Jaguares edge Pachuca in five-goal thriller

Luis Esqueda poached the winner as Jaguares beat Pachuca 3-2 in their midtable Clausura clash on Thursday. Home side Jaguares were down to ten men from the second minute after Luis Noriega was dismissed, but they led 2-0 by the 23-minute mark thanks to two goals from Luis Rey. Rey ran through a near-static defence before clipping a delicate left-footed shot over goalkeeper Rodolfo Cota for the opener after 14 minutes, and struck again, this time with power, to double the lead. Segundo Castillo halved Pachuca's deficit in the 37th minute with a close-range header, and substitute Felix Borja hauled the 11 men level after 72 minutes, shortly after his arrival. But there was a final twist as Jaguares pinched the winning goal ten minutes from the end, with Cota racing out in a vain attempt to close down Franco Arizala, who charged into the right side of the penalty area. Arizala saw the goalkeeper coming and floated over a fine chip which looked certain to hit the back of the net. Esqueda, barely a foot out, made sure by prodding the ball over the line. Pachuca had Borja sent off in stoppage-time for a second bookable offence. Jaguares stand ninth of 18 teams in the table after their win, with Pachuca, after only their second defeat in 12 matches, six of which have resulted in draws, two points better off in seventh place.