America and Monterrey upset in openers
Reuters - Monday 10 January 2011, 00:36
MEXICO CITY - Pachuca upset Mexican big
guns America 2-0 away at the Azteca and title holders
Monterrey lost 2-0 at home to San Luis on the opening weekend
of Mexico's Clausura championship.
Colombia midfielder Yulian Anchico, who joined from
Independiente Santa Fe in his homeland after New Year, put
Pachuca ahead in the 24th minute of Sunday's match and
Paraguay striker Edgar "Bird" Benitez secured the win in the
66th.
It was an encouraging result for Argentine coach Pablo
Marini's side after their disappointing Club World Cup last
month in Abu Dhabi where they finished fifth.
Cruz Azul, favourites to win the Apertura championship in
December before their shock quarter-final elimination by Pumas
UNAM, crushed Estudiantes UAG 4-1 on Saturday with a fine
performance from new Chilean signing Hugo Droguett.
Midfielder Droguett, who joined Cruz Azul from Mexico's
Morelia, laid on goals for Argentines Emanuel Villa and
Cristian Gimenez in the opening quarter of an hour with
crosses from the left wing.
Estudiantes pulled one back with a penalty in the 18th
minute converted by Argentine Mauro Cejas but Uruguayan
Marcelo Palau, another new signing from fellow first division
Puebla, restored Cruz Azul's lead before half-time. Substitute
Gonzalo Pineda completed the rout with a late penalty.
"What we did was pathetic, we were very tame, lacking in
conviction and character," Estudiantes coach Jose Luis Sanchez
told reporters.
MEDIOCRE MONTERREY
San Luis beat Monterrey, winners of the Apertura in the
first half of the season, 2-0 with goals from defender Osmar
Mares in the 73rd minute and forward Juan Carlos Medina, who
chipped goalkeeper Jonathan Orozco in added time from Peruvian
substitute striker Wilmer Aguirre's cross.
The champions had defender William Paredes sent off three
minutes from time and coach Victor Manuel Vucetich dismissed
to the stands a minute later.
"We weren't at our best, I think we didn't carry through
moves we usually do. We've started with a defeat we don't like
but we also know we have a good enough team to do well," said
Vucetich, who complained of a very short break before the
Clausura.
In another high scoring match on Saturday Atlas, who
finished bottom of the standings in the Apertura, overran
Morelia 5-0 with midfielder Gerardo Espinoza scoring twice.