csconstantine.com

MEXICO CITY (AP)—Strikes from Hector Mancilla, Damian Alvarez and Carlos Ochoa gave UANL Tigres a 3-0 home win against Puebla on Saturday to lift the Monterrey club to an overnight lead in the Mexican Clausura championship.

Mancilla scored in the 25th minute after a pass from Alvarez, who added the second in the 43rd. Substitute Ochoa sealed the win with an 87th-minute goal.

The win moved Tigres to 17 points from eight matches, two ahead of UNAM Pumas in the general standings. Pumas hosts Estudiantes Tecos on Sunday.

Also Saturday, Chiapas stemmed a five-game losing streak with a 1-0 win against Guadalajara, while Cruz Azul rallied to draw 1-1 at Queretaro and Atlas beat defending champion Monterrey 1-0. Pachuca and San Luis drew 0-0.

In Mexico, the league champion is decided by playoffs at the end of each half-season tournament. The 18 teams are split into three groups and play each other once. The top two in each group reach the playoffs, with the two best clubs in the general table not to qualify from the groups also advancing

In Monterrey, Tigres took a stranglehold on the game against Puebla with first-half strikes from Mancilla and Alvarez.

The two forwards combined for the first goal, with Mancilla controlling a pass in the area from Alvarez to score, before Alvarez added the second just before half time with a curling shot from the edge of the area.

Ochoa completed the scoring, rounding goalkeeper Alexandro Alvarez and rolling into the net from a tight angle for the third just before the final whistle.

Tigres has a clear lead of the Clausura tournament’s Group 1, sitting seven points ahead of a clutch of four clubs on 10. Puebla has seven points in group 3.

In Chiapas, Daniel Frias hit the winning goal from a pass by Edgar Andrade in the eighth minute to give Jaguars a welcome 1-0 home win against Chivas of Guadalajara following a patch of poor form.

Jaguars held on to the win despite finishing with 10 men following a red card for Antonio Salazar in the 81st.

The result gave Chiapas seven points in Group 3, with Guadalajara stuck on 10 points behind Tigres in Group 1.

Elsewhere, Cruz Azul maintained second place in Group 2 after Isaac Romo struck an equalizer in the 33rd minute at Queretaro.

Isaac Acuna had given the home side the lead in the seventh minute, but Raul Ferro was sent off in the 13th to give Cruz Azul a man extra.

Queretaro was reduced to nine men in the 51st when Gabino Velasco was also shown a red card, but the remaining players defended the point to move to eight points in Group 3.

Meanwhile, Monterrey’s stuttering title defense continued with a 1-0 loss at Atlas. Gerardo Espinoza scored the decisive goal with a penalty in first-half stoppage time after goalkeeper Jonathan Orozco botched a clearance and fouled Hebert Alferez in the box.

Monterrey’s hopes of a second-half comeback were hampered by Osvaldo Martinez’ red card in the 63rd. Defeat left the club among those on 10 points in Group 1.

The win put Atlas atop Group 2 on 13 points, ahead of San Luis on goal difference.

On Friday, Necaxa had a 1-0 home win against Santos.

Fixtures continue Sunday, with Morelia vs. Atlante, Pumas vs. Estudiantes and America vs. Toluca.

Labels: beats, Clausura, Puebla, table, Tigres