Mexican Primera Division, 2011 Apertura, Week 4: Chivas Guadalajara Draw Pumas UNAM, Monterrey Defeat Morelia

Monterrey seem to be a team that has a switch that they can turn on and off. Most teams function at their best when they’re working off of some serious consistency and momentum. Most teams suffer adverse affects when they don’t go at 100 percent and try to turn up the intensity on command. Monterrey are not one of those teams, and they’ve won in the most Rayados way possible, playing lackadaisical football for 80 minutes before putting Monarcas Morelia to the sword, winning 2-0.

The first goal came in the 84th minute, and it was so brilliant that it left everyone wondering why they were waiting so long to score. Jesus Zavala started the move with a great tackle in midfield and no more than six touches of the ball later, Monterrey had a goal. The ball went from Zavala, to Walter Ayovi, to Neri Cardozo, to goal scorer ‘Chupete’ Humberto Suazo in what seemed like five seconds.

Chivas Guadalajara and Pumas UNAM have emerged as two of the best academies in Mexico, and no team puts more of their own homegrown players on the field than these two sides. Both will have plenty of their own talent on display tonight, as both have let go of a lot of veterans in recent years while bringing academy players through the ranks. Mexico Under-17 star Carlos Fierro will start on the bench for Chivas, but two future El Tri stars will battle in the midfield. David Cabrera starts for Pumas, while Patricio Araujo starts for Chivas. Their battle in the middle could be key in tonight’s match. Here are the lineups.

Pumas lineup: Alejandro Palacios; Efrain Velarde, Dario Veron, Marco Palacios, Luis Fuentes; David Cabrera, Paco Palencia, Fernando Espinosa, Javier Cortes; Eduardo Herrera, Martin Bravo