The Ecuadorian Ángel Mena converted a couple of goals this Thursday to give the Leon a 3-2 victory over Atlas, in the first leg of the final of the Opening tournament 2021 of Mexican soccer. Ore, twice, and the Chilean Victor Davila, scored for the Lion of Argentine coach Ariel Holán, while Atlas, led by Argentine coach Diego Cocca, benefited from goals from Luis Reyes and the Argentine Julio Furch.
Atlas came out to put pressure on his rival’s stadium and, in an oversight by the defense, surprised him in the 11th minute with a goal with Reyes’ right leg from a hands off. León went out in search of the equalizer and began to push back the rival, but in the 30th the Colombian Andrés Mosquera suffered a muscle strain and six minutes later he left the field, replaced by the Argentine Ramiro González. In 37 the León tied with a good combination. Mena came on the right wing and put a cross; Chilean Jean Meneses intercepted him and gave the ball to Dávila, who with his left foot put it in the squad. Meneses and Colombian William Tesillo shot from the outside in a pair of arrivals from León, who finished the first half better.
The Lion increased the pace in the second half in which Mena and Meneses stepped into the area in danger, the second with a shot to the crossbar in minute 54. Atlas held on without giving up the counterattack and in 65 he regained the advantage with an elegant goal by Furch. Colombian Julián Quiñones hampered the defense and Furch shot left-handed with everything in his favor.
When Cocca’s team was about to close the game, it failed at its strongest point: defense. In 1978, León equalized the game by taking advantage of an error by Colombian goalkeeper Camilo Vargas, the second in two games; Meneses shot, the ball bounced off the goalkeeper and Mena put it into the net for 2-2. The defense of Atlas, the best in the championship, made water; Aldo Rocha brought down Dávila in the area and caused a penalty that converted Mena, who reached six goals in the last four games.
The return leg will be played on Sunday at the Jalisco stadium, in Guadalajara, the western part of the country, home of the Atlas.
