COMMERCE CITY, Colo. -- Rafael Marquez scored in the 62nd
minute and goalkeeper Miguel Calero made several brilliant saves as
CF Pachuca blanked CD Guadalajara 1-0 Tuesday night.
The match between the two Mexican teams was part of the
SuperLiga exhibition tournament.
The match was scoreless until Marquez's goal, to the credit of
Calero. He made two stops of Gonzalo Pineda in the first eight
minutes of the second half. Then watched as Jesus Padilla sent a
shot that missed the right cross bar for CD Guadalajara.
CF Pachuca appeared to be back on its heels for the first 16
minutes after the break.
The ball got deep into the CD Guadalajara end when Christian
Gimenez of CF Pachuca kicked a high arcing pass just to in front of
CD Guadalajara goalkeeper Ernesto Michael. Marquez didn't hesitate,
sending a header into the back of the net to make it 1-0.
Calero was forced to make only one more tough save the rest of
the match. Padilla broke free to send a low blast from the slot
that Calero deflected away using both hands.
Each team had scoring chances in the first half.
Marquez sailed a header just barely outside the left post for CF
Pachuca in the third minute. Teammates Andres Chitiva and Damian
Alvarez launched uncontested shots over the crossbar in the 11th
minute while Marquez hit the top of the crossbar with a header in
the 26th minute.
CP Guadalajara's Sergio Santana and Omar Arellano worked
themselves free for shots deep inside the scoring zone in the sixth
minute. But Calero blocked them both with sliding saves.
Calero made an even better stop in the last minute of the first
half. He slid over at the last instance to smother Jonny Magallon's
left footed blast from the slot.