Mario Mendez and Chilean Hector Mancilla scored either side of halftime as reigning champion Toluca defeated Queretaro 2-0 for its second consecutive win Sunday in the sixth round of the Mexican Apertura football championship.
Also Sunday, America could only muster a 1-1 home draw with Necaxa and Puebla rallied for a 3-1 win over Pachuca.
Mendez scored with a powerful shot from outside the box in 37th and Mancilla, who was scoreless since last season's semifinals, sealed the win with a penalty in the 80th.
"I broke my bad streak in the CONCACAF Champions League (last Wednesday) but beyond that, the main thing is that the team won and we have improved over the last weeks", Mancilla said.
Toluca, which started the season without a win for the first four rounds, has nine points to lead Group 2 while Queretaro lost its second straight and for the third time in its last four matches.
At Azteca Stadium, Argentine striker Dario Gandin put Necaxa ahead before a Daniel Marquez header leveled the scores in the 76th. America has not lost at home since August 2, 2009.
Damian Manso scored from a free kick in the 64th minute for Pachuca before Gabriel Pereyra equalized a minute later. Roberto Juarez put Puebla ahead in the 85th minute and Uruguayan defender Alejandro Acosta sealed the win in the 89th.
Puebla played its first match without former manager Jose Luis Sanchez who resigned after the team exchanged owners and Eduardo Fentanes took over the team last Monday.
Puebla has 11 points and is second place in Group 3 while Pachuca lost for the fourth time in their last five games and has only five points in six rounds.
