Posted by Pumas took a valuable point at Santos’ Estadio Corona in round 4 of the Liga MX Clausura 2020 on Saturday night. This was the third meeting in 11 days between these two sides, after Santos eliminated Pumas in the round of 16 in the Copa MX. With the painful midweek Copa elimination still on their minds, Pumas were looking for a victory that would see them reclaim top spot in the table.
Pumas nearly opened the scoring within 30 seconds, as new signing Favio Álvarez got behind the Santos midfield from a throw-in, but his through ball to winger Pablo Barrera was undercooked.
The home side responded in the eighth minute, as Erick Castillo muscled inside a sleeping Alejandro Mayorga on the right wing. The Ecuadorian’s cut-back reached midfielder Fernando Gorriarán, but Gorriarán’s scuffed shot bobbled harmlessly wide.
Chances were few and far between for the rest of a turgid first half, with both teams struggling to string passes together. Pumas were particularly culpable, with multiple giveaways in their own half coupled with an inability to find the feet of center-forward Carlos González.
Pumas were much improved after the break, with right-back Alan Mozo a constant danger down the wing. He found Álvarez in acres of space inside the box in the 51st minute after a mazy run, but the Argentinean’s touch let him down and the chance went begging.
Álvarez’s night went from bad to worse minutes later. A quick switch of play from Santos right-back Josecarlos Van Rankin found winger Brian Lozano, who was chopped down in the box by Álvarez after cutting inside Mozo. Even though the resulting penalty from Julio Furch was poorly struck, the ball still squirmed under goalkeeper Alfredo Saldívar for the 1-0.
Staring down the barrel of their first defeat in the Clausura 2020, Pumas responded with the equalizer in the 70th minute. Center-back Johan Vázquez, who had defended stoutly all evening against the burly Furch, sent a bullet header into the top corner of Jonathan Orozco’s net from a corner.
Pumas seemed content with a draw as the clock ticked down, but Santos nearly won the match on two occasions in the final stages. First, Castillo was put through on goal after a fortunate deflection off of Pumas midfielder Andrés Iniestra, but his low shot was too close to Saldívar. Lozano, Santos’ most dangerous player all night, was then found inside the box after sterling approach play by substitute Diego Valdés. Although Lozano’s toe poke seemed destined for the back of the net, his effort was blocked miraculously by a diving Luis Quintana.
Despite the incessant Santos pressure, Pumas had a chance of their own, and almost took the three points in stoppage time. A wicked delivery from substitute Marco Antonio García was met by a towering header from González, which went just over Orozco’s crossbar. Regardless, Pumas will be pleased with a draw that leaves them in third place in the table. Santos, meanwhile, languish in 14th after taking only four points from their first four matches. Los Guerreros will need to improve against a struggling Puebla side before they host Tigres. Pumas, meanwhile, host a solid San Luis outfit in their next match before a difficult visit to Toluca’s Estadio Nemesio Diez in round 6.
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