MEXICO PHILLIPPI (AP) — Luis Reyes, Julian Quinones and Pachuca scored the goals that made Atlas one step closer to retaining its title at Mexico’s Clausura tournament. They beat Pachuca 2-0 in Thursday’s first leg.
Reyes, a left-winger, joined in the attack and scored the opening goal in the 26th minutes. Quinones, who is a Colombian striker made an outstanding individual play to increase the lead to the locals’ in the 90th minute.
Atlas will be the third-ever two-time champion of the short tournaments in 1996. Any tie or loss, even one goal, will suffice for him next Sunday at the Hidalgo stadium, in central Pachuca.
Only two teams have endorsed a short crown: Leon in Clausura 2013 and Pumas (2004).
To send the game into extra time, Pachuca needs to win by two points.
The final does not take into consideration the tiebreaker position from the regular season.
Guillermo Almada from Uruguay is leading Los Tuzos in search of the seventh title in their history. This is the first since 2016.
Atlas led when Jose Abella sent a cross from right to the area where Reyes seemed to connect a powerful header that made Oscar Ustari, the Argentine goalkeeper, look static. The second-time star of the cave, The Second-Day Digs Deep on the PSVR This Year
Pachuca attempted to break the tie at 57 by attempting to score a shot from the box by Nicolas Ibanez, an Argentine striker. This shot crashed into the crossbar.
Los Tuzos were again dangerous with Alvarez’s shot that was too wide in the 68th minutes.
Vargas was able to defend Vargas’ goal in the end, but the visiting team won.
Atlas extended their lead in the final minute of stoppage time, when Quinones took a ball from the right flank, took out 2 defenders, and converted with an impressive shot through the middle of Ustari’s goal.