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Estudiantes Tecos goalkeeper Mario Rodriguez stops a shot during the second half of the InterLiga soccer match against Puebla Wednesday at Home Depot Center. (AP Photo).
And the winners are: Monterrey and Tecos.
Hercules Gomez (yes, that one), left, made his Puebla debut Sunday in Carson, but couldn't stop his team going down to defeat. Here he vies with the ball with Monterrey's Jose Maria Basanta. (AP Photo)
Monterrey take final InterLiga berth Sunday in the nightcap at Home Depot Center.
On Wednesday it's Puebla-Estudiantes Tecos (6 p.m.) and then Club América-Monterrey.
Diving Tecos goalie Mario Rodriguez can't stop Salvador Cabanas scoring the second of Club America's three goals in nine minutes that enabled them to take a 3-1 lead Saturday in Carson. The game ended 3-3. (AP Photo)
With Club America and Tecos securing semifinal berths Saturday and Puebla already qualified among today's contestants, the final place is up for grabs today at Home Depot Center between Monterrey, Tigres UANL and Jaguares.
A preview of the opening game of tonight's doubleheader from Carson, Santos Laguna-Atlante at 5:30 p.m., is here. Both teams still have a chance to advance from Group A.
More on the game most fans want to see, Club America-Tecos, the top two teams in the group, is here.
Full tournament details here.
Tournament officials said "a full stadium is expected and organizers are encouraging fans to purchase their tickets in advance, as well as arrive early to the stadium."
I won't be blogging at the games due to a previous commitment, but I do intend to head out to today's USMNT practice at Home Depot Center. I'm collecting material for Tuesday's column, but if there is any news I'll blog it here.
Updated:
Fellow South Bay blogger Chris Cognac will provide updates from the stadium of tonight's InterLiga games. Follow along here.
Puebla goalkeeper Jorge Villalpando got the shutout and his club got a crucial win Wednesday in Texas (AP Photo).
Puebla clinched a spot in the InterLiga finals in Carson by beating Jaguares 1-0 in Houston Wednesday, while Monterrey must beat Puebla Sunday at Home Depot Center if they hope to advance after drawing with Tigres in the nightcap.
More from the official site of the tournament is here.
Catch up on Tuesday's action here.
Club America leads Group A after beating Atlante Tuesday night, while Tecos stayed alive by defeating Santos.
Tonight it's Group B leading Puebla facing Jaguares, while Monterrey faces arch rivals Tigres.
Suggested reading:
*A Tecos-Santos game story is here.
*For complete stats and info, the official InterLiga site is here.
*Is this the seventh and final edition of InterLiga?
Finally, check out the Club America-Atlante highlights:
Tickets for the seventh annual tournament that serves as the qualifying tournament for the Copa Libertadores for Mexican clubs go on sale next month.
Home Depot Center hosts games Jan. 9, 10 and 12.
More info from today's press release:
InterLiga 2010 will determine two Mexican club berths (Mexico 2 and Mexico 3) for Copa Libertadores. Copa Libertadores begins at the end of January 2010. The eight best teams in the general standings at the end of the current Apertura 2009 season of the Mexican domestic league move on to InterLiga 2010, except for the club that finishes first in the regular season standings, which will qualify directly to Copa Libertadores as "Mexico 1," per FMF regulations. Due to their participation in the 2009-2010 CONCACAF Champions League, clubs Toluca, Pachuca, Cruz Azul, and UNAM Pumas will not participate in InterLiga 2010 regardless of their place in the Apertura standings. Due to the events that occurred during Copa Libertadores 2009, Chivas and San Luis will qualify directly into the 2010 edition during the Round of 16.
More info is here.
Chivas triumphed at InterLiga Sunday at Home Depot Center.
I wandered around the stadium taking photos and soaking up an amazing atmosphere that you don't see at MLS games. Here's a sampling, beginning with some frenetic Morelia fans.
This was as close as Los Angeles residents and Chivas fans Claudia Gonzales, 27, and Aida Aguilar, 33, could get to the action. They didn't have tickets, so they sat outside the stadium.
"Didn't I tell you never to call me at work?"
Daddy goat and his kid
A lone security guard (left) contemplates the solitude of the empty tennis venue adjacent to the packed soccer stadium.
Four Mexican teams.
Two spots in the Copa Libertadores at stake.
Two games at sold out Home Depot Center: at 4 p.m. it's Atlas (known as the Zorros and one of three teams from Guadalajara) against Pachuca (winners of five Mexican championships in the last 10 years) and at 6:30 p.m. CD Guadalajara (will Panchito Mendoza of Chivas USA be in the starting lineup for the mother club at his home stadium?) faces Morelia.
Both games are live on Fox Sports Espanol.
Previews: Atlas-Pachuca.
I'm going to wander around the HDC with a camera during the games and soak up the atmosphere. With any luck, I'll post a few shots tonight.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend: David Beckham starts on the bench for AC Milan at 11:30 a.m. on Fox Soccer Channel in a Serie A game against Roma, while Marta could be officially confirmed as a L.A. Sol player as soon as today.
Home Depot Center has its first capacity crowd of the new year (and it's a real sellout).
No $20 grass berm tickets remain for Sunday's InterLiga finals, officials announced late Saturday.
From the InterLiga press release:
A capacity crowd of 27,000 will see the top two finishers from both Group A and Group B of InterLiga when Pachuca battles Atlas at 4:00 p.m. PT, followed by CD Guadalajara, known worldwide as "Chivas", against Morelia.Due to the capacity crowd, fans are recommended to arrive early and enjoy Futbol Fiesta, an interactive fan zone in Lot 13 near the North West entrance to the stadium.
It's the fifth time the Interliga finals has sold out at the HDC.
I plan to blog from the games, so join me then.
About 100 Percent Soccer
Sportswriter Nick Green has written the 100 Percent Soccer column since 2005 for the Daily News, Daily Breeze and other Los Angeles area newspapers. The blog of the same name began in 2007. A native of England, he began writing about soccer in the mid-1980s and in 2000 permanently exchanged a seat in the stands for one in the press box. He lives six miles from Carson's Home Depot Center, home of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas USA and the training headquarters for U.S. Soccer and is married to a long-suffering soccer widow. Join Nick on FaceBook and follow him on Twitter.
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