America take Mexican Derby

Club America top CD Guadalajara 1-0 to reach Apertura 2009 playoffs

Aquivaldo Mosquera (center) scored America's lone goal against Chivas. (AP)

A terrific performance from Chivas goalkeeper Luis Michel avoided more goals from America forwards Salvador Cabañas, Enrique Esqueda and Daniel Montenegro.

With the victory, America has entered the qualification zone to the playoffs -- they sit third in the league table -- while Chivas took their second lost in a row under new coach Raul Arias.

Pumas, still the Mexican champion, finally gave their fans something to cheer about, using less than a five-minute span to get a 2-1 victory over Monterrey, who are losing gas with only four games left before the playoffs.

Despite the victory, Pumas are still the penultimate team of the league and their mediocre campaign will not be forgotten by their fans.

Chilean Humberto Suazo (72') put the ball in the net with an excellent individual action, but Pablo Barrera (83') and Ismael Iñiguez (85') turned the score for Pumas.

Queretaro won 2-1 over Cruz Azul with a last-minute goal and summed their third victory in a row with Carlos Reinoso as manager. Isaac Romo made the first goal for the "White Roosters" (27'). However, Rogelio Chavez moved the scoreboard to 1-1 (45).

When there were only seconds to finish the battle, Mauro Vila gave the triumph to Queretaro at 93' in the middle of a rainy afternoon at Corregidora Stadium.

Estudiantes beat Toluca, the Mexican leader, 2-1 at 3 de marzo Stadium in Zapopan, Jalisco. Fredy Bareiro (18') and former "Red Devil" Carlos Adrian Morales (32') put their names at scoreboard. Toluca's goal was scored by Chilean Hector Mancilla (57', penalty kick), who is the second best scorer at tournament with nine goals, only two behind the leader, Cruz Azul's Emanuel Villa with 11.

Sergio Rosas scored in the closing minutes and Puebla broke a four-game winless streak with a 2-1 victory over Morelia, the vice speaker of the league. Monarcas could not stand the fierce reaction from La Franja and a powerful shot from "Samba" Rosas (81') gave three valuable points to Manager "Chelis" Sanchez Solá.

Uruguayan Nicolas Vigneri (13') had Puebla's first goal and Chilean Hugo Droguett (49') partially equalized the game for Morelia.

At beautiful Cancun, "Hobbit" Bermudez (44') and former Real Madrid star Santiago Solari (83') gave Atlante a great victory 2-0 over Atlas. Meanwhile, Pachuca beat Ciudad Juarez 1-0, thanks a solo goal from Ulises Mendivil (45').

In other results, San Luis lost 1-0 against Tigres and Chiapas tied Santos Laguna at 1-1.

Abel Reyes Díaz is a contributor to GlobalSoccerCenter.com.