Football
Reuters 16y

Soccer-Toluca go out, Santos march on in Mexico

MEXICO CITY, Nov 25 - Toluca were knocked out of
the Mexican Apertura championship quarter-finals on Sunday,
losing to a Pumas UNAM team who finished 10 points behind them
in the qualifying stage.

The Red Devils, under Argentina's 2006 World Cup coach Jose
Pekerman, were held 1-1 at home in Sunday's second leg and lost
3-1 on aggregate.

Santos Laguna, Atlante and Guadalajara were the other teams
to reach the last four.

Argentine Christian Gimenez put Toluca ahead in the 34th
minute when he was sent clear by Vicente Sanchez's pass and
fired past Sergio Bernal.

Toluca missed several chances to level the aggregate score
and were punished when Esteban Solari equalised from a rebound
in the 64th minute.

It was rough justice on Toluca, who finished their
qualifying group with 34 points while Pumas were second with
24.

The 18 teams meet each other once but are divided into
three groups.

Santos Laguna, who finished the qualifying stage with the
highest total of 38 points, beat Morelia 3-2 to complete a 5-2
aggregate win.

Argentines Daniel Luduena and Matias Vuoso and Johnny
Garcia shared the goals for Santos while Ever Guzman and
Fernando Arce replied for Morelia.

Mexico's most popular club Guadalajara beat San Luis 1-0
with a second-half goal from Sergio Santana for a 2-1 aggregate
win.

Atlante, in their first season after moving from Mexico
City to Cancun, beat Cruz Azul 2-1 for a 3-1 aggregate win.

Venezuela forward Giancarlo Maldonado fired Atlante ahead
from Gabriel Pereyra's pass then Jose Joel Gonzalez scored with
a long-range shot in the 64th minute. Jared Borgetti replied
for Cruz Azul with three minutes left.

(Reporting by Carlos Calvo; Writing by Brian Homewood;
Editing by Greg Stutchbury)

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