Game 7 : Cruz Azul home

Pumas v Cruz Azul
CU
25th February 2007

Video Highlights
Video Complete Jornada Pumas at 8m44s

Another game of two halves, in which Pumas faded again. Despite looking clearly the better team for the first half and going into the second half, our inability to bag left us deeply frustrated. The Frenchmen threw his Pumas cap onto the pitch at final whistle, with very Gallic contempt. We all knew how he felt.

It seems Chupa Lopez is now injured, so Scocco and Palencia, newly recalled to the national squad, played up front, no surprises elsewhere. Cruz Azul are clearly a team of some quality, but have been shaky of late, and their star Cesar “Chelito” Delgado was making his first start following an injury.

We started brightly, and I felt that for long periods we were playing better than we have all season. We needed both Leandro and Sancho to take control of the midfield. Sancho showed his intentions early doors by going right through Torrado. Torrado is a talented player but a lot of petulance has crept into his game, so I enjoyed this tackle. He had a good game in the end, and I would say that it finished honours even overall in this little battle.

It was, in fact, quite a bad tempered affair, I don’t think I have seen Parjita so riled, especially by Chavez, I think they were making lots of niggardly fouls on our iconic winger, and he was not at all happy, squaring up on at least two occasions.

Their goal came from a foul by Parejita on Chelito, which has been described as “childish”, and the Argentinean international certainly made the most of it, flying through the air. From the resulting free kick down by the corner flag, Israel Lopez pinged in a cross, Huiqui fouled Bernal, allowing Sabah to pop up with his fourth goal of the season.

It was frustrating to lose a goal to so clear a foul, especially as the ref, Archundia, is clearly the best in Mexico, and one of the top referees in world football. That said, however, we won’t win if we don’t disturb the onion bag. They had two chances, the other well saved by Bernal, we had countless, and forced a few saves, but not much else. In the first half it seemed that no one had the ganas to score, always doing too much, and no one taking on shooting responsibilities. I do remember a decent over head kick from Scocco, and a very well saved looping downward header. Although we should have been 3-0 up at half time, not 1-0 down, I was not too concerned: we were well on top.

The introduction of Gonzalez, playing on the left in place of Chiapas, at half time was inspired. He has come back looking fit and in good touch – his first touch superb, and once again causing all sorts of problems for their defence. He did, however, head and shoot over the bar in decent situations. As the half wore on, however, Cruz Azul began to look more and more assured. Tuca made a change, but it was too early and wrong.

I wonder if Pareja’s frustration led Tuca to switch him to the left, but it was clearly a mistake. He brought Scocco off (I felt he had offered more than Paco), and brought Íñiguez on, and put him on the right, moving Gonzalez to the centre. From this point on you knew we were not going to score. Not only was Íñiguez awful, but both Pareja and Gonzalez, who had been having excellent games, faded completely, Íñiguez has said he wants to leave Pumas, for me it can’t be quick enough. We tried to offload him at Christmas, but no one wanted him. He had a great impact v Santos, but was rotten today.

So a disappointing loss to a good team. Although we looked good for long periods, and solid at the back against a dangerous opponent we need to rediscover the goal, and we need to defend those set pieces better – and make better use of ours.

Ratings:-
Bernal – 7 – again not much to do, some blame him for goal, but as he was fouled, that’s harsh

Velarde – 7 – more himself, in defence and attack thought he lost his post for the goal
Pikolin – 7 – was looking forward to a duel v Borgetti, but he didn’t come on. Solid, some fine work winning the ball, and good tracking
Veron – 7 – will be Mexican in April
Castro – 8 – MOM – his assurance, and composure was great today – maybe should have been more incisive in attack

Parejita – 8 – silly foul, and allowed himself to get annoyed, but once again the one showing most garra
Sancho – 8 – ballsy
Leandro – 7 – had a good game, but shots off today, and sometimes lacking ideas, set pieces not good
Chiapas – 6 – about what we now expect, although he did have a decent shot when it seemed no one wanted to try. (subbed half time)

Palencia – 6 – really disappointed by him today (subbed 84 mins)
Scocco – 7 – shooting also not in range, but was up for it, and showed some flashes of great skill (subbed 64 mins)

Subs:-
Gonzalez – 7 – half time – thought he did very well when he came on, but should have done better with a couple of chances
Íñiguez – 4 – 64 mins – just awful. Nothing on offer at all
Solis – 5 – 84 mins – too little time, and didn’t do much

DT
Ricardo “Tuca” Ferretti – 7 – good line up, good ideas, all going well, but hasn’t explained adequately to the lads what the big square net-like thing is for. Second sub was the wrong change, and at the wrong time.

Cards.-
Pumas
Velarde – 6 mins
Parejita – 15 mins – I think the dive got him the card
Sancho – 68 mins – he was always going to get booked today
Veron – 77 mins

Cruz Azul
Vilchez – 19 mins – Cruz Azul very lucky to have only one card

Goal:-
0-1 – 15 mins – Israel Lopez took a free kick from the right wing, Miguel Sabah anticipated Bernal’s run, and scored off his bonce in the six yard box – Bernal having been brought down illegally by Huiqui

Crowd:-
55,000 – good turnout, and lots of Cruz Azul, who remained pretty much silent throughout, oddly

Elswhere in Mexico:-
Haven’t seen anything, so not sure what went on, but San Luis, Tigres and Queretaro all won. However, Tecos (3-4 vs Pachuca) and Santos both lost. Toluca also lost, which gives them 6 draws and a loss this season. A regular goal fiesta in Queretaro, whose fans had only seen 2 goals all season, suddenly got to see three vs Monterrey.

Pumas Morelos
Away at Indios de Cuidad Juárez, they got a one all draw, leaving them 8th in Group 2. Next week at home to Lobos BUAP, who the full team beat 2-0 in a pre-season friendly, both goals from Chupa Lopez.

Internationals:-
Paco Palencia has been called up to the national squad, along with Israel Castro and Sergio Bernal, for the Wednesday night friendly vs Venezuela. Jared Borgetti not there, so I think we will see Paco playing, although on the evidence of this season, if Hugo really thinks Paco is the answer to his goal-scoring problems….. well….

The Mexico under-20 team won two games, vs St Kitts & Nevis and Jamaica both 2-0, and drew 1-1 with Costa Rica. Our lad Hector Moreno played the full games for the first two, but came off after 30 mins in the last – not sure if this was owing to injury. This means that the “golden generation” of Mexican footballers, who won the under-17 World Cup are now qualified for the Under-20 World Cup in Canada.

Descenso:-
Down to 4th in group, and the relegation is thus:-
11th 1.2717 Veracruz 117 in 92
12th 1.2609 Atlante 116 in 92
13th 1.2500 Tigres 115 in 92
14th 1.2283 Tecos 113 in 92
15th 1.2283 UNAM 113 in 92
16th 1.2241 San Luis 71 in 58
17th 1.0833 Queretaro 26 in 24
18th 1.0543 Santos 97 in 92

Next Up:-
Saturday 3th March away at Monterrey. They have many problems at the moment, and last season we brushed them aside with an Ariel Gonzalez inspired display. Cyril and I were planning a night bus there – night bus home trip for this game (12 hours each way), but work got in the way of that plan…