Match recap: Santos Laguna 5, UNAM Pumas 2

Santos finished the 2019 Clausura with a resounding 5-2 win over UNAM Pumas, giving the club a confidence boost going into the long offseason and something to build on when they return to work. Julio Furch had two goals in the rout.

Santos would get the first opportunity on goal when Furch got his head on a cross in the box in the second minute, but the Argentine striker’s shot went just wide of Alfredo Saldívar’s net.

Santos would break through in the 14th minute when Diego Valdés hit a half-volley from about 20 yards out that swerved past Saldívar for his second of the season.

In the 17th, Julio Furch would double the hosts’ lead when he was able to beat his mark to the free kick to poke it home.

After a brief hydration break, Furch would get his second of the afternoon when he was able to get his head on a free kick and put it past Saldívar to extend Santos’ lead to three.

Ignacio Malcorra would draw one back in the 33rd minute when he was able to score on a free kick that may have taken a deflection in flight.

Santos looked great on offensive set pieces, which resulted in two of their three first half goals and several other chances that did not wind up on the score sheet.

During halftime Santos continued the tradition of Guerretón, where the fans were encouraged to throw toys onto the pitch to be given away to local children. Almost 10,000 toys were collected, which is really heartwarming.

In the second half, Santos would get right back to work. In the 56th minute, Los Guerreros would hit Pumas on a counterattack and Marlos Moreno would tack on another with a fantastic volley from the top of the box.

In the 76th, center back Matheus Dória would get a rare goal when he hit a powerful header off of a corner kick for his first goal of the season.

In the 87th minute, Andrés Iniestra would get a consolation goal for Pumas on a good strike in the box, but it was far too little, far too late.

Santos Laguna: Jonathan Orozco; Jorge Arteaga, Matheus Dória, Hugo Nervo, Carlos Orrantia; Ulíses Rívas (José Juan Vázquez, 78’), Diego Valdés , Brian Lozano, Marlos Moreno (Deinner Quiñones, ; Julio Furch, Ayrton Preciado

UNAM Pumas: Alfredo Saldívar, Jeison Angulo, Brian Figueroa (Juan Iturbe, 61’), Pablo Jáquez, Idekel Domínguez; Ignacio Malcorra, David Cabrera (Luis Quintana, 69’), Andrés Iniestra, Pablo Barrera (José Alcántara, 81’); Felipe Mora, Carlos González

Scoring: Santos Laguna - Diego Valdés (11’), Julio Furch (17’, 28’), Marlos Moreno (56’), Matheus Dória (76’); UNAM Pumas - Ignacio Malcorra (33’), Andrés Iniestra (86’)

Disciplinary: Santos Laguna - Brian Lozano (Yellow - 53’); UNAM Pumas - David Cabrera (Yellow - 48’), Felipe Mora (Yellow - 74’)