Santos Laguna won their sixth straight match for the first time in short tournaments after defeating Pumas by a 2-0 score. In a match filled with controversy from the first minute of play, Santos got a victory that now has them a single point from getting into the Liguilla zone. Santos will have a tough match to try to continue their streak when they travel west to face Tijuana while Pumas will host Tigres in a match where both teams look likely to miss out on the post season.
The first half started with Pumas having the return of Cesar Huerta to the starting 11 after being suspended in their last match against Atlante. Less than a minute into the match, Pumas got caught in a counter and Ezequiel Bullaude got into the area where Nathan seemed to have tripped him and the referee gave a Penalty Kick to Santos and gave red card to Nathan, leaving Pumas with 10 players. Replays showed the push had been minimal and it was no way a red card offense, even with the supposed being a clear goal opportunity but the controversial call stood. Eduardo Aguirre stepped up to take the PK and got off a right footed shot past Pumas’ goalkeeper, Keylor Navas to score and give Santos the 1-0 lead. Off a corner kick, the cross into the area was volleyed wide by Diego Gonzalez. Because of injury, Santos subbed out Efrain Orona for Jonathan Perez. Huerta would get into the area and get off a left footed shot that forced a good save from Santos’ goalkeeper, Carlos Acevedo. Santos kept dominating possession but created few chances while Pumas sat back and defended. The halftime whistle blew as Santos looked incredibly cautious for a match at home with a man advantage.
The 2nd half started with Santos subbing out Diego Gonzalez for Emmanuel Echeverria. A couple of minutes into the half, Pumas had to sub out an injured Adalberto Carrasquilla for Victor Arteaga. A rabona cross from Huerta turned into a shot that was saved by Acevedo. A free kick into the area was headed by Uriel Antuna directly to Acevedo. Santos subbed out Tahiel Jimenez and Fran Villalba for Esteban Lozano and Aldo Lopez. A run into the area ended with a cross by Mauricio Cuevas that turned into a shot that Navas saved. Pumas subbed out Rodrigo Lopez for Alvaro Angulo. In the ensuing corner kick, the cross into the area was headed by Felipe Sanchez and Ruben Duarte would handle the ball and the referee will give another PK to Santos. Franco Pardo took the PK and got off a right footed shot past Navas to score and give Santos the 2-0 lead. Santos subbed out Eduardo Aguirre for Luis Gomez. A counter ended with a cross into the area where eventually Lozano would get off a right footed shot that went wide. Pumas subbed out Juninho and Pablo Bennevendo for Santiago Lopez and Antonio Leone. There was a huge scuffle between the benches of both sides that included punches and fan’s from the stands throwing beer at Pumas’ players. Apparently it started when Juninho came out of the match taunting the stands and ended with a Pumas coach getting red carded. The match ended and Santos made team history with their sixth straight victory.
Santos made team history by getting their sixth straight win although the match was lackluster and marked by controversy. The first minute PK decision that left Pumas down to 10 players (a later down to 1-0) meant that Pumas had an uphill climb they never where able to overcome. Santos had a huge advantage and yet they failed to take much advantage, giving a very average performance. Still it was good enough to get the victory and climb to 9th place. They will have a very tough match to try to continue the streak as they play against Xolos in Tijuana. Pumas, who seem like they are out of post season play, will host another disappointing team in Tigres.