Argentine Lucas Ocampos scored twice on Sunday to lead Spaniard Sergio Ramos’ Monterrey to a 3-2 win over Mazatlán that allowed the regios to catch Pachuca at the top of the Mexican soccer Apertura.
Ocampos, with two goals, and Víctor Guzmán, with one, scored for Spanish coach Domenec Torrent’s team, after Mazatlán took the lead with a goal by José Esquivel. In the 82nd minute, Omar Moreno scored the visitors’ second goal.
Mazatlan fell back in the second half as Monterrey slowed the pace, but in the 82nd minute they surprised the home side with a right-footed goal by Moreno off a pass from Colombian Nicolas Benedetti.
Monterrey has four wins, one loss and 12 points, the same as Pachuca, with a better goal difference, despite losing 2-0 to Uruguayan coach Sebastián Abreu’s Tijuana on Saturday.
With goals from Gilberto Mora and Kevin Castañeda, the Xolos took away a perfect lead from a Pachuca team that gave up numerous scoring opportunities.
One point behind Pachuca and Monterrey are Cruz Azul and América, winners of their Saturday matches.
Uruguayan Gabriel Fernández scored in the 82nd minute off a pass from Ángel Sepúlveda to give Los Azules a 3-2 win over Santos Laguna.
Carlos Rodríguez and Uruguayans Ignacio Rivero and Gabriel Fernández scored for the Celestes, who played 50 minutes with an extra man due to the expulsion of Argentine Ramiro Sordo in the 40th minute. Chilean Bruno Barticciotto and Colombian Cristian Dájome scored for Santos.
The good progress of the visiting teams, who had five wins and two draws and two defeats, was confirmed by América, with a 1-3 victory over Tigres UANL with two goals from Erick Sánchez and an own goal from goalkeeper Nahuel Guzmán. Argentinian Juan Brunetta scored for Tigres.
In one of the best duels of the weekend, Pumas UNAM, the team of Costa Rican goalkeeper Keylor Navas, drew 1-1 with champion Toluca on Saturday. Jorge Ruvalcaba scored for the universitarios and Jesús Angulo for the ‘Diablos’.
In the other Saturday match, Juárez beat Guadalajara 1-2, with goals from Colombian Óscar Estupiñán and Jairo Torres.
The day began on Friday when Leon defeated Necaxa 1-0, with a goal by Panamanian Ismael Diaz, and San Luis defeated Puebla 2-0 with goals by Brazilian-born Italian Joao Pedro.
This Sunday, Atlas tied 3-3 at Querétaro’s stadium.
The Apertura will resume next weekend with the sixth round, which will be played as follows:
Friday, August 22: Juárez FC-Santos Laguna, Querétaro-San Luis, Tijuana-Guadalajara.
Saturday, August 23: Leon-Pachuca, Monterrey-Necaxa, Mazatlan-Tigres UANL, Cruz Azul-Toluca.
Sunday, August 24: Pumas UNAM-Puebla, Atlas-América (With information from Efe).
For more information, visit QuéOnnda.com.
