Laguna had already qualified for the playoffs before this weekend’s matches. Like Tigres, they also slipped to a 1-0 defeat on Saturday at Cruz Azul.
Gomez almost handed Santos the lead in the 15th when his shot from the edge of the penalty area was tipped wide of the post by goalkeeper Jesus Corona. He’d hit the post 17 minutes later, but no breakthrough would come for the visitors.
There will be no repeat of last season’s championship for Club Tijuana, who fell 1-0 to San Luis on Saturday.
Edgar Castillo and Joe Corona were both suspended for the clash after receiving red cards last weekend, with the only American involvement being Alejandro Guido, who was an unused substitute.
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In the Ascenso MX, Marco Vidal’s Lobos BUAP’s season is over following Saturday’s 1-0 home defeat to Toros Neza.
FC Dallas loanee Moises Hernandez continued his run in the first team for Saprissa in Costa Rica. He played the complete 90 minutes in the club’s 1-0 victory on Sunday, which guaranteed his side a playoff spot.
Tom Marshall covers Americans playing in Latin America for MLSsoccer.com. Contact him at tom.marshall.mex@gmail.com.
