Scocco Draws With Querétaro
After the last three matches Puma’s fans are left with a rather interesting feeling. Should we be excited? Should we be upset? We’ve drawn six of our matches this season, three of them coming in the last three matches. The first may have been acceptable when we held Chivas to a nil - nil draw. The next two came from matches against bottom dwellers which we should have taken three points from. The first was a one – one draw with Necaxa, the third came todayagainst Querétaro.
The early minutes were a bit of a surprise as Pumas didn’t really look to dominate as some would have expected. The lack of dominance only really lasted the first eight minutes or so, but eventually Pumas figured out they were playing a football game and got to it. Once Pumas took control it looked as if it should be an easy win as all the chances came our way. Early on Scocco had a good go at goal, and a Leandro corner led to a blistering header. Both shots were cleared off the goal line. In the sixteenth minute Chiapas showed some good skill dribbling around a defender only to send his cross/shot just wide of the far post with no trailing runner to be seen.
Despite these efforts on goal, it was Querétaro who would put in two goals within seven minutes in the twentieth and twenty-sixth minute. Both goals came from defensive mistakes that found Querétaro strikers in the proper positions to capitalize on our errors. The first came when Israel Castro intercepted a Querétaro cross. His first touch was a little uncontrolled but he had time to take another before Arturo Alvarado pounced. Unfortunately Castro decided to touch the ball back to RoRo in goal. It was a poor touch that saw Alvarado take possession and easily slot home in the upper right. It left our fans in shock, and the players in a bit of confusion, however, they were unable to gather their senses before Querétaro struck again. This time it was off a corner kick that looked to be won by Verón, however his touch landed at the feet of Mateo Figoli. It should be noted that it’s unclear whether Figoli struck the ball, or the ball struck Figoli. In the end he looked as surprised that he scored as RoRo was that it went in found the back of the net.
Both of these goals seemed freak in nature, and somehow Pumas were still able to seem to be the dominant team. There was some slop for Pumas in the middle, but for the most part it was obvious they were the better team and knew they could come back from a two goal deficit. Come back they would as Scocco began his scoring stream in the thirty-sixth minute from a Parejita corner. The corner went high and looked to go over everyone when Scocco popped up and headed up and over Miguel Becerra.
The second half continued to see Pumas look good and produce chances. It looked like the game was shot in the fifty-eighth minute when Querétaro restored their two goal cushion again through defender Alvarado. Much like the prior Que goals, this looked to be a bit of luck, and a bit of poor defending, (although I’m not sure how much blame I’d really place on the defender on this one). The ball was whipped into the box, and both players came to meet the ball. Alvarado threw his leg out and somehow put the ball past RoRo. After this goal it seemed that Pumas gave up as Querétaro continued to have two or three good chances.
It wasn’t until the sixty-eighth minute that Pumas looked like they were still in the match when once again Scocco managed to put one in the back of the net. Again it was Parejita getting the assist. He did well to work the ball down the right hand side and put in a low cross that found Scocco crashing in.
In the eightieth minute Luis Angel García was shown his second yellow card in just four minutes. I’m not sure why it was given but it was obvious that RoRo was upset and was the man who brought attention to García’s second infraction. Perhaps it was because he took a free kick too early after asking for space? I’m really not sure.
Once he was off the pitch Scocco would strike again in the eighty-third minute bringing the teams back to level terms at threes. There was some good control from Ismael Iñiguez (I think) in the middle who then put the ball through. It glanced off a defenders foot and landed right at Scocco’s feet who easily tied the game up. In injury time Leandro had the a decent chance to give Pumas the needed and deserved win but his shot lacked the needed placement and it was easily covered by Becerra.
Before the game started it was thought Pumas should get all three points, but forty-five minutes in it looked as if we would walk away with none. It wasn’t until Scocco put in his third of the match in the eighty-third minute that Pumas had some breathing room. Even then it wasn’t the expected result, but none the less, it’s better than the potential loss. Pumas offense looked decent, while their defense seemed to lack many positive attributes. It was good to see Parejita back and Scocco looking good too.
Pumas: 7.5/10| Querétaro : 5.5/10
Final Score: Pumas 3 - 3 Querétaro
Final Score: Pumas 3 - 3 Querétaro
