Bautista Sparks Pachuca
Late-game substitutes in soccer matches are expected to provide fresh legs and an infusion of enthusiasm with the hope of influencing the outcome.
Adolfo Bautista of Pachuca did more than that when he entered his team’s first-leg game in the Mexican league Apertura championship against UNL Tigres.
Bautista scored the tiebreaking goal in the 77th minute -- seven minutes after replacing Sergio Santana -- and drew a penalty kick in the 86th minute that led to an insurance goal in host Pachuca’s 3-1 victory Wednesday night.
Pachuca, which finished two points behind Tigres and UNAM Pumas for the overall regular-season lead, needs, at worst, a one-goal loss in Saturday night’s second leg to claim its first title since 2001. That year, Pachuca also defeated Tigres, 3-1, on aggregate.
Tigres dug itself an early hole in Wednesday’s game when goalkeeper Gustavo Campagnuolo tried to clear a ball but instead watched it deflect off defender Hugo Sanchez into the net for an own goal to give Pachuca a 1-0 lead in the 23rd minute.
But in the 59th minute, Tigres rallied to tie the score when Brazilian forward Irenio Soares scored his first goal of the playoffs.
Shortly thereafter, Bautista scored his goal on a shot to the upper right corner and later induced Tigres’ defender Mario Ruiz into a foul in the penalty area. Francisco Gabriel de Anda scored the resulting penalty kick to put the game away.
*
Mexico Coaches
Two teams in the Mexican league will have new coaches for the beginning of the Clausura season that begins in early February.
La Tercera, a Chilean daily, reported that its country’s most high-profile team, Colo Colo, will lose its coach, Jaime Pizarro, to Mexican club Puebla.
Colo Colo will play its last game of the season Sunday against Cobreloa to determine the Chilean Clausura champion. Pizarro is set to arrive in Mexico on Monday and will sign a contract then, the newspaper said. Puebla finished 17th out of 20 teams this season.
Another Mexican team, Irapuato, is set to bring in former Costa Rica national team coach Alexandre Guimares.
Guimares told a Costa Rican radio station this week that the deal was complete.
*
Abreu May Leave
Uruguayan forward Sebastian Abreu, who plays for Club America in Mexico, may leave the team to play for his former club, Nacional, in his native country.
Abreu’s agent, Luis Malvarez, said he already has had discussions with representatives of Nacional. However, any move would have to be approved by Spanish club Deportivo La Coruna because it owns Abreu’s rights. Abreu also was thought to be considering UAG Tecos in the Mexican league.
*
Ferdinand Case
England and Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand’s hearing with the Football Assn. over a missed drug test began Thursday.
The two-day hearing could result in Ferdinand’s being banned for as many as two years if it is determined he deliberately skipped the Sept. 23 test. Ferdinand has said that he simply forgot and was then prevented from returning to take the test.
*
Under-19 Women
The United States women’s under-19 team will hold a training camp at the Home Depot Center from Dec. 27 to Jan. 2.
Among the 26 players invited are UCLA forward Bristyn Davis, former Santa Margarita High defender Shannon Foley and Orange El Modena High sophomore forward Alexa Orand, the youngest player on the roster.
Coach Tracey Leone will eventually form an 18-player roster for this spring’s CONCACAF qualifying tournament in Montreal and Ottawa for a chance to earn a spot in the FIFA Under-19 Women’s World Championship in Thailand in November.
Times wire services contributed to this report.
