GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Jose Torres was sent off for the third time in his professional career as Tigres UANL fell to a 2-1 loss at home against Toluca on Saturday to slip off the pace in the Liga MX playoff race.
The 25-year-old US international was shown red one minute after halftime after a hard, late tackle on Oscar Rojas to earn his second yellow card. His first came for a foul in the 39th on the left wing with the score already 1-0 to Toluca.
Torres had played left midfield for the Monterrey club and while Tigres came back through Juninho in the 50th, the Diablos Rojos struck on the break nine minutes from time to obtain the three points.
The result leaves Tigres in 12th place in the Liga MX, five points of eighth-place Querétaro, with a game in hand.
DaMarcus Beasley and Michael Orozco Fiscal both went 90 minutes with Puebla, who also lost Saturday, 3-1 to a León side that played with 10 players after former New York Red Bulls player Rafa Márquez was sent off for violent conduct in the 28th minute.
Beasley played further forward from his usual left wing back position in the second half as Puebla searched for the win, with Orozco Fiscal shifting between center back and right back.
The loss leaves La Franja four points off the playoff places with four games still to play in the regular season.
Tom Marshall covers Americans playing in Latin America for MLSsoccer.com. Contact him at tom.marshall.mex@gmail.com.
