Posted on September 19, 2012
ESTELI, Nicaragua – Life could not have gotten any more dramatic for Tigres, which secured the equalizer in the 90th minute in its 1-1 tie with Real Esteli in the CONCACAF Champions League group stage on Tuesday night.
Jorge Espericueta scored the goal that boosted Tigres into first place in Group 6 and eliminated the Nicaraguan side from quarterfinal contention. The Mexican club leas Alajuelense (Costa Rica) by a point.
Espericueta put home a cross from Alberto Acosta, rolling his shot inside the near post from 14 yards.
The Mexican side has one game left against Alajuelense at home on Oct. 24. Alajuelense will play Esteli at home next week.
The game was in marked contrast to the teams’ first meeting at Estadio Universitario on Aug. 1, when Tigres recorded a 4-0 victory with four players finding the back of the net in the final 55 minutes.
Needing a win to remain alive on Tuesday, Real Esteli scored in the 53rd minute as Juan Barrera rose above two defenders and headed in Franklin Lopez’s corner kick from the edge of the six-yard box.
Tigres had two chances to equalize one minute apart, but Alan Pulido’s shot after dancing along the end line was parried away by goalkeeper Justo Lorente in the 65th minute. Only a minute later, Fernando Navarro failed to tee up a shot inside the box.
Lorente’s best save came in the 73rd minute when he made a diving stab to his right to thwart Taufic Guarch’s open header inside the box.
Categories: Champions League, Mexico, North America, Panama
Tags: Alajuelense, Alan Pulido, Alberto Acosta, CONCACAF Champions League, Jorge Espericuerta, Real Esteli, Tigres
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