DALLAS (AP) — Mariano Pavone scored two goals, and nearly had a couple more, to lead Cruz Azul to a 2-1 victory over Club America Wednesday night in a Mexican First Division preseason exhibition at the Cotton Bowl.
After Christian Benitez gave Club America a 1-0 lead in the 24th minute, Pavone struck back with goals in the 27th and 35th minutes.
Pavone also had another apparent goal called back by an offside call in the 20th minute and was victimized by a spectacular hand save by Club America goalkeeper Hugo Duran in the 43rd.
He was substituted out of the match in the 69th minute.
Cruz Azul goalkeeper Yosgart Gutierrez made spectacular diving saves on Paul Rojas in the 52nd minute and on Adrian Rodriguez in the 57th. With just one more pre-season contest remaining before the Apertura kicks off, both teams utilized what projects as their starting lineups for the first half before a flurry of substitutions began about 15 minutes into the second.
