Game 15: Monarcas home

PUMAS v Monarcas
CU
30th October 2006

Video Highlights
Pikolin goal (disallowed)

El Fantasma had no Halloween scares for Tuca. A tense, yet disciplined, performance saw Pumas return to winning ways, against a Monarcas team that we never really let into the game. Although they are not from the top draw, it is a heartening victory, in which our defence outshone our attack. This keeps us alive in the fight for the Liguilla, and drags a couple more teams into view in the relegation zone.

As so often happens in Mexico confusion reigned at CU. John was one amongst many who arrived an hour early in the burning heat of a glorious day at seven and a half thousand feet. Monarcas warmed up in their yellow tops with blue shorts. When the home team ran out wearing gold tops with blue shorts, I felt sure we were in for a confusing afternoon. It seemed that the lads from Morelia were in error, and had to quickly change to all red.

This Monarcas team had had a poor start to the season, and replaced their manager with legendary old boy, “El Fantasma” Figueroa since when they had improved. In our group they have 17 points to our 20, with a game in hand. Santos had won their first game of the season in dramatic fashion on Saturday to move within one point in the relegation fight. We had to win. They also need to win this to keep their Liguilla hope alive, yet at times seemed to be here for a nil-all.

In the absence of suspended Sancho, Castro moved back into defensive midfield role making room for Fernando Espinosa at right back. With vice-captain Bernal obviously still out, Leandro was handed the skipper’s armband. El Fantasma has been, like Tuca, playing 5-3-2 changing to 4-4-2. I was delighted to see that Tuca had opted today to start 4-3-3. I am certain that he would have started with Chupa Lopez, but he too was suspended, so Reinaldo Jose Da Silva, the “complete no. 9” started. Scocco playing in a role slightly behind Gonzalez and Reinaldo.

Once again we made the very early running, and when they came forward both Veron and Pikolin were awesome. After 20 minutes they had a 3 minute spell to forget when they lost both Vargas and Trujillo to injury. Trujillo had been having an enjoyable tussle with Parejita, but we could not be blamed for either injury. A reporter in Record, notable only for his ignorance in all things football, felt that Pikolin should have got a straight red for one of the challenges which caused injury. This is plain wrong, it was a monumentally superb tackle, very strong, but very fair, fully connecting with the ball, and typical of how well he played today. I think he won every single header at the back.

As the half progressed, so did we. As the pitch had been used for the Pumas American Footballer’s huge victory on Saturday, you could see it was quite cut up. For this I will forgive the miss-kicks and miss-controls we saw today. In fact Monarcas seemed to suffer from it more than us.

A through ball and a perfectly timed run put Reinaldo clean through on a one and one with the keeper, in which he failed dismally, and limply went down for a hopeful penalty shout. He is looking out of shape, and out of touch, and his days must surely be numbered. Credit to Tuca for sticking with him, but when he finally came off on 70 minutes, he received resounding boos from around the stadium.

On 40 minutes Scocco played a beautiful whipped pass into the box, showing great vision. Gonzalez timed his run to perfection, the defender did not. Your heart is always a little in your mouth for Ariel’s first touch. This time, however, he did not let us down, at full speed he controlled it with his thigh and chest. In the same movement as the ball came down he genuinely buried it. Well taken goal from a lovely visionary pass: - this is why I still have hope.

Just before half time Scocco received a very harsh yellow card, typical of the inconsistency of the ref today. The bad news is that he will miss the next game, away v San Luis.

The expected change of Moreno for Reinaldo to switch to 5-3-2 did not happen at half time, as Tuca decided to stick with his starting lineup. Morelia came out brightly, but we were still mostly in control, and after about 15 minutes or so they ran out of steam. After that we were fully in control, and had a few opportunities to kill it off, but failed to. Íñiguez, coming back from injury, got 5 minutes against his old club.

All in all a satisfactory victory at home, against a team which have caused some teams a few problems.

Ratings:-
RoRo Rodriguez – 7 – not much to do, but looked more assured on crosses

Velarde – 9 – MOM - very impressed today, faultless at the back, and very good going forward, chinking past many a player, linking well with Leandro
Pikolin – 8 – very solid today, as well as defensively brilliant on the ground and the air his distribution much better, even if it was just the simple obvious ball, what’s wrong with that? It was a clash of heads with RoRo that gave him his Dracula look (and, yes, that is a rats-tail)
Veron – 8 – just expect him to do it, don’t you? Lost the ball once, but fought back for a immense tackle just inside the box
Espinosa – 7 – much happier with him today, although not so great going forward.

Castro – 7 – had a really good game here, and Leandro obviously has faith in him too.
Leandro – 8 – much more Leandro-like performance: - charging runs, goal-saving tackles in the box: - testing balls into their box. Worked a lot down the left, but looked more comfortable there today
Parejita – 7 – a decent game for him, good set pieces, but they kept someone much wider to cut down his space. They were obviously concerned by him. (subbed 90 mins)

Scocco – 8 – always about, always trying, came deeper as the game went on. Great pass for goal, great long shot went close. Worked hard (subbed 85 mins)
Reinaldo – 5 – actually saw some movement today, but his inability to do a number 9’s most important job gives him a low rating. (subbed 70 mins)
Gonzalez – 7 – worked very very hard as always, took the goal lovely stuff, but should have done more with other chances. His first touch is still a worry.

Subs:-
Bonnells – 6 – 70 mins – I’m not a big fan
Iñiguez – 6 – 85 mins – always good to see someone come back from injury. Except Iñiguez.
Barrera – 5 – 90mins – too little time to judge.

DT:-
Ricardo “Tuca” Ferretti – 7 – good to start 4-3-3, also probably good to stick with it at half time. Had a look, and took good advantage of Fantasma’s substitution problems, brought on by injuries. Good all round performance, but I am going to start to obsess about him not giving young Pedro Solis a run out in the first team.

Cards:-
Pumas
Scocco – 45 mins – not bookable, and he will miss next game
Parejita – 76 mins – for timewasting
Espinoso – 79 mins – also not bookable

Morelia
Alderete – 35 mins – for timewasting!
Orozco – 72 mins – bad foul on a charging Chispa Velarde
El Fantasma was also sent off – after which we saw no more of him, a bit disappointing just before Halloween.

Goal:-
1-0 – 41 mins – A great central pass from Scocco, Ariel Gonzalez controlled it with his chest and thigh, and smacked it on the volley.

Crowd:-
32,000 – we have been getting slightly fewer and fewer as the season goes on.

Elsewhere in Mexico:-
As I mentioned earlier Santos got their first win in the season, as Atlante return home; this was played at Ciudad Neza, from whence they came, I believe. In fact this is the stadium where Pony Ruiz started in Mexico. Santos seemed to be cruising at 2-0, but the home team scored two in the last two minutes, only for Oribe Peralta to pop up with his second of the game in the 91st minute to steal it. Cruz Azul got their 4th win on the spin, to make qualification almost certain. The regional classic saw Chivas brush Atlas aside 3-1, and the repeat of the Champions of Champions saw Pachuca come out on top this time, 3-1 v Toluca, with an out of sorts Marioni returning from suspension. Necaxa beating Tigres gave Hugo Sanchez his 100th victory as manger, and brought them into our sights. BOBW as the highest paid strikers in Mexico (America) played out a nil-nil draw with lowly Tecos, good for us in the group, and the relegation zone.

Pumas Morelos:-
This time they lost at home (Centanario, Cuernavaca), 1-0 to Atlas. Some names you may know including, Benjamin Mosco, Franz Torres, Pedro Solis, Gaston Caprari, Jehu Chiapas, and Daniel Alanis all took part.

Group 3:-
Toluca 26 pts +12
America 25 pts +23
PUMAS 23 +4
Monarcas 17 -4
Tigres 11 -19
Santos 10 -11

Mathatically there are only really 3 teams who can definitely not make the liguilla of eight teams: - Tecos, Tigres and Santos, although it would be very hard for Monarcas to make it now. To recap, the top two of each group go through. Then we look at the three teams who have finished third. The one with lowest points drops out, leaving the other two. We have two games left.

Descenso, bottom 6:-
Record thinks it is a fight between the bottom four, but there is still along way to go. Before the season started the Pumas directors said they wanted 26 points this half season, we have 23 and two games left. The last time we got 23 points was from all 17 games was Clausura 2004, so hopefully we can do better this time.

1.2771% Atlas 106 from 83
1.2530% Veracruz 104 from 83
1.2410% Tecos 103 from 83
1.2169% Tigres 101 from 83
1.1807% UNAM 98 from 83
1.1325% Santos 94 from 83

Next Up:-
Next week we are away at “Estadio Alfonso Lastras Ramírez” Saturday 3pm vs San Luis. Tricky away fixture against a defensive team, and without Scocco, we may see Chupa and Iñiguez, maybe. I have always had this as a point, would be happy with that, as long as we beat Tigres at home last game of season.