Pachuca Vs. Santos Laguna, 2011 Apertura: Final Score, Tuzos Crushed 4-1 In Home Opener

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.