Game 1: Pumas 2 - 0 Necaxa

Video here.
After a troubled summer, with the Mexicanisation philosophy central, Pumas but their troubles behind them with a solid start to the campaign, overcoming Necaxa in a vibrant University Stadium. Pumas´s woes had been compounded pre-season with the cruciate ligament injury to Pablo Barrera which will keep him out of the whole tournament. Along with the departures of another three forward players, Argentinians Esteban Solari, Ignacio Scocco and Rubens Sambueza, who was foolishly allowed to return to River Plate, the cupboard was looking bare with regard to goalscorers. Sure enough we had Iniguez, Palencia and new purchase Juan Carlos Cacho, but it was immediatley felt that reinforcements were required.

The management had backed themselves into a corner rather with their Mexican-only policy, and so they were forced to back down. Only would they be able to find anyone so late in the transfer season? As it happened they were able to get hold of two new players, both from South America, the first Paraguayan Dante Lopez (picture) and the second Argentinian youngster Martin Bravo.

The latter´s papers had not come through for the start of the season, and so Palencia and Cacho started up front with Lopez on the bench. Meanwhile Fernando Morales got a start on the left wing with Efrain Juarez, ex-under 17 World Champion, coming in for his debut at right back.

Right from the off Pumas were in control inspite of the return of Walter Gaitan for the team from Aguascalientes. Gerardo Galindo the midfielder from the double-championship season for Pumas also started in the middle for Necaxa, and received a good reception from the crowd. But it was Leandro Augusto, and Velarde and Morales down the left who were causing most trouble. Leandro made a number of excellent runs that went unheeded by colleagues, and the front players only looked as if they had a nodding acquaintance.

This lack of understanding up front was compounded by the departure of Palencia through injury after only 10 minutes, forcing Ferretti to bring on Dante Lopez for his Pumas debut. He and Cacho struggled to create an understanding, and more often than not got in each other´s way. Nevertheless the Pumas defence was in excellent form, with Veron imperious and Palacios composed, while Juarez gave a good account of himself in his first game. This all led to a rather drab first half where the home team dominated but lacked the punch up front to create any serious danger. The nearest Pumas came to scoring was when a Veron header was directed straight at Ortiz in the Necaxa goal.

A similar period at the beginning of the second half brought two changes from Necaxa on the hour, with danger man Bizcayazu coming on. It seemed to galvanize the "Hidrocalidos" as Rodallega went close with a header. But just as it seemed the away team might get the upper hand Pumas took the lead: Iniguez controlled a through ball from Cacho nicely after excellent work from Lopez and Morales and hit it firmly past "el gato" Ortiz. The diminuitive right-winger had been relatively quiet until then, but took the goal nicely and forced Necaxa even more onto the offensive.

Bernal coped well with a couple of shots from distance, but as Necaxa were pushing forward they suffered the sucker punch and a lovely break out from Morales (who had earlier wasted a similar opportunity) led to him feeding Lopez who shot home for his debut goal from the edge of the area. With only five minutes to go there was no way back, and the Pumas fans rejoiced at finally getting off to a good start in a tournament.

The team still looks a little short of time together. Cacho looked short of fitness although he had one or two nice touches, while Dante Lopez tried hard and took his goal well. We shall have to see whether this line-up can cope with better teams than Necaxa, although the Leandro-Castro axis looks extremely sound.

Meanwhile the club made a mess of ticketing arrangements at the ground and many fans were forced to pay resale prices for tickets as the ticket offices were swamped. It should be simple - limit sales to one ticket per person, rather than the five at present. Similarly a laudable anti-AIDs campaign was stymied when all the free condoms given out to fans before the game were confiscated by security and thrown in the bin. We shoudn´t be surprised...

Goals
Iniguez (67 minutes) 1-0
Lopez (85) 2-0

Cards
Pumas: yellow: Cacho, Morales, Juarez
Necaxa: yellow: Quatrocchi, Marvin de la Cruz, de Nigris

Player Ratings
Bernal 6 - did nothing wrong but loathe to mark highly a player who had so little to do
Juarez 6 - a sound debut, got pulled out of position a couple of times but looked lively going forward
Palacios 7 - exuded calm
Veron 7 - unruffled and moved out of defence well
Velarde 7 - shackled Rodallega well down the right
Leandro 7 - controlled midfield
Castro 6 - sound start, and Leandro felt confidence to get forward
Morales 8 - excellent start and caused trouble down the left. Good pass for second goal
Iniguez 6 - quiet but did score nicely
Cacho 5 - disappointing but there will be better days
Palencia 5 - looked lively before his injury, but as yet no understanding with Cacho
Lopez 6 - put himself about and not so out of shape as it was claimed
Chiapas & Toledo - just came on at the end

Elsewhere in Mexico
I am loathe to mention the Interliga, as it is clearly just a money-making and profile-raising exercise, and has still to be concluded although the Mexican season has started. Nevertheless a controversial group stage saw Atlante qualify along with Dynamo Houston for the semi-finals from group 1 (Chivas were aggrieved since they went out with the same points and a better goal difference to Atlante - maybe they should have read the rule book). In group 2 New England Revolution and Pachuca overcame Chivas USA and a disappointing Santos. The semi-finals are this week.

Meanwhile in the league, the big game on Saturday was Cruz Azul v Chivas in the Estadio Azul. In an exciting fixture debutant goalkeeper Sergio Rodriguez saved an early penalty, while all the goals were scored by players whose futures were uncertain during the summer. Indeed ex-Puma Gonzalo Pineda was considered an Atlante player for a day! In the end a late Pablo Zeballos header salvaged a point for the home team in a thrilling 2-2.

An injury-time penalty by Coudet saved a point for San Luis in a 2-2 draw against Morelia, while Indios de Ciudad Juarez were unable to open their account in their first game in the top flight against Tecos, going down 1-0 to a Poney Ruiz header. Tigres opened their quest for top league survival with a 0-0 home draw to Pachuca, and Atlante came from behind to edge past Toluca 2-1 in Cancun, with Alan Zamora grabbing the winner.

A Jaguares team suffering from several suspensions was soundly beaten in Guadalajara, the 5-0 win for the "zorros" (foxes) including excellent contributions from their three overseas signings, Argentinian Dario Bottinelli (2 assists), Uruguayan Gonzalo Vargas (2 goals) and Paraguayan Ariel Bogado (also 2 goals). Adolfo Bautista was also sent off for Jaguares.

On Sunday Puebla and Monterrey shared a scrappy 2-2 draw in the Estadio Cuauhtemoc, the highlight a spectacular free kick from Luis Perez. America also got off to a solid start despite almost throwing away a 3-0 lead in the last five minutes against Santos. Federico Insua opened the scoring for the home side and Salvador Cabanas inevitably poached two, but a late flurry, including a spectacular free-kick from Juan Pablo Rodriguez saw America having to hold on to the points at the end.

Atlante head group 1 as the only winners in that group. Pumas head the "group of death" from America and Tecos on goal difference. Meanwhile Atlas´s big win sees them top group 3.

In Primera A Pumas Morelos had a sound 2-0 win over Coatzacoalcos in the Estadio Centenario, with goals from Orlando Pineda and Oscar Rojas. It was their first game of the tournament as they rested in game one.

Next Up
Pumas travel to Torreon to take on champions Santos on Sunday afternoon, while Pumas Morelos take on Lobos BUAP. The Superliga semi-finals also pit Dynamo Houston against Pachuca on Tuesday and Atlante against New England on Wednesday.