Monterrey and Estudiantes Tecos qualified for the Copa Libertadores
with victories in Wednesday's twin finals of the Mexican InterLiga.
Estudiantes Tecos came from 2-0 down against Puebla to win
3-2, with Argentine midfielder Rubens Sambueza scoring the winner
in the 89th minute.
Monterrey prevailed in a penalty shootout after its match
against America ended scoreless.
Puebla started both halves strongly to take a grip on the
contest. Uruguayan defender Alejandro Acosta put Puebla ahead in
the fifth minute, and former Sevilla midfielder Nicolas Olivera
doubled that advantage inside two minutes of the second half.
Chilean forward Rodrigo Ruiz pulled a goal back for
Estudiantes in the 51st and brought the Tecos level with his second
in the 80th, before Sambueza's 17-yard shot snuck inside the left
post for a dramatic win.
In the second final Wednesday, Monterrey goalkeeper Jonathan
Orozco took the limelight with two saves in the shootout.
The relatively short keeper began the shootout by diving to
his right to block Salvador Cabanas' shot with both palms.
Monterrey converted its first two spotkicks, and America its
second before Orozco used his right hand to punch away a shot by
former Sevilla defender Aquivaldo Mosquera.
After Monterrey netted its third shot, veteran Mexico
international Pavel Pardo had to convert to keep the game alive,
but scooped his shot over the bar.
The InterLiga, played in the United States, decides the final
two Mexican berths in the Copa Libertadores - South America's club
championship.
Monterrey and Estudiantes Tecos will join Mexico's Morelia,
Guadalajara and San Luis in the 2010 edition of the Libertadores.
Estudiantes will face Peru's Juan Aurich in the knockout
first stage.
