America, Cruz Azul back into the playoffs

MEXICO CITY (AP) -America and Cruz Azul secured playoff spots with wins over Monterrey and Puebla on the weekend in Round 16 of the Mexican Apertura.

At estadio Azteca, Argentine midfielder Daniel Montenegro scored in the 16th minute Sunday as the 10-time champion Eagles beat the Rayados to end a two-year drought without postseason play, the longest in the club's rich history.

Montenegro scored on a header on a cross from Pavel Pardo for America, which has 29 points and jumped over Monterrey for the second place in Group 2. Rayados has the same amount, but a worse goal average.

On Saturday, at estadio Azul in Mexico City, Argentine striker Emmanuel Villa scored two goals in three minutes as the Blue Machine trounced Puebla 4-0.

Villa converted in the 36th and 38th for Cruz Azul to reach 16 goals for the season and remains on top of the scoring list with a four-goal lead over Chilean striker Hector Mancilla, who scored twice on Sunday in Toluca's 3-0 win over Pachuca.

Gabino Velasco (45th) and Paraguayan Pablo Zeballos (90th) also scored for Cruz Azul, which notched its third consecutive win and now has 30 points as the Group 3 leader.

The Blue Machine, which has eight titles, finished as the worst team in Mexico's last tournament.

With one round left to play in the regular season, Morelia still holds the top seed in the playoffs with 32 points, while Toluca is second, also on 32 points, and Cruz Azul is third.

The best two teams in each of the three groups qualify for the postseason along with another two clubs with the best records.

In other scores it was: Ciudad Juarez 0, Jaguares 1; Tigres 4, Atlante 2; San Luis 4, Santos 2; Atlas 1, Chivas 4; Morelia 0, Pumas 0; Estudiantes 2, Queretaro 0.