Football
Tom Marshall, Mexico correspondent 6y

Uribe, Menez on target as America downs Pumas in quarterfinal first leg

Colombian midfielder Mateus Uribe and French forward Jeremy Menez both scored twice as Club America eased past Pumas 4-1 on Wednesday in the quarterfinal first leg of Liga MX's 2018 Clausura.

America took the lead in Estadio Olimpico Universitario after just 55 seconds, with Uribe guiding a header into the far corner from a right-wing cross to open the scoring in the Mexico City derby.

Pumas sought to take the initiative against an America side happy to sit back and wait for opportunities to attack. Nico Castillo had a good chance to equalize in the fifth minute, but Agustin Marchesin rushed off his line to smother the Chilean's shot.

America controlled the game after that even when not in possession, but appeared fortunate to win a penalty in the 27th minute when Pumas center-back Luis Quintana was adjudged to have handled the ball. Menez stepped up to calmly stroke the penalty in.

Uribe fired in from the edge of the penalty area 10 minutes later to make it 3-0, with Pumas' Castillo pulling one back from the penalty spot just before half-time.

Menez netted his second penalty just after the hour mark to give Club America a three-goal advantage heading into Saturday's second leg in Estadio Azteca.

In Wednesday's other quarterfinal first leg, Club Tijuana and Monterrey played out a 1-1 draw in Estadio Caliente.

Monterrey opened the scoring through a Dorlan Pabon shot from outside the penalty area in the 39th, with Ignacio Rivero striking a dipping free kick past Hugo Gonzalez in the 53rd.

Tijuana outshot Monterrey and dominated possession, but couldn't find the winner and now needs to defeat Rayados in the return leg on Saturday.

Xolos haven't managed an away win all Clausura and only scored one goal outside Estadio Caliente in eight matches.

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