CARSON, Calif. -- Monterrey and Pachuca faced
off against each other in the second game in Group A play on
Wednesday night. The game got off to a late start due to a brief
power outage that occurred in the opening game of the night. In that
game Veracruz secured a birth in the finals by beating Morelia 1-0.
As a result, Monterrey needed only a draw to advance, but a win
meant finishing atop Group A. Pachuca on the other hand needed a win
to advance out of group play. With both teams looking for goals, the
play was wide open, but produced very few real chances in the
opening half.
It wasn't until midway through the second half the scoring
opened. The game ended in a 1-1 draw with both goals coming from the
boots of second half subs. Ricardo Martinez struck first for
Monterrey, while Neslon Cuevas answered a shot while later for
Pachuca.
The game was wide open in the first half, with a handful of hard
tackles mixed between end to end play by both teams. Surprisingly
though, no real credible attacks were mounted by either team.
Eventually Monterrey stated to take charge of the action, and in
the 23rd min Walter Erviti found the ball at his feet after a
scramble inside the Pachuca 18. Erviti hit a shot from point blank
range, but hit it right into the chest of Pachuca goalie Miguel
Calero.
Just before the halftime whistle Luis Perez collected a cross
about 17 yards out from goal with virtually no defensive pressure on
him whatsoever. The Monterrey midfielder wound up and tried to put
as much power into his shot as he could and instead sailed his shot
several feet above the crossbar.
Pachuca provided the early pressure in the second stanza. Just
minutes into the half Luis Landin wriggled free inside the Monterrey
penalty area to get off a shot. This time it was the Monterrey
'keeper Jonathan Orozco who came up big for his side, clearing the
shot from danger. It didn't take long for Monterrey to take hold of
the match again after that. Just two minutes later, Antonio Di
Nigris outpaced the Pachuca defense and looked to be on a breakaway.
Pachuca defender Fernando Salazar clipped Di Nigris from behind just
before he entered the penalty area, earning Salazar a yellow card,
but preventing a dangerous scoring opportunity.
On the ensuing free kick, Perez hit a curling shot over the wall
that was labeled for the top corner, but Calero made another great
save to keep his team's Libertadores hopes alive.
Back and forth play continued, and this time it was Pachuca's
turn to threaten. Richard Nunez made a timely run and slipped in
alone on Orozco, but the Monterrey keeper aggressively advanced on
the onrushing attacker and made a sliding kick save on the shot.
Just when it was starting to seem like neither side was going to
capitalize on their attack Monterrey opened the scoring. In the 67th
Erviti made a long run out of midfield before finding second half
sub Ricardo Martinez. Martinez took a couple quick touches, then
slotted home a low rolling shot just underneath Calero's arms.
The goal didn't deflate Pachuca however. In fact it had the
opposite effect. Over the course of the next ten minutes, Pachuca
created a pair of dangerous attacks. The first opportunity came in
the 71st minute off of a 20-yard free kick from the left edge of the
box. Nunez stepped over the ball and hit a shot goal bound but
Orozco came up big making a diving save.
Pachuca kept up the relentless pressure and produced probably
their best chance of the night to that point in the 82nd minute.
Gabriel Caballero rode a defender through the 18 and poked a shot
off the chest of Orozco. The rebound caromed back to second half sub
Nelson Cuevas. With Orozco well out of position after the initial
save, Cuevas had an empty net to look at, but missed the target all
together.
Cuevas redeemed himself though moments later. After receiving a
pass from fellow sub Andres Chivita, Cuevas took one touch to gather
the ball, then made no mistake from 17 yards out, netting the
equalizer past Orozco.
Caballero who nearly set up a goal in the 82nd minute made the
save of the night for Pachuca immediately following the Pachuca
goal. Monterrey sub Gaston Fernandez found another gap in the
Pachuca defense and got in alone with Calero. Fernandez rounded
Calero and shot towards the empty net. Just when he thought he had
the game winner Caballero swooped in out of nowhere to clear the
line at the last minute.
His best efforts weren't enough for Pachuca though who could not
find the game winner, and with the draw, saw Monterrey advance to
Sunday's final instead.
Greg Daurio is a contributor to InterLiga.com. This
story was not subject to the approval of the league or its
clubs.
MONTERREY - PACHUCA 1:1
01.11.2006: Carson, California;
Home Depot Center
Attendance: 8,620
Scoring Summary:
MTY- Ricardo Martínez (67')
PAC-
Nelson Cuevas (86')
MTY: 1 - Jonathan Orozco (GK), 15 - Mario Méndez, 21 -
Diego Ordaz, 49 - Severo Mesa, 5 - José González, 8 - Luis Pérez, 18
- Walter Erviti, 20 - Paulo Serafín, 28 - Jose Arellano, 35 - Carlos
Alanís (17- Ricardo Martínez, 60'), 19 - Antonio de Nigris (10 -
Gaston Fernandez, 56')
DNP: 16 - Christian Martínez (GK), 14 - Joel Morales, 24 - Oribe
Peralta, 26 - Clemente Ovalle, 27- Ángel Salcedo
TD: Roberto Andrade - aux. (Miguel Herrera - suspendido)
PAC: 1 - Miguel Calero (GK), 3 - Aquivaldo Mosquera, 13 -
Fernando Salazar (23 - Nelson Cuevas, 66'), 14 - Marvin Cabrera, 21
- Fausto Pinto, 99 - Manuel Vidrio (7 - Juan P. Alfaro, 46'), 6 -
Jaime Correa, 8 - Gabriel Caballero, 9 - Richard Núñez, 11 - Juan C.
Cacho Gutierrez (10 - Andrés Chitiva, 46'), 26 - Luis Ángel Landín
DNP: 30 - Carlos Velásquez (GK), 2 - Leobardo López, 4 - Eduardo
Rergis, 28 - Enrique Badillo
TD: José Trejo
Cingular Man of the Match: Ricardo Martínez (Monterrey)
Booked:
MTY - Meza (56'), Arellano (90')
PAC -
Mosquera (19'), Salazar (51'), Landín (67'), Correa (77')
Sent off: PAC - Marvin Cabrera (94+')
Statistics
MTY PAC
Goal Attempts 14 11
Saves 6 3
Fouls 17 18
Corners 4 1
Offsides 5 7
R: Baldomero Toledo (USA)
A1: Chris Strickland (USA)
A2:
George Gansner (USA)
FO: Kevin Stott (USA)