Game 3: Jaguares home

Pumas v Jaguares
4th February 2007
CU

Video Highlights - Pumas at 8 mins 19 secs

A solid, concentrated “back to basics” performance saw Pumas pick up their first victory of this Clausura 2007. Jaguares were reasonably well organised at the back, and we just closed them off completely in attack, but overall they did not really turn up.

Tuca’s pre match worries were the uncharacteristic slip in concentration of last week, along with a growing injury list – Ariel Gonzalez, Ignacio Socco and Ailton Da Silva we knew, I believe that Chupa was not 100% and Velarde not even making the bench today also suggests a problem. On top of this on Thursday Sergio Bernal sprained his left ankle, not only missing this game, but also his trip to Phoenix with national team – rotten luck for him. But by the end of today’s game Tuca had much more to be happy about.

In the end Chupa Lopez played, and much as it pains me to say so, had a decent game, and was whipped off when he started to fade. We had Fernando Espinosa in at left back and Jehu Chiapas on left wing – Ailton went as far to say that his enthusiasm to help Pumas led to an error of judgement, and he should not have played v Veracruz. So a little odd on the left, but Jehu had a better game, and Espinosa did well. On the right Parejita had an excellent game, and Castro his usual dependable self.

For me, however, we really controlled the centre. I think Veron and Pikolin especially were exceptional today, and I am really looking forward to seeing the Leandro/Sancho central partnership blossom, as I believe it can. Paco was decent enough, quite deepish again, and still not sharp enough in the box – he so often does the hard work then messes up. I actually saw Chupa run today, he had some work rate for once, and took his goal very well.

So despite almost all the possession and controlling the game all the first half, I was getting increasingly concerned about failing in the last third, felt it could slip away at any time. Eventually, however, not long before the break Espinosa, having a good game at left-back, whipped in a long and teasing cross, which was met by Chupa unmarked far post, who headed home well. During the break I was heard to remark that there was “no way back” for Jaguares. Happily I was proven correct.

After Veracruz it was a little disheartening to see how we seemed to drift and lose the control of the game for long periods of the game second half, but we were so sound at the back today it never seemed a big problem. Just found ourselves wishing that someone would take control.

And then further good news for Pumas, when Scocco came on for a run out following his injury. Jaguares were pushing forward at this point, so there were gaps at the back, but Scocco’s first play took him passed a couple of defenders followed by a decent shot. All in all he looked fit and very very good. All good news.

On 80 minutes Castro put in an over-long cross which Jehu Chiapas did very well to get to and head back across the goal, Parejita seemed to have an age to get to it, showed his awareness and intelligence by not attempted a shot from a tight angle. Instead he headed back to Scocco who had found himself space on the penalty spot, and he buried it. Great return. He has a couple more fine runs, each time opting to go alone than pass, but as it was late on and we were cruising, we did not mind this.

So an afternoon of returns – Chupa and RoRo in starting line-up, Scocco’s timely return to fitness, Pumas return to careful, probing, possession, controlled football. And most importantly a return of winning ways.

Ratings:-
RoRo – 7 – really not much to do, looked more or less in control, one flap

Espinosa – 7 – good solid game at left-back, lovely cross for first goal
Veron – 8 – he really is so good, no worries here, also he came close from corner.
Pikolin – 9 – MOM - superb at the back, real handful in box at set pieces and a couple of almost “mazy” runs to boot.
Castro – 7 – good game, linking well, maybe not incisive enough on attacking duties,

Chiapas – 6 – better than Veracruz, did very well on second goal, often way out of postion (subbed off 85 mins)
Sancho – 8 – with Leandro bossed the midfield, commanding presence
Leandro – 8 – with Sancho bossed the midfield. Couple of decent long shots as well
Parejita – 9 – everywhere again, actually going past a few players, a good hard-working intelligent game

Chupa Lopez – 7- much better work rate, good goal, faded and made some poor plays later on. Maybe not 100% fit? (subbed 73 mins)
Palencia – 7 – helped in midfield again, but shooting not too great, too often too deep, also that control in the box still letting him down, fights well and hard to get in good position, then loses it. Forced a save today, and Pareja should have done better on follow up.

Subs
Scocco – 8 – 73 mins – great to see him looking fit, and in short time on pitch looked a step ahead of everyone else. Well taken goal, exciting runs
Alex Diego – 6 – 85 mins – looked ok

DT
Ricardo “Tuca” Ferretti – 7 – much better, kept the lads concentration up, brought Scocco on at exactly the correct moment, both for the player and for the game, closed Jaguares right out of the game. Using Espinosa as left back paid off. Rojas, midfielder of Jaguares said that Pumas were rubbish, and play a bad, boring game. This must be quite a dose of sour grapes, because it was a “clear Pumas victory” today, to quote a few papers. We out-played and out-thought them in all departments.

Cards:-
Pumas
30 mins – Chupa – bad tackle from behind
33 mins – Castro
61 mins – Pikolin – was being held in the box, shook his defender off, bad decision
63 mins – Espinosa – awful decision, classic “one-each” bottle out

Jaguares
17 mins – Campos – nasty foul on Parejita
63 mins – Rojas – this was the “one-each” decision, really should have been just for Rojas, and led to the ref losing a bit of control of the game.
64 mins – Hernandez
81 mins – Fuentes – foul on Nacho Scocco, how dare he…..

Goals:-
1-0 – (41 mins) Lovely cross from wide left by Espinosa, Ariel “Chupa” Lopez out jumped the defenders to head the ball passed Ortiz
2 -0 – (80 mins) Long cross from deep right by Castro, Jehu Chiapas ran hard to head it back across the goal, where Parejita knocked it back for Ignacio Scocco to hit home.

Crowd:-
35,000 – we were all in anti-violence mood, apparently.

Elsewhere in Mexico:-
Couple of long runs came to an end this week end. Notably Chivas unbeaten 12 game run (and 11 on spin at home), when a 92 minute Pachuca goal beat them. Also Monterrey had not been beaten at home for (I think) 11 games, since Cruz Azul did them. Well same team finished this record, 1-2. Those teams in relegation fight, Queretaro got nil all at home Toluca, which they must be pleased about, also nil all Morelia v Tigres, Atlante well and truly done 3-0 by San Luis, and Santos went down 1-0 to Necaxa. Santos now 13 points behind us, and in deep deep trouble. Tecos beat Veracruz, topsy-turvey world; Mexican football. It seems that Blanco’s chat had upset the Tigres players last week, which is why they punched him. He was bleating on and on, apparently, about how rich he is, and was saying that Tigres players looked like they were starving to death. Well, they got the last laugh winning 1-0, and this week a frankly awful looking America went down 1-0 at home to Atlas, Blanco particularly having a poor game. The Atlas goal actually started when Caniza took the ball off Blanco, twelve passes later Santiago stuck it passed Ochoa. This also finished a unbeaten home run of 12.

Pumas Morelos:-
Unfortunately lost 2-1 away to promotion hopefuls, Puebla, leaving them 9th (out of 12) in their group after 4 games.

Descenso and Group:-
After 3 played we are 2nd in Group 3, and the bottom seven in relegation zone are:-

1.2727 Atlante 112 from 88
1.2500 Tecos 110 from 88
1.2273 Tigres 108 from 88
1.2273 PUMAS 108 from 88
1.1852 San Luis 64 from 54
1.0795 Santos 95 from 88
1.0000 Queretaro 20 from 20

Next Up:-
Jornada 4 away at Toluca Sunday 11th February at midday, at “La Bombonera”. Never easy, should be another interesting tactical game. And good luck to Israel Castro - next up for him is the USA as he travels to Phoenix with the national team for the "friendly" on Wednesday (7th) night - I hope he gets a game, and lets hope for a great result for "El Tri"