A second-half brace by Jose Reyes led San Luis to a 3-1 win against fellow Mexican side Tigres UANL in a Group A SuperLiga match at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill., on Tuesday night.
San Luis is now 1-1 after suffering a 1-0 loss to the Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer last Saturday, while Tigres is also 1-1 after beating Chivas USA, 2-1, on Saturday at The Home Depot Center.
In the second game of a doubleheader at Toyota Park on Tuesday, Tigres came out the stronger of the two teams and had the better early chances. But San Luis was able to hold out and allowed their experience to take over in scoring three goals in the second half.
At the quarter-hour mark, Alan Pulido tested the San Luis goal with a header from a good cross. His attempt was deflected just wide of the right post of goalkeeper Carlos Trejo.
The San Luis reaction was immediate. From a corner kick, they were able to connect with two headers in the Tigres penalty area, but the final attempt was just cleared off the line by a defender.
Just past the opening half-hour, Tigres had a tremendous chance to open the scoring. But after a lovely combination, Alan Pulido, who was alone in front of goal, angled his shot too much and the ball was deflected wide of the right post.
In the second half, San Luis began to impose their will and in the 54th minute Braulio Luna put San Luis in front. After Armando Pulido pulled down Malher Moreno near the touchline, setting up a free kick, Luna took the set piece just outside the right edge of the 18-yard box. The ball took a bounce in front of goal before landing inside the far post.
San Luis took a two-goal lead in the 56th minute after Alfredo Moreno won a ball in the midfield and made a darting run toward goal. He found Luna on his left and the captain played a perfect ball to the far post, where Jose Reyes, who came on at halftime, chipped the ball into the net to give Gladiadores a two-goal lead.
Tigres pulled a goal back when Juan Pablo Garcia took a pass from Emmanuel Cerda, took a touch and beat Trejo inside the far post with a low shot in the 73rd minute.
With Tigres pushing numbers up in an attempt to find the equalizer, Jonathan De Leon, who came on in the 71st minute, bounced an open shot wide to Trejo's right moments later.
San Luis then put the game away in the 76th minute on Reyes' second goal of the game, a true golazo from the top of the 18-yard box. Reyes took a pass from Alfredo Moreno off his chest, turned toward goal and volleyed a shot first-time past Tigres goalkeeper Enrique Palos.
San Luis nearly added a fourth goal in the 82nd minute, but Alfredo Moreno tapped the ball wide from the right of the goal.
Tigres will meet the Chicago Fire, which defeated Chivas USA 1-0 in the opening game of the doubleheader earlier on Tuesday.
In the final game of the group stage on Saturday at Toyota Park, while San Luis will meet Chivas USA Saturday night at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.
All four teams are still alive entering the final day of play, and no teams have yet secured places in the semifinals.
