Match recap: Santos Laguna 2, Pachuca 2

A slow start had Pachuca up two and Santos on the ropes, but two goals from Julio Furch pulled the hosts back and earned them a 2-2 draw at Territorio Santos Modelo. Santos is unbeaten in Torreón since Week 11 in the 2019 Clausura.

In the second minute, Gustavo Cabral put Tuzos on the board with a header off of a free kick for his first goal in the top flight since his goal with Estudiantes Tecos in a win against Monterrey back on January 14, 2011.

In the 10th minute, Edwin Cardona hit a shot that was redirected up and over Jonathan Orozco for Pachuca’s second goal of the evening. The ball looked to hit off of Hugo Rodríguez’ leg and take an arc that Orozco was not anticipating.

Two minutes later Santos had a good look at goal when a header off of a corner kick grazed the top of the bar. Santos looked fairly uncomfortable playing from behind, however Pachuca also looked a but unsure of what to do with a lead.

In the 20th, Adrián Lozano hit a curling shot that Rodrigo Rey was forced to make a diving save on. In the 30th, 17 hit a cross to Adrián Lozano, and Lozano chested the ball to Julio Furch. Furch hit a blast past Rey to get the hosts within one goal.

On the restart, Pachuca drove downfield and X put one off of the underside of the crossbar and into the back of the net, but it was ruled offside. In the 35th, Eryc Castillo went in on Rey and hit a blast that clattered off of the front of the crossbar, but it was ruled offside as well. Santos made a couple of mental mistakes in trying to set up the attack, which have been few and far between this season under manager Guillermo Almada. Just before the halftime whistle, Brian Lozano drove down and hit a shot that Rey stopped. Julio Furch scuffed a shot that was going in until it was cleared off of the line by Oscar Murillo.

In the second half, Santos looked much more composed on the ball and was able to generate several good chances. In the 61st minute, Kevin Álvarez crashed into Ulíses Rívas in the box. Julio Furch stepped up and hit a panenka to draw the sides level at two each.

Pachuca almost regained the lead in the 70th minute when Franco Jara hit a curling shot from the top of the box that smashed off of the corner of the crossbar and out. In the 81st, Jara hit another bomb that caromed off of the post but it was again ruled offside. Jonathan Copete also hit one off of the crossbar in the 82nd minute.

Try as both sides might, neither could come through with the game winner and the match ended with a 2-2 draw. Santos will head to San Luis Potosí to face Atlético San Luis on Saturday while Pachuca will return home to host Tijuana on Saturday as well.

Santos Laguna: Jonathan Orozco; Emilio Orrantía, Matheus Dória, Hugo Rodríguez, Gerardo Arteaga; Adrián Lozano (Diego Valdés, 59’), Ulísis Rívas (José Juan Vázquez, 84’), Fernando Gorriarán, Brian Lozano; Eryc Castillo (Bryan Garnica, 74’), Julio Furch

Pachuca: Rodrigo Rey; Erick Aguirre, Oscar Murillo, Gustavo Cabral, Raúl López; Víctor Guzmán (Jonathan Copete, 72’), Rubens Sambueza, Jorge Hernández, Luis Chávez (Pablo López, 90+1’); Edwin Cardona (Víctor Dávila, 58’); Franco Jara

Scoring: Santos Laguna - Julio Furch (30’, 65’); Pachuca - Gustavo Cabral (2’), Edwin Cardona (10’)

Disciplinary: Santos Laguna - Hugo Rodríguez (Yellow - 26’), Guillermo Almada (Yellow - 85’); Pachuca - Franco Jara (Yellow - 74’)