Wednesday July 9, 2008
ATLANTA--C.F. Pachuca topped the Atlanta Silverbacks 2-0 Wednesday night to win the second annual Copa Amistad Silverbacks at Atlanta Silverbacks Park.

(Photo Caption: Pachuca topped the Silverbacks 2-0 in the Copa Amistad Silverbacks at Atlanta Silverbacks Park. Photo by Elaine Carroll)

Leobardo Lopez and Jose Cardenas scored for the Tuzos.

The steady rain that started shortly before kickoff did little to deter the vocal pro-Pachuca crowd, though the slick artificial surface proved to be a little bit of a challenge to the Tuzos in the opeing minutes of play.

The Tuzos first chance came in the 11th minute when Paul Aguilar ran onto a Christian Gimenez ball, driving the return ball low across Felipe Quintero’s goal. Quintero bravely dove at the feet of the onrushing attackers, taking a boot to the head as he pounced on the loose ball.

In the 17th minute Gimenez found space 35-yards from goal. His dipping shot sent Quintero to ground, falling on the wet ball after it skidded from his grasp.

The Tuzos got on the score sheet in the 27th minute when Lopez out-jumped two Silverback defenders and Quintero and nodded in a Rodriguez corner kick at the near post.

Despite making wholesale changes, the Tuzos picked up where it left off, testing Quintero almost immediately after the start of the second half. Quintero batted the wet ball away, and the resulting corner kick was cleared.

The Silverbacks first true chance of the match came in the 50th minute when Ansu Toure made room for himself 20 yards from goal. His left footed blast was tipped over the crossbar by Calero.

The Silverbacks nearly got on the score sheet in the 59th minute when Mac Kandji got enough on a David Hayes cross to push it towards goal, beating substitute goalkeeper Rodolfo Cota before Fausto Pinto could clear the ball off the line.

Pachuca doubled the score in the 85 minute when Jose Cardenas got on the end of a loose ball in the Silverbacks penalty area, slamming the ball past a diving Quintero to put the game away for the Tuzos.

Pachuca now moves on to face Chivas USA in SuperLiga competition Saturday in Los Angeles.

The Silverbacks continue its exhibition schedule Saturday, facing Argentinean first division club Independiente at Atlanta Silverbacks Park. Kickoff is set for 8:00. To purchase tickets call 866-GO-BACKS or log onto www.AtlantaSilverbacks.com.

Box Score

Atlanta Silverbacks:
Felipe Quintero, Justin Moore (Zach Kirby 62), David Hayes, Josh Bolton, Martyn Lancaster (Andrea Sherard 87), Scott Buete, Rodrigo Rios (Kevin Barrow 74), Ansu Toure (Jerson Montiero 73), Blake Camp (Greg Chevalier 81), Jason McLaughlin (Chris Mahaffey 87), Mac Kandji.

C.F. Pachuca:
Miguel Calero (Rodolfo Cota 52), Leobardo Lopez, Julio Manzuar, Jamie Correa (Raul Martinez 65), Damian Alvarez (Jose Cardenas 56), Gabriel Caballero (Jose Torres 45), Bruno Marioni (Christian Correa 45), Gerardo Rodriguez (Luis Montes 45), Christian Gimenez (Edwin Borba 65), Fausto Pinto (Edy Brambila 74), Paul Aguilar (Juan Rojas 45).

Scoring:
PAC--Lopez (Rodriguez) 27
PAC--Cardenas 85
Misconduct:

Referees:
Ref: Oscar Ortiz
AR1: Tony Russo
AR2: William Cleland
4th: Patrick Baker