GUADALAJARA, Mexico – A nightmare.
There’s no other way to describe Michael Orozco’s Saturday for Puebla, with the U.S. international scoring an own goal and getting sent off as his team lost 1-0 to Cruz Azul in Mexico City.
Orozco tentatively stuck his leg out from a low right wing cross in the 31st minute and put the ball in his own net for the only goal of the game. Then 15 minutes into the second half, the 28-year-old raised his forearm and struck Argentine striker Mariano Pavone near the center of the field as the two collided. It wasn’t done with a lot of force, but Pavone dropped to the ground. It looked intentional enough, and the referee had no hesitation in pulling out the red card.
Orozco had started the season brightly for La Franja, but the team is now without a win since the opening day and hasn’t scored a goal in any of its last three matches.
It wasn’t a great day for Tigres and Jose Torres, either. The Monterrey-based club lost 2-0 at home to Club América in their first defeat of the Apertura 2014.
Torres went the full 90 minutes in a deep role in central midfield, a change from the wide position he has featured in so far this season.
Herculez Gomez was an unused sub for Tigres, but América defender Ventura Alvarado came on in the 82nd as coach Antonio Mohamed sought to shore up the result.
In Saturday’s final match, Gabriel Farfan wasn’t in the 18 for Chiapas in their 3-2 home win against León.
Tom Marshall covers Americans playing in Latin America for MLSsoccer.com. E-mail him at tom.marshall.mex@gmail.com.
