America opens title defense with win over Leon

Jan 12, 2015 - 4:48 PM Mexico City, Mexico (SportsNetwork.com) -Reigning Apertura champions America opened their Clausura season with a 3-2 win over Leon on Saturday at the Estadio Azteca.

America claimed a 3-1 aggregate win over Tigres in the Apertura final back in December to claim its 12th Mexican league title, and the club hoped to get the winter campaign on the right foot.

It didn't take long for the defending champions to get off the mark as Mexico international Oribe Peralta found the back of the net after just three minutes and added a second tally four minutes later.

Leon battled back to pull level at 2-2 when Moises Velasco netted an own goal and Mauro Boselli scored after 39 minutes, leaving all to play for in the second half.

The winning tally came with 25 minutes left as Carlos Darwin Quintero fired past Leon goalkeeper William Yarbrough to secure all three points for America.

Also on the opening weekend of the Clausura, Matias Alustiza scored a pair of stunning goals to lead Puebla to a 2-1 win over Tijuana, while Edy Brambila's 79th-minute strike handed Atlas a 1-0 win over Tigres.

Aviles Hurtado struck four minutes from time to give Jaguares a 2-1 result over Guadalajara, while Joao Rojas' eighth-minute goal held up to hand Cruz Azul a 1-0 win over Pachuca.

On Sunday, Victor Ismael Sosa and Edgar Pacheco traded goals as Pumas and Queretaro played to a 1-1 draw, while Fidel Martinez scored in the 67th minute to give Leones Negros a 1-0 victory over Monterrey.

Friday's action, Leiton Jimenez Romero score a pair of second-half goals as Verzcruz claimed a 2-1 win over Santos, while Morelia and Toluca played to a scoreless draw.