Santos dominated the match during the first 45 minutes
Toluca will face America in the semifinal
Toluca showed practical football to defeat Santos Laguna 1-2 this Sunday and qualify for the semifinal of the Apertura 2022 tournament of Mexican soccer, in which they will face America.
The Chilean Jean Meneses and Colombian Andrés Mosquera scored for the ‘Devils’, who won the series 6-4, while the Uruguayan FernandoGorrirán discounted for Santos.
After winning the first leg 4-3, with a last-minute penalty from Brazilian goalkeeper Tiago Volpi, Toluca came out to take care of the advantage. He backed down and survived, in part thanks to the null forcefulness of Santos.
Although he had possession in his favor in a millimetric way, 51-49, Santos was much better in the first 45 minutes, however, he let go of three clear scoring opportunities, the most obvious being Paraguayan Cecilio Domínguez, who finished off from the outside with everything in his favour.
With the entrance to the court of the Argentine Javier Correa, in the second half Santos went with everything in search of the necessary goal to qualify for the quarterfinals, however, he was surprised and conceded a couple of goals in three minutes.
in 47 Meneses escaped down the left wing and converted with a left-foot shot and in minute 50, Mosquera scored with a header from a corner kick, in which the home team’s defense made things easy.
If, with a goal advantage in the series, Toluca backed down, with a 6-3 advantage, he bet with more reason to maintain order in the defense, waiting to punish, if his rival gave him another chance. Santos attacked disorderly and created little danger.
Frustrated, Javier Correa attacked Volpi and was expelled. The fans applauded the player’s cowardly attitude and, not satisfied with that, sang the homophobic cry that fans in Mexico usually shout at the local team’s goalkeeper.
After a suspension of the match for two minutes, the people in the stands defiantly insisted on the offense, to which the referee pretended not to understand.
Gorriarán, perhaps Santos’ best player in the series, He discounted in the 96th minute with a touch of his left leg.
Toluca will face America in the semifinalwhich swept Puebla and eliminated it 11-2.
After a 1-6 win on Wednesday at the Puebla stadium, the Eagles won 1-5 this Saturdaywith goals from Uruguayan Brian Rodríguez, Mexican Henry Martín, Colombian Roger Martínez, Spanish Álvaro Fidalgo and Mexican Miguel Layún.
Before, the Rayados del Monterrey thrashed Cruz Azul 3-0 and signed their access to the phase of the four best.
The Argentines Germán Berterame and Rogelio Funes Mori and the Mexican Jesús Gallardo turned it into a game in which the Blues had plenty of scoring opportunities, but they lacked accuracy.
Monterrey will face in the semifinal the winner this Sunday of the series between their fiercest opponent, Tigres UANL, and Pachuca.
