Atletico San Luis stop surging Pumas with solid win at home

Atletico San Luis bounced back from a bad loss to stop the surging Pumas with a 2-0 win at home. The local side took advantage of Pumas’ resting various players in the starting eleven to control the match and get a deserved win over a Pumas side that couldn’t match up with their past performances. San Luis will now have to prove it’s not a one off when they travel to Mexico City to face Cruz Azul, while Pumas will hope to have at least a good performance away to Chivas before facing the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League.

The first half started with Pumas resting a number of players and having the return of injured midfielder Marco Garcia. Pumas would also be without the suspended Juan Ignacio Dinenno, because although Pumas appealed the decision of his red card against Monterrey it was upheld. Atletico San Luis came up with their best possible lineup as they looked to bounce back at home. The first opportunity came when a great left footed shot from Juan Sanabria was well saved by Pumas’ goalkeeper Julio Gonzalez. The rebound fell to a San Luis player, but his cross into the area went through all of the players in the area. Then after a cross from Sanabria bounced off the arms of Santiago Trigos, the referee was called to VAR, where he awarded a penalty kick to San Luis. German Berterame stepped up and with a strong right footed shot he knocked it past Gonzalez for the 1-0 lead. Berterame then had a good chance when a cross into the area fell to him alone in the area, but he knocked it wide with a terrible header. After a good play, Favio Alvarez got off a great long range shot that forced San Luis’ goalkeeper Marcelo Barovero to make a good save.

The second half started with Pumas subbing out Diogo de Oliveira, Pablo Bennevendo, and Marco Garcia for Jose Rogerio, Alan Mozo, and Leonel Lopez. San Luis had a great chance when a cross into the area but was once again headed wide by Berterame. A great shot from Sebastian Saucedo then forced Barovero to make a good save. Pumas subbed out Sebastian Saucedo for Jorge Ruvalcaba, and then later subbed out Favio Alvarez for Emanuel Montejano. As the Alvarez substitution was being made, a corner kick was taken and Luis Fernando Leon jumped to head cross past Gonzalez for the 2-0 lead. They say to not make changes when you are defending a corner kick, and it seemed to have hurt Pumas this time. Pumas tried to answer with a cross by Mozo that Rogerio volleyed well wide. San Luis subbed out Jhon Murillo and German Berterame for Abel Hernandez and Facundo Waller. San Luis had a good chance when they had a counter attack with a four-on-three but Ricardo Chavez’ cross was cleared by Mozo. Off of a corner kick, Arturo Ortiz rose to get a free header but it went just wide. San Luis then subbed out Rubens Sambueza and Andres Iniestra for Ramon Juarez and Juan Castro. Pumas continued looking for the ball, but it looked less and less likely as time went by. San Luis then subbed out Juan Sanabria for Zahid Muñoz. After an accidental knock, Leonel Lopez was injured and had to come out, although Pumas had no more subs available. Time ran out, and Pumas ended up without any points and with a possible injury for a key player like Lopez.

Atletico San Luis had a good performance overall to stop a Pumas team that was improving and getting results. San Luis was the better side, and took complete advantage of Coach Andres Lillini resting key players after their tough home match against Monterrey. Pumas tried to change things by getting the starters in the second half, but it was too little, too late. Also, a defensive mistake on a corner kick ended costing them the match. Pumas will need to step up with a tough game on Saturday in Guadalajara against improving Chivas to try to get their ticket to the repechaje, while San Luis will have a tough away match against Cruz Azul to also try to grab that ticket to the post season.