MÉXICO -- Irregularity starts to become the common factor in Torneo Apertura 2008, and the only team that has been seemingly immune to it is San Luis.
In four games, the rest of the teams have tasted the good, the bad and the evil with uneven performances, such as the unexpected defeat of Pumas at Morelia at the 90th minute, or surprise victories such as San Luis at 86 minute mark at Jalisco.
NOT QUITE A HAPPENSTANCE
The Gladiators are setting the pace in the League with 13 points (and one more game played than the rest), and that's not a happenstance. As it has been highlighted before, they share the conservative approach to soccer that has been the norm for all the teams coached by Raul Arias.
Their game is not too emotional, especially when his explosive players are not having a good day, but when it comes to results, they deliver. Proof of that is their 1-0 victory against Atlas. Not losing control, being patient and striking hard at the right time are their main assets. And they now have the highest scorer in the tournament in Israel Martinez, to top it all off.
A LOT OF WORK IN VAIN
He was about to leave Morelos with just one point, and instead he left empty-handed. The way in which Pumas fell to Morelia is the worst thing that can happen to a team, and especially to Tuca Ferretti. All the hard work of the entire week and the entire game, as well as the undefeated status, went down the drain in a split second.
Pumas let the tie sift through their clinched fists after fighting hard for it, keeping their goal well protected and causing damage in the opposite box. The moral of this game should be: every game counts, but every minute of every game counts just as much.
YOU MESS WITH THE BULL...?
The warning signs waved by America's management didn't faze Sebastian Dominguez, because apparently the Argentine defender slipped again. In the second game he was expelled, and in the next game he was suspended. In his reappearance at Pachuca he committed a foul that may cost him up to three games.
After fouling Jose Francisco Torres for a penalty, he kicked him in the face, an act that was apparently not seen by referee Genaro Medrano. Dominguez may have been expelled right there and then, when the score was negative for the Eagles and they had already lost Rodrigo Iñigo. To their advantage, they closed the game strongly at Pachuca and rescued a well-deserved 1-1 draw at the 88th minute.
With the precedent of Horacio Cervantes' sanction (Morelia) due to America's protest, the Tuzos have every element to proceed in the same way. You mess with the bull… do you get the horn? We'll see.
By the way, the Eagles have lost a player to red cards in three consecutive games, and all of them have been defenders: Dominguez, Ismael Rodriguez and Iñigo.
A TOUGH DECISION: ORDUÑA LEAVES
Nobody would want to be in the shoes of the management of Indios, in Ciudad Juarez. The decision of keeping or firing coach Sergio Orduña was not easy at all, but they nevertheless chose to fire him from his coaching position of the first team.
Orduña gave Indios a championship in Primera A and sent them to the upper level. And on paper, the roster he put together is trustable, with a meticulous choice of players. The downside is that they have been unable to earn a single point in Primera Division.
They already have four losses in a row, the most recent being against champions Santos (3-1). The truth is that the team plays well, as they shown in the Corona de Torreon. But they lack that killer instinct that is needed in order to handle a big game. They cannot lose control nor stay in the back of the field. They don't have equilibrium, which is something hard to achieve especially when the team is under pressure for not winning and when the percentages are starting to choke your chances of keeping the category.
DE PINHO CASHED IN AN OLD DEBT
Monterrey, a strong team at home, was beaten 4-2 by Tecos, a team that has seemingly gained momentum. And the player in charge of the killing was none other than Robert de Pinho, who had business to settle with Ricardo La Volpe.
The promise of the Brazilian forward was clear: "If I start scoring, I won't stop". We will see if this is true. So far, he has scored twice, assisted another one and set up two red cards for the opposite team. Meanwhile, Tecos showed that they are capable of resuscitating with a strong and hard-hitting brand of soccer. In seven minutes they reversed the score with order, determination and good aim. And they keep running away from the relegation zone.
THERE'S STILL TIME
Jaguares has earned its first point, and they did it thanks to Itamar Batista, who shone against Atlante. He scored a goal and failed two (one being a penalty kick). Is responsibility weighing too heavily on him? The result is still a reflection of the lack of confidence produced by a bad start in the tournament.
The same is happening to Chivas, who has one defeat and three ties in a row (the most recent one against Necaxa). There is still lack of confidence in their lines, the type of indecision that has not allowed to strike, no matter who is the rival.
And what can we say about Pachuca? Two defeats and two draws can mean a lot. This great team has been unable to stay afloat.
It's only a matter of time until these three great teams can resurface. They are still on time to get in the mix.