Mexican Primera Division, 2011 Apertura, Week 1: Cruz Azul And UANL Tigres Draw 1-1

Cruz Azul failed to get all three points at the Estadio Universitario on Saturday night due to a bad error by captain Gerardo Torrado, but they were otherwise able to execute their tactics to perfection. Despite UANL Tigres fielding a fantastic lineup, the great crowd in Monterrey, some suspensions for Cruz Azul, the visitors did well to get a point as the match ended with a final score of 1-1.

Javier Aquino scored the opening goal of the match in the 19th minute, putting in a great goal on the counter-attack, assisted by striker Emanuel Villa. Cruz Azul thought they were going to take a 1-0 advantage into halftime, but in the 37th minute, their fortunes changed. With no pressure on him, Torrado inexplicably passed the ball directly to Tigres striker Hector Raul Mancilla at the top of the penalty area, and he pounced on the ball, then scored the equalizer.

Cruz Azul looked like they weren’t missing Chaco Gimenez and Jose de Jesus Carona early as they got on the scoreboard early, but a bad error gifted Tigres an equalizer late in the half. The hosts have been on the front foot all game, with Argentinian playmaker Lucas Lobos looking dangerous and controlling the Tigres attack, but they were only able to score after Gerardo Torrado made a terrible error and gifted them a goal. Cruz Azul’s goal - scored by Javier Aquino - was very much against the run of play, but they all count the same.

The Cruz Azul goal itself was a great individual effort by Aquino, as he created the chance with a fantastic run down the right flank during a 19th minute counter-attack. He did very well to beat Israel Jimenez by knocking the ball around him, then win a race against goalkeeper Enrique Palos to get to the ball in the box and poke it into the back of the net.

After a slightly disappointing 2010 Apertura and an extremely disappointing 2011 Clausura, CF Pachuca have not gotten off to a good start in the 2011 Apertura, falling 4-1 at home to Santos Laguna in the opening round of the season. Diego Cocca’s boys came to play from the opening whistle and severely outplayed the Tuzos in the opening half, taking a 3-0 lead after 45 minutes. They let off the gas a bit in the second, but goalkeeper Osvaldo Sanchez and the Santos defense kept the score looking dominant.

Oribe Peralta is the man who is going to be counted on to replace Cristian Benitez, who has left Santos for Club America, and he answered the call brilliantly in his first game as the first choice striker, scoring a hat trick. Defender Jorge Ivan Estrada scored the other goal, firing in a rocket after a corner kick at the end of the first half. Peralta scored the first two and completed his hat trick in the second, making it 4-0, before Pachuca netted a consolation goal with a penalty kick.

We’re still three weeks away from major European leagues kicking off, but the Mexican Primera gets a nice, early start due to their eight team Liguilla playoff system that needs to finish before the end of December. Most clubs have made serious changes in the transfer window, with newly promoted Club Tijuana and other relegation threatened sides undergoing the biggest overhauls. The highlight of the opening week of action is Cruz Azul vs. UANL Tigres, while Toluca and Estudiantes Tecos kick off the week.

Estudiantes Tecos vs. Toluca