Underdog Morelia enters final on high

CARSON, Calif. -- When asked to describe Morelia's performance in InterLiga Group A play, Hugo Droguett needed two words.

Unexpected. Satisfying.

Those are the phrases the Monarcas' Chilean-born striker used to describe Morelia's surge and suddenly lively brand of soccer in the late stages of group play.

Unexpected, because Morelia was not the favorite from Group A to be in the night cap of Sunday's InterLiga finals doubleheader at The Home Depot Center. The Monarcas will face perennial powerhouse CD Guadalajara. Atlas and Pachuca face off in the early final. At stake are a pair of passes to South America's prestigious club tournament, Copa Libertadores, which begins next month.

Morelia placed second in their group with four points while Chivas finished first in Group B with seven points.

"We knew we were in a bad situation," Droguett said. "It was a collective effort that came when it was needed most."

Morelia reached the final by stunning Pachuca 3-0 in their final group match Thursday. Pachuca had already qualified for one of the finals but was still favored to win the game.

The outcome, which put the Monarcas in the InterLiga finals for just the second time, was not only satisfying, but it brought redemption.

Morelia thought the touranment was over following a 1-0 loss to UAG Tecos on Jan. 5 in Houston that deflated the team.

The goal of that match came in controversial fashion. Tecos' Diego Jiminez scored for his team on a play that involved a seemingly injured Morelia player on the field and the Monarcas calling for play to be stopped.

Tecos refused to play the ball out to stop play. Instead, Adrian Cortes sent a crossing pass to the far post finding Jimenez who sent it in via a header. Morelia proceeded to accuse Tecos of not abiding and honoring to the unwritten fair play code.

"Justice was made," Droguett said. "We thought we were eliminated by an illegitimate goal. Fair play is used all over the world and (Tecos) didn't. But that's all moot now."

What matters now is what's at hand for coach Luis Fernando Tena's squad.

The Monarcas will face a Chivas team that is coming off back-to-back impressive wins. Chivas beat Tigres 4-2 Friday in both teams' final group match and topped Atlas 3-1 on Jan. 6 in Dallas. Guadalajara opened up InterLiga play with a 1-1 draw against rival Club America in the tournament's version of the Superclasico.

Droguett and Morelia probably wouldn't call their current run a classic performance but it will suffice -- for now.