Soccer-Guadalajara win first match under new coach Almeyda
MEXICO CITY, Sept 20 (Reuters) - Guadalajara gave new coach Matias Almeyda a winning start when they beat Queretaro 2-1 at home on Sunday although Mexico midfielder Marco Fabian's red card means he misses next weekend's 'clasico' against America. The win lifted the Chivas into 13th place in the Apertura championship standings with 10 points from nine matches and is a good start for Almeyda in his main task which is to keep his side clear of relegation. The Argentine was signed on a two-year deal to steer his side away from the relegation standings, a table based on teams' results over three seasons, where they were languishing when they sacked predecessor Jose Manuel de la Torre last Monday. Guadalajara went ahead in the 22nd minute with an own goal by Queretaro defender Victor Milke and increased their lead with a header by striker Omar Bravo in the 56th. Milke pulled one back in the 79th, five minutes after Fabian was shown a red card for a foul on midfielder Orbelin Pineda but the visitors were unable to take better advantage of their extra man to find an equaliser. Chivas, who won their 11th league title in 2006, visit record 12 times champions America at the Azteca on Saturday in the fixture between the two most popular and successful clubs in Mexico. Former France striker Andre-Pierre Gignac scored one of the goals when University side Tigres came from a goal down to beat 10-man Monterrey in the northern city's derby on Saturday and climb to fourth on 16 points, five behind new leaders Leon. Monterrey led with a goal from Argentine striker Rogelio Funes Mori in the 35th minute but the match turned Tigres' way after Efrain Juarez was sent off on the stroke of halftime. Leon beat Tijuana 2-1 on Saturday and their 21 points put them three ahead of former leaders UNAM Pumas whose five-match winning streak came to an end in a 2-1 defeat at Cruz Azul. America are third, also with 18 points, after a 3-0 win at Morelia. Title holders Santos Laguna, winners of last season's Clausura, are bottom after a fifth consecutive defeat, 2-0 at home to Atlas on Friday. (Additional reporting by Carlos Calvo; Writing by Rex Gowar; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)
