GUADALAJARA, Mexico – If Michael Orozco Fiscal’s week started on a bad note after his club refused him permission to join up with the US national team, it finished even worse, with the 28-year-old center back limping off the pitch Saturday night for Puebla.
Orozco Fiscal had started on the left side of a three-center back grouping in La Franja’s 0-0 tie with Atlas at Estadio 3 de Marzo, but appeared to pull a muscle in the 20th minute and was taken off soon after.
There was no immediate word from Puebla on the extent of the injury.
Orozco's club and national temmate, DaMarcus Beasley, went the full 90 minutes for La Franja in the game and was at the root of a couple of his team’s better moments in the first half.
The left wing back twisted, turned and opened up space outside the penalty area to send a shot just wide in the 17th minute. He also nearly turned provider in the 30th when he sent in a cross from the left wing that teammate Carlos Sánchez should've done better with.
Beasley was also solid in defense when he needed to be, especially in the second half when he dropped deeper.
The results means Puebla are still in last place in the Liga MX's Clausura 2014 table and six points ahead of bottom-placed Atlante in the relegation table, with Los Potros set to make up their game in hand on Sunday against Tigres UANL.
Tom Marshall covers Americans playing in Latin America for MLSsoccer.com. E-mail him at tom.marshall.mex@gmail.com.
