Cruz Azul 1-0 Puebla, Quaretaro 2-1 Pumas de la UNAM: Full Time Review

Cruz Azul have avoided embarrassment late while Quaretaro have scored a winner at the death that could possibly see them rise out of the relegation place.

For Cruz Azul, it was Chaco Gimenez who broke the deadlock. He likely would have been named man of the match anyway, but his match winner added to his case and locked up the distinction for the on form Argentine. In the 80th minute, substitute Adrian Cortez whipped an in-swinging free kick towards the six yard box from the right hand side of goal. Defender Horacio Cervantes challenged Puebla keeper Alvarez Olivares for the ball in the air, disorienting him and causing his punch to be errant. The ball fell to Gimenez, who was waiting at the back post to tap it in, giving Cruz Azul all three points.

In Quaretaro, there was plenty of late drama between Los Gallos Blancos of Quaretaro and Pumas. In the 89th minute, Javier Cortez scored what everyone watching assumed was the Pumas equalizer. Juan Cacho set up Cortez who finished with a clean volley. Five minutes later, in the 94th minute, which would have been the final minute of stoppage time, Quaretaro found their winner. Off of a free kick and a lengthy scramble, the ball eventually fell into the path of Alen Skoro who scored from six yards away with a great bicycle kick. With the win, Quaretaro will no longer be in last place in Mexico’s relegation system regardless of the result of Necaxa-Atlante.

In the two 8 pm ET kickoffs in Mexico, Santos Laguna hosts Chivas de Guadalajara and Tigres de la UANL hosts Jaguares de Chiapas.