csconstantine.com

MEXICO CITY (AP)—Christian Gimenez and Emanuel Villa scored in each half to give Cruz Azul a 2-0 home win over Chiapas in the fifth round of the Mexican Clausura championship Saturday.

Gimenez scored with a shot that rebounded in off the post in the 38th minute and Villa finished a cross in the 58th to move Cruz Azul atop the tournament’s Group 3 overnight.

San Luis tops the general standings after rallying to win 3-2 over Estudiantes Tecos, while UANL Tigres had a 2-0 victory at Santos to head Group 1.

Elsewhere, defending champion Monterrey won 2-0 at home over a 10-man Pachuca, while Guadalajara beat Atlante 2-0.

The fifth round continues Sunday with Puebla vs. UNAM Pumas, Toluca vs. Atlas and America vs. Queretaro.

Atlas could move above San Luis in the general standings with a win at Toluca.

The 18 clubs in Mexico’s Primera Division are split into three groups, with the top two in each group, and the two other clubs best placed in the general standings, automatically contesting end-of-season playoffs.

In Torreon, Hector Mancilla opened the scoring for Tigres at Santos after a pass from American international Jonathan Bornstein in the ninth minute.

Bornstein produced an influential performance in midfield as he continues to settle in Mexico following a postseason move from Chivas USA.

Juninho scored the second for Tigres from Lucas Lobos’ cross just before halftime to seal the win and put Tigres on ten points, three clear of Santos atop the tournament’s Group 1.

Reigning title holder Monterrey got its second victory in five matches with a win over Pachuca.

Aldo De Nigris headed in Neri Cardozo’s cross in the 27th minute and Pachuca was reduced to 10 men when Leobardo Lopez was sent off for a 31st-minute challenge on Monterrey captain Luis Perez that looked innocuous in TV replays.

Monterrey took advantage of the extra man as Cardozo added the second goal with a volley into the bottom corner from Humberto Suazo’s back-post cross in the 49th.

Monterrey moved to six points in Group 1, level with Chivas of Guadalajara, which scored two late goals to defeat Atlante.

Patricio Araujo headed the opener for Chivas after Erick Torres nodded a free kick back across goal and Hector Reynoso scored a stoppage-time penalty after Marco Fabian was fouled in the box on a counter attack.

In Saturday’s final match, Wilmer Aguirre hit an 89th-minute penalty as San Luis rallied past Estudiantes Tecos, which had three players sent off.

Elgabry Rangel opened the scoring for Estudiantes from Rubens Sambueza’s pass in the 21st minute and Sambueza gave the visitors a two-goal cushion in the 55th.

Luis Hernandez started the comeback with a 63rd-mintue header and Juan Manuel Cavallo equalized for San Luis in the 79th.

Diego Jimenez was sent off for Estudiantes in the 83rd and Manuel Moran was also shown a red card after fouling Juan Cuevas for the penalty that Wilmer Aguirre converted to snatch the points for San Luis.

Juan Leano became the third Estudiantes player to be sent off after receiving a second yellow card for a foul deep in stoppage time.

San Luis, which has played six matches, tops the general standings and Group 2 with 11 points, while Estudiantes is level on points with Monterrey and Guadalajara in Group 1.

Labels: beats, Chiapas