America wins 2-0 against Chivas in Mexican league

MEXICO CITY (AP) Second-half goals from Raul Jimenez and Luis Gabriel Rey gave America a 2-0 victory over archrivals Chivas in the Mexican league.

The victory Saturday means reigning champion America remains in first place in the Apertura championship - the first of Mexico's two split seasons - while Chivas sinks to 17th with four rounds of matches remaining.

In Sunday's game, Santos Laguna won 1-0 against Pumas. In other games this weekend, Leon defeated Puebla 3-1, Toluca won 2-1 against Tigres, Cruz Azul overcame Atlas 2-1, Morelia came back to win 2-1 against Chiapas, Pachuca drew 1-1 with Veracruz and Atlante won 2-1 against Monterrey.

Jimenez headed in from a left wing cross to hand America the lead in the 69th minute, with Rey finishing with ease two minutes later. The game had been even in terms of possession and Chivas had chances to come back late in the game in front of more than 80,000 fans in Estadio Azteca.

Oribe Peralta stole in across his marker to poke to ball into the net in the 63rd to hand Santos Laguna victory against last-placed Pumas.

Mexico international Rafa Marquez scored for Leon from the penalty spot in the 16th, but was sent off for violent conduct 12 minutes later. Matias Alustiza equalized in the 30th, but second-half goals from Luis Montes and Mauro Boselli took the game beyond Puebla and mean Leon stays second in the league.

Substitute Pablo Velazquez headed in nine minutes from full time to hand Toluca the victory and improve it to third. Wilson Mathias tapped in for Toluca's opener three minutes before halftime, with Juninho equalizing with a direct free kick curled into the top left corner of the net in the 50th.

Tigres' U.S. international Jose Torres was sent off after receiving his second yellow card in the 46th.

Argentine Mariano Pavone and Joao Rojas scored either side of halftime for Cruz Azul, after Atlas had taken the lead in the 11th through Arturo Gonzalez.

Hector Mancilla netted the winner for Morelia in the 58th, after Aldo Leao's 38th-minute effort canceled out Carlos Ochoa's opener for Chiapas in the 14th.

Colombian Cristian Martinez snatched an equalizer one minute from the end against Pachuca, which had taken the lead in the 72nd through Daniel Arreola.

Atlante came from 1-0 down to defeat Monterrey, with Walter Erviti and Alberto Garcia scoring the second-half goals. Jesus Zavala had put Monterrey into the lead in the 10th.