Pachuca's Erick Gutierrez (left) celebrates after scoring against visiting Club America in a Liga MX Clausura quarterfinal encounter on May 14, 2015. (Photo: Mexsport)
PACHUCA, Mexico – Pachuca scored all of its goals in the first half to earn a 3-2 victory over defending-champion Club America in the first leg of their 2015 Liga MX Clausura quarterfinal series on Wednesday at the Estadio Hidalgo.
Erick Gutierrez put the host ahead 1-0 in the fourth minute, firing brilliantly into the upper-right corner of the net with his left foot from 30-yards out.
Skill and persistence from Cristian Penilla doubled the advantage in the 17th minute. The 24-year-old Ecuadorean adroitly battled his way from right to left across the top of the 18-yard box to place a left-footed shot beyond full-stretched goalkeeper Moises Muñoz and into the left side of the goal.
Another Ecuadorean, Michael Arroyo, halved the deficit for the Club America. In the 35th minute, he beat goalkeeper Oscar Perez from 35 yards, drilling a vicious right-footer past the veteran.
Two minutes later, Ariel Nahuelpan restored Pachuca’s two-goal lead. After collecting a pass near the top of the arc from Gutierrez, the Argentinean created slight separation from Pablo Aguilar, allowing him enough space to find the back of the net with his left foot.
Club America was handed a goal in the 49th minute, when Walter Ayovi’s pass -- in his own end -- was intercepted by Dario Benedetto. The 2014/15 Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League Golden Ball winner raced into the Pachuca penalty area to beat Perez easily from nine-yards out.
The sides will meet again on Saturday at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City with the Tuzos in position to advance with a win, a draw or even a loss depending on the final score.
