So far I hadn't caught a match featuring either of these two teams during Apertura 2011, so I was keen to take in this one and cross them both off the list, or if you prefer, add the tags to my blog.
America came into the match on 8 points, Pachuca with 7. Obviously they were hoping to ride their home crowd past America and further up the table.
Pachuca really came out on the front foot, with a lot of attacking and possession. Honestly it seemed to me throughout the whole first half that the heads of the America players just weren't in the match. I don't speak much Spanish, so I don't know if the announcers would have validated it, but that's what it looked like to me.
In fact, Pachuca had all the chances in the first half as America failed to register a shot, leaving Calero lonely in the Pachuca goal. His friends made feel better though, particularly Felix Borja. In the 16th minute he took a gorgeous through ball and went on an angle in the back of the net to give Pachuca the 1-0 lead. Then he pulled a Lucha Libre mask from his sock and wore it in celebration, for which he got a yellow card. Great celebration though. It would be the only goal Pachuca would need and they led 1-0 at half time.
Whatever America's coach said to them at half time seemed to work. They came out much more aggressive. Not on fire mind you, but they finally looked like they wanted to play the match. They carved out two or three good chances in the opening 10 minutes, but Calero stood firm in goal for Pachuca.
In the 65th minute, Pachuca put the match away for good. Feliz Borja was again the man up to the task as he headed in a gorgeous long cross from Hernandez to make it 2-0. Then in the 78th minute, America really blew it as Valenzuela went into Edy Brambila with a nasty two footed challenge and received a red card. That ended any slim hope America had and Pachuca took the match by the 2-0 margin.
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