Match recap: Veracruz 2, Santos Laguna 2

Veracruz would double it’s goalscoring tally for the Clausura and withstand withering pressure from Santos Laguna to get a 2-2 draw at Estadio Pirata Fuente, and they’d do it with Colin Kazim-Richards suspended from a red card in the previous match and with Cristián “Polaco” Menéndez starting on the bench. Santos would be without center back Matheus Doría, who would be held out as a precaution due to taking a knock against the New York Red Bulls in the Concacaf Champions League quarterfinals on Tuesday.

Santos would come out looking to score, with Julio Furch and Marlos Moerno both testing goalkeeper Sebastián Jurado early. In the fifth minute, Brian Lozano would get under a cross, but his header would go wide. Gerardo Arteaga would also rip a shot from distance in the seventh minute that went just over the bar.

It would be Veracruz who would break through in the ninth minute however when Jefferson Murillo crossed the ball to Bryan Carrasco. Santos defender Gerardo Arteaga’s sliding attempt to clear the ball missed, leaving Carrasco unmarked. Carrasco took full advantage, firing past goalkeeper Jonathan Orozco to give Veracruz their third goal of the season.

Santos would continue coming at Veracruz after the goal. Marlos Moreno found himself with the ball and some space in the 17th minute, but he scuffed his shot and it went well high of the net. In the 23rd minute, Javier Correa’s shot went into the side netting. Santos would finally break through in the 25th minute when Julio Furch passed the ball forward to Javier Correa. Correa’s shot would be stopped by Jurado, but the rebound would fall to Furch, who’d settle the ball and shoot, leveling the score at one each.

Santos still kept coming at Veracruz. In the 31st minute. Morelos would juke past a couple of defenders and shoot from 20 yards out. Jurado was able to smother it, but got up screaming at his defense. Jurado was heroic on the evening, making save after critical save.

In the 52nd minute, Murillo would have a shot at goal that Hugo Rodríguez would head off of the goal line. In the 75th, Santos would take the lead when Marlos Moreno would hit a cross to Javier Correa, who would settle and score much like Furch’s goal earlier.

It wouldn’t last long though. Veracruz would equalize in the 80th minute when Diego “Puma” Chávez would take a shot from the top of the box that caught Jona Orozco flat and would pull the hosts level.

In the 89th minute, Veracruz almost had the game winner but for a miraculous save by Jona Orozco to sweep the ball off of the line and out of harm’s way.

Veracruz will head to Juárez to play FC Juárez in the Copa MX quarterfinals on Wednesday before heading to Guanajuato to play León on Sunday. Santos returns to Torreón where they’ll host the New York Red Bulls in the second leg of the Concacaf Champions League Quarterfinals on Tuesday before hosting Necaxa on Sunday in Liga MX play.

Veracruz: Sebastián Jurado; Carlos Gutiérrez, Edson García, Lampros Kontogiannis, Arturo Paganoni; Sebastián Rodríguez (Rodrigo López, 58’), Carlos Salcido (Cristián Menéndez, 77’); Jefferson Murillo, Joe Abrigo (Nenê Bonilha, 65’), Bryan Carrasco; Diego Chávez

Santos Laguna: Jonathan Orozco; Gerardo Arteaga, Hugo Rodríguez, Hugo Nervo, José Abella; Marlos Moreno (Brayan Garnica, 60’), Diego Valdés, José Juan Vázquez, Brian Lozano (Deinner Quiñones, 60’); Javier Correa (Eduardo Aguirre, 75’), Julio Furch

Scoring: Veracruz - Bryan Carrasco (9’), Diego Chávez (80’); Santos Laguna - Julio Furch (25’), Javier Correa (75’)

Disciplinary: Veracruz - Jefferson Murillo (Yellow - 35’); Santos Laguna - Brian Lozano (Yellow - 41’), José Abella (Yellow - 90’)