FRISCO, Texas -- Club America rallied from a goal down to earn a 3-1 victory over Tigres UANL at Pizza Hut Park Tuesday night in an InterLiga 2009 Group B match featuring two teams with three InterLiga titles between them.
Tuesday's clash was played at a breakneck pace and featured plenty of offense, pleasing a raucous, capacity crowd.
Tigres drew first blood in the 22nd minute when Guillermo Marino knocked a rebound from a Pedro Benitez shot that hit the right post seconds earlier into the back of the net, giving his side a 1-0 advantage. The sequence began when midfielder Lucas Lobos struck a perfect corner from the near-side flag, leading to Benitez's shot. The goal was Tigres' first of InterLiga 2009.
America, the defending InterLiga champion, answered 14 minutes later when Enrique Vera scored in similar fashion. A great chip over the top of the Tigres defense by Salvador Cabanas was corralled by Brazilian forward Robert de Pinho, but his shot was saved by Alfredo Talavera. Vera was waiting to punch the rebound into the back of the net for the equalizer.
Just before the half, America went on top 2-1 after Cabanas converted a free kick from just outside the arc. His shot from about 20 yards from goal was deflected off a visiting player inside the wall and fluttered into the back of the net to give the Aguilas the lead at the break.
The Aguilas added another goal to their cushion when de Pinho drove home a penalty kick in the 59th minute. The penalty was awarded by referee Baldomero Toledo after Talavera took out de Pinho hard inside the box. De Pinho marched to the spot and calmly knocked the ball into the right side of the net, setting off his flying eagle goal celebration complete with a swooping arm motion, much to the delight of the numerous America supporters in attendance.
"It was a difficult game," De Pinho, who was playing in his second official game with America after coming over from UAG Tecos, said. "It was my first goal (of the year) of hopefully many more to come in the future. In every game, I like to improve and get to know my teammates better. What was most important was that the result was positive."
While De Pinho admitted finding the back of the net was a nice bonus, he was far more concerned with the bigger picture for the Aguilas, defending their InterLiga title.
"It was most important that the team won, that the team was victorious," De Pinho said. "It's most important that the team comes together and wins titles."
Almost from the opening whistle, it was apparent that this clash would be one with plenty of offense. The Aguilas fired the opening salvo in the first minute when de Pinho made a nice run in the box but saw his shot deflected away. It was the first of many scoring opportunities created by the two sides.
"There were a lot of things that happened on the field but winning our next match puts us close to a spot in the finals," Talvera said. "There were circumstances in the match, goals scored off rebounds and a lot of fouls. But that's the way it is. We have to prepare and get ready for our next match."
Tigres' first chance came in the fifth minute. Marino created some space inside the America box. His shot, however, was aimed directly at Aguilas goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa and Tigres were unable to do anything with the resulting rebound.
One minute later, America forward Salvador Cabanas, who had three goals in last year's event, got an opportunity of his own inside the opposing box. Like Marino's effort, Cabanas' shot went right at the 'keeper, enabling Talavera to make the stop.
A ninth-minute corner kick by America's Alejandro Arguello, who also has found the back of the net a few times for the Aguilas in past editions of InterLiga, was deflected away. In the 13th minute, Vera put a shot high over the Tigres goal.
In the 15th minute, Lobos attempted to connect with a sprinting Francisco Fonseca inside the box, but his effort was also pushed over the endline. The side from Monterrey had another chance by Marino just a minute before his tally but it was deflected.
Even though America held a 2-1 lead after 45 minutes of play, it was Tigres who held the edge in shots, 11-8.
Holding a one goal edge, America did not relent in the second half. Before de Pinho's penalty kick goal in the 59th minute, midfielder Andres Chitiva got his head on the end of a corner kick in the 47th minute but his effort went inches high, just missing the top of the goal.
Tigres also was far from finished. A free kick by Lobos in the 70th minute was deflected away and an apparent goal by midfielder Francisco Acuna several minutes later that would have made it a one-goal affair was waived off after Toledo ruled Acuna offside.
In the 90th minute, Tigres nearly drew one back. A cross from the left flank by defender Jose Rivas found Acuna near the far post. Acuna's header was a bit off the mark, striking off the lower part of his forehead and landing on the playing surface.
In stoppage time, Lobos stepped up to the flag for another Tigres corner. The midfielder delivered a quality ball to Mario Ruiz, who struck the ball solidly but saw his shot glance off the outside of the left post and out of play.
Just seconds later, America made one final push for a fourth goal. Cabanas sprinted up the left flank before dropping the ball off to fellow forward Enrique Esqueda, who was streaking toward goal. Esqueda had a near open net in front of him but put his shot high. Just seconds later, the final whistle blew to end the match.
Tuesday's win puts the Aguilas' InterLiga record at 1-0-1 with four points, moving them atop the Group B standings pending the outcome of the CD Guadalajara-Atlas game later in the evening. America next faces Atlas on Friday night at the Home Depot Center.
As for Tigres, their loss drops them to 0-1-1 with one point in Group B, making their next match with CD Guadalajara on Friday night at the HDC a must-win if they are to have a chance to advance to the InterLiga finals on Jan. 12.
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